The Daily Stoic - Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
October 14th. Don't get Mad. Help.
"Are you angry when someone's armpits stink or when their breath is bad? What would be the point? Having such a mouth and such armpits, there's going to be a smell emanating. You say, they must have sense, can't they tell how they are offending others? Well, you have sense too, congratulations! So, use your natural reason to awaken theirs, show them, call it out. If the person will listen, you will have cured them without useless anger. No drama nor unseemly show required."
-Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5.28
Many, myself included, seem to want to feel the anger, as if we're warranted the emotional reaction due to someones unconscious annoyances. "We expect it to magically happen" - for them to realise their annoyances, how they're 'affecting' us, and to right their 'wrong'.
If someone is chewing with their mouth open, jiggling their foot and shaking your seat, tapping along to music out of rhythm, just ask them to be aware of it, and to refrain. Sinples
Shevacai
npub19u…wgppv
2023-10-14 13:52:32
Author Public Key
npub19ut4lep53ax69ks406zdzxd4zewgg4v3trnyw20lqzck89r33wls3wgppvPublished at
2023-10-14 13:52:32Event JSON
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"content": "The Daily Stoic - Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living\n\nOctober 14th. Don't get Mad. Help.\n\n\"Are you angry when someone's armpits stink or when their breath is bad? What would be the point? Having such a mouth and such armpits, there's going to be a smell emanating. You say, they must have sense, can't they tell how they are offending others? Well, you have sense too, congratulations! So, use your natural reason to awaken theirs, show them, call it out. If the person will listen, you will have cured them without useless anger. No drama nor unseemly show required.\"\n-Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5.28\n\nMany, myself included, seem to want to feel the anger, as if we're warranted the emotional reaction due to someones unconscious annoyances. \"We expect it to magically happen\" - for them to realise their annoyances, how they're 'affecting' us, and to right their 'wrong'. \nIf someone is chewing with their mouth open, jiggling their foot and shaking your seat, tapping along to music out of rhythm, just ask them to be aware of it, and to refrain. Sinples",
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