“What then? Must I say these things to the multitude?”
Why should you? Is it not sufficient to believe them yourself? For when children come up to us and clap their hands and say, “A good Saturnalia to you today!” do we say, “These things are not good”? Not at all, we clap with them ourselves.
So, when you cannot change a man's opinion, recognize that he is a child, clap with him, and if you do not wish to do this, you have only to hold your peace.
These things we must remember, and when called to face a crisis that is to test us, we must realize that the moment is come to show whether we have learned our lesson.
For a young man going straight from his studies to face a crisis may be compared to one who has practiced the analysis of syllogisms. If someone offers him one that is easy to analyze, he says, “No, propound me one which is cunningly involved, that I may get proper exercise.”
And so wrestlers are discontented if put to wrestle with young men of light weight: “He cannot lift me”, one says.
Here is a young man of parts, yet when the crisis calls he must needs weep and say, “I would fain go on learning.”
Learning what? If you did not learn your lesson to display it in action, what did you learn it for?
Why should you? Is it not sufficient to believe them yourself? For when children come up to us and clap their hands and say, “A good Saturnalia to you today!” do we say, “These things are not good”? Not at all, we clap with them ourselves.
So, when you cannot change a man's opinion, recognize that he is a child, clap with him, and if you do not wish to do this, you have only to hold your peace.
These things we must remember, and when called to face a crisis that is to test us, we must realize that the moment is come to show whether we have learned our lesson.
For a young man going straight from his studies to face a crisis may be compared to one who has practiced the analysis of syllogisms. If someone offers him one that is easy to analyze, he says, “No, propound me one which is cunningly involved, that I may get proper exercise.”
And so wrestlers are discontented if put to wrestle with young men of light weight: “He cannot lift me”, one says.
Here is a young man of parts, yet when the crisis calls he must needs weep and say, “I would fain go on learning.”
Learning what? If you did not learn your lesson to display it in action, what did you learn it for?
—from Epictetus, Discourses 1.29
Does the Stoic have to preach noisily from a soapbox, go off on a crusade, or tirelessly pursue his martyrdom? Since his bliss is in finding peace within himself, he will have no need for putting on a show or bossing anyone around. He loves his neighbor, and he gladly offers his help however he can, but he works with the flow, not against it.
I am always leery of those who insist upon themselves even a little too much, for it makes me wonder what sort of tension is making them act out. Zealots can be found in all walks of life, though I have encountered them most frequently in the realms of religion and politics. Why do you feel the need to prove anything to me?
Perhaps I really should think about converting to this sect, or subscribe to that political flavor, though your bullying isn’t helping your case, and your gruff dismissals are hardly attractive. If I am such a hopeless fool, give me some slack or let me be—demanding my compliance only reflects upon your own weakness.
If I am going to avoid becoming a raging partisan, let me aim at acting with virtue, not yelling about it. I can fiddle around with a concept all I like, yet it will not do me a bit of good merely to admire or display it. Once I have discovered the path, I am simply called to start walking, without any bluster or bravado.
Then I can treat any hardship as a chance to put the theory into practice, committing to the deeds instead of posturing with the words. Understanding where my true worth lies, I finally rise to the challenge of being responsible for myself.
The lazy student seeks out the easiest test, while the eager student is not content until he is questioned to his limits. The prideful athlete feels bigger by defeating a foe of lesser size or skill, while the noble athlete improves himself by facing a worthy adversary. The winning or losing is in the endeavor itself, regardless of what is eventually written on the scoreboard.
A mark of a dull spirit is dwelling on the preparation and putting off the genuine task. Likewise, a sign of an obsession with image is the windup without a pitch.
I see it in academia, where they teach us for years upon years, and then, because we are unwilling to go out and do, we ourselves are reduced to teaching. There is much talk of truth, goodness, and beauty, and no one ever bothers to live them.
When I say that I wish I could stay in school forever, what I actually mean is that I prefer to dawdle. If I settle for a cushy job, complete with the bells and whistles, I am still placing my comfort ahead of my convictions.
There is no time like the present for decisively exercising some character and integrity. I will get dirty, and probably go unnoticed, and that is as it should be.
Does the Stoic have to preach noisily from a soapbox, go off on a crusade, or tirelessly pursue his martyrdom? Since his bliss is in finding peace within himself, he will have no need for putting on a show or bossing anyone around. He loves his neighbor, and he gladly offers his help however he can, but he works with the flow, not against it.
I am always leery of those who insist upon themselves even a little too much, for it makes me wonder what sort of tension is making them act out. Zealots can be found in all walks of life, though I have encountered them most frequently in the realms of religion and politics. Why do you feel the need to prove anything to me?
Perhaps I really should think about converting to this sect, or subscribe to that political flavor, though your bullying isn’t helping your case, and your gruff dismissals are hardly attractive. If I am such a hopeless fool, give me some slack or let me be—demanding my compliance only reflects upon your own weakness.
If I am going to avoid becoming a raging partisan, let me aim at acting with virtue, not yelling about it. I can fiddle around with a concept all I like, yet it will not do me a bit of good merely to admire or display it. Once I have discovered the path, I am simply called to start walking, without any bluster or bravado.
Then I can treat any hardship as a chance to put the theory into practice, committing to the deeds instead of posturing with the words. Understanding where my true worth lies, I finally rise to the challenge of being responsible for myself.
The lazy student seeks out the easiest test, while the eager student is not content until he is questioned to his limits. The prideful athlete feels bigger by defeating a foe of lesser size or skill, while the noble athlete improves himself by facing a worthy adversary. The winning or losing is in the endeavor itself, regardless of what is eventually written on the scoreboard.
A mark of a dull spirit is dwelling on the preparation and putting off the genuine task. Likewise, a sign of an obsession with image is the windup without a pitch.
I see it in academia, where they teach us for years upon years, and then, because we are unwilling to go out and do, we ourselves are reduced to teaching. There is much talk of truth, goodness, and beauty, and no one ever bothers to live them.
When I say that I wish I could stay in school forever, what I actually mean is that I prefer to dawdle. If I settle for a cushy job, complete with the bells and whistles, I am still placing my comfort ahead of my convictions.
There is no time like the present for decisively exercising some character and integrity. I will get dirty, and probably go unnoticed, and that is as it should be.
—Reflection written in 5/2001
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