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A review by sgbrux
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
5.0
My first dive into the Stoics, which was worth it.
There’s something romantic about reading what is essentially the 2,000-year-old diary of one of history’s greatest thinkers. And seeing how the ideas communicated are still very much alive throughout the different philosophies and studies of psychology and various artistic works of modernity. Seems to support his observation that literally everything in existence is cyclical—the same stuff over and over again.
Though I didn’t agree with every last one of Marcus’s leanings—especially those on books, music, dancing, sex—even the brief snatches of ideas I felt were almost Panglossian, I thought the collection was deeply reflective and valuable despite being a little melancholic and then impersonal at times. But again, it’s stoicism, so no surprises there.
I prefer a life in which I can emote passion or anger or sadness and not just live in logic, but I do see the argument for mastering one’s thoughts and emotions.
My main takeaways are the importance of living in the present, realizing only you have the ability to allow others to hurt you, and understanding that in any instance you have the power to change your life.
The essence of god and the human soul are things I think about every day, so if you’re a bit existential, too, I recommend you read Meditations.
I’ve made my reading highlights available for any who want them. After reading through a couple other editions, I strongly recommend the one with Gregory Hays as the translator. Superb work in that he writes in with the clear modern perspective and language. A great translator is key!
There’s something romantic about reading what is essentially the 2,000-year-old diary of one of history’s greatest thinkers. And seeing how the ideas communicated are still very much alive throughout the different philosophies and studies of psychology and various artistic works of modernity. Seems to support his observation that literally everything in existence is cyclical—the same stuff over and over again.
Though I didn’t agree with every last one of Marcus’s leanings—especially those on books, music, dancing, sex—even the brief snatches of ideas I felt were almost Panglossian, I thought the collection was deeply reflective and valuable despite being a little melancholic and then impersonal at times. But again, it’s stoicism, so no surprises there.
I prefer a life in which I can emote passion or anger or sadness and not just live in logic, but I do see the argument for mastering one’s thoughts and emotions.
My main takeaways are the importance of living in the present, realizing only you have the ability to allow others to hurt you, and understanding that in any instance you have the power to change your life.
The essence of god and the human soul are things I think about every day, so if you’re a bit existential, too, I recommend you read Meditations.
I’ve made my reading highlights available for any who want them. After reading through a couple other editions, I strongly recommend the one with Gregory Hays as the translator. Superb work in that he writes in with the clear modern perspective and language. A great translator is key!