21-May-2023
During my teenage years, I experienced a challenging period of uncertainty, unsure of my life's purpose and how to navigate it. I sought guidance and direction, particularly beyond the influence of my guardians or teachers, much like many rebellious teenagers. It was in this tumultuous phase that I stumbled upon Letter from a Stoic - Seneca, which introduced me to the principles of stoicism. Stoicism is a philosophy which teaches that the quality of one’s life is completely dependant on the individual living it. Drawing inspiration directly from nature, it offers guidance on leading a virtuous life. The learnings from this philosophy have become some of my core values by which I lead my life. Here are three of those learnings.
Learning #1
It is a great man who can treat an earthenware as if it were silver and their silverware as if it were earthen. (Letter Ⅴ)
My understanding:
Treating everyone and everything equally allows us to judge them based on their function rather than their superficial appearance. Unless the function demands the appearance.
Let me give you an example. Have you met people who buy the latest iPhones just because its the latest iPhone. Do you remember the times of low waisted jeans? When you’d have to keep one hand free to keep pulling your jeans back up? The benefit of this learning is beyond just saving money on the latest iPhone. The benefit lies in the liberation of thought when you look beyond social norms & trends into the true function or purpose of a belonging, a person or a situation.
Learning #2
If you want to be loved, love. (Letter Ⅶ)
My understanding:
The literal meaning of this saying holds true, as you might have learned from romance novels and self-help books. However, this learning extends beyond that. It applies to every emotion. For instance, if you desire respect, you must learn to show respect first. If you seek trust, you must be willing to trust others. If you want to be cared for, you must exhibit care towards others.
But could we take this concept even further? As Nicolas Cole suggests, if you aspire to be a writer, all you need to do is write. Write anything—FAQs, UX copy, books, blogs, lessons, guides—just write. Similarly, if you aim to be a researcher (like yours truly), all you have to do is start asking questions and seeking answers from people, things, data, anything.
Learning #3
Gifts that chance brings our way is not to be considered as possessions. (Letter Ⅸ)
My understanding:
Anything that you haven't earned through your individual effort cannot be relied upon, as it doesn't exist in your life due to your own accomplishments. If those things are taken away from you, you might not know how to regain them. Therefore, it's important not to rely on things that you haven't personally earned.
While striving for a life solely built on individual effort is a near-impossible feat, the true lesson lies in embracing humility. Recognising, that most things in life are a result of ‘chance’ and various other factors. Nevertheless, if you have achieved something solely through your own determination, perseverance, and hard work, then, as Godgeez says you have truly earned bragging rights.
To be continued …