Contentment

He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty.   — Lao Tzu

On being asked Who is the rich man? Epictetus replied “He who is content.”

I think these two quotes have the same theme. The Stoic view is that there are things under out control - our thoughts, our actions - and things which we cannot control - the external world. The difficulty is that the hardest thing to control is ourselves. Our world is filled with billionaires who continue to grasp for more while many can't make rent. Rich or poor, are we content?

Money can't buy back your youth when you're old

Or a friend when you're lonely or a love that's grown cold

The wealthiest person is a pauper at times

Compared to the man with a satisfied mind

Satisfied Mind Sung by Johnny Cash written by Joe "Red" Hayes and Jack Rho

- Bill

Beauty

When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad. — Lao Tzu

Small minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness. —Epictetus, on anger

The first one puzzles me. Why must something be perceived as ugly if something else is perceived as beautiful. Is lack of perceived beauty ugliness or is it just ordinary, non-beautiful? In the same way is ugliness the lack of beauty or is it its own characteristic? If we perceive ugliness will we by necessity perceive beauty elsewhere? I'm not so sure. I'm not convinced that qualities by necessity create other qualities. Perhaps the dichotomy is good - non-good and bad - non-bad vs. good - bad.

Unlike many modern people, Epictetus didn't find anger a positive emotion. It was a Stoic vice, later one of the Christian capital sins. Anger clouds the mind and that to a Stoic is to be avoided. Rather, we must train our minds as we train our bodies.\

If, therefore, you wish not to be hot-tempered, do not feed your habit, set before it nothing on which it can grow. As the first step, keep quiet and count the days on which you have not been angry. . . . If you go as much as thirty days without a fit of anger, sacrifice to God. For the habit is first weakened and then utterly destroyed.

- Bill

Difficulties

The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long. — Lao Tzu

Because a thing seems difficult to you, do not think it is impossible for anyone to accomplish. — Marcus Aurelius

At first, I didn't see a connection between these two quotes. However, I think there may be one, although it's somewhat tenuous.

The Taoist quote seems true at first glance. All things being equal, you will consume more resources to generate more energy, but you use up your resources that much faster. Of course, all things are never equal.

Camping on a cold night, I can make the fire burn hotter by blowing on it, at the cost of consuming wood faster. If I don't have enough wood, I'll be frozen by morning, but I'll be warmer for a short while. The alternative is to be somewhat colder all night.

If I had better fuel, better wood perhaps, I could have a hot fire and it could last the night. That means I have to do something - go out in the dark and fetch some hard wood. This is what I think the Marcus Aurelius quote is about. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor, one of what Gibbons called the last of the good emperors. Marcus spent much of his reign fighting Germanic tribes on the frontiers. I can imagine the generals coming to Marcus and saying "It will be difficult for the Germans to breach our defenses." Marcus replies, "You think it difficult, but the Germans may persevere. Difficult is not impossible. Think about how to make what is difficult for them impossible for them"

In both cases, if you consider the situation static, you face the limits of your current resources. The situation is seldom static and captured by a simple phrase. The Stoics say that you can only control your thoughts and your actions. Our thoughts allow us to see alternate paths, our actions can move us along those paths.

The final word comes from Edna St. Vincent Millay

"My candle burns at both ends I

t will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -

It gives a lovely light."

Edna St. Vincent Millay - First Fig

- Bill