Michael Sugrue on Marcus Aurelius

Absolutely the best lecture I’ve ever heard on the subject! WATCHING THIS IS MANDATORY!

On what is really valuable in life

There is little valuable, either in perspiring, like vegetables; or breathing, as cattle, and wild beasts do; or in having sensible impressions made upon the imagination; or in being moved like puppets, by our several passions and appetites; or in mere herding together; or in being nourished. There is nothing in this superior to the discharging again what is superfluous of the food we have taken in. What, then, is valuable? To be received with claps of applause? Not at all. Nor is the applause of tongues more valuable. The praises of the vulgar are nothing but the noise of tongues. If you have, then, quit the pursuit of this trifling sort of glory, what remains as valuable? This one thing, I imagine, to move, or stop yourself, in all desires or pursuits, according to the proper fabric or structure of your nature: For, this is what all design and art is tending to; this is all its aim, that the thing formed by art, should be adapted to the work it is designed for. This, the planter, and the vine-dresser, the horse-rider, and the breeder of the hound, are in quest of. At what does all education and instruction aim? In this, therefore, is placed all that is valuable. If you succeed well in this, you need not be solicitous to acquire any thing further. Won’t you, then, cease to value other things? If you don’t, you’ll never attain to freedom, self-contentment, independency, or tranquillity: for, you must be enviously and suspiciously vying with those who can deprive you of such things as you highly value; laying snares for those who possess them; and pining with vexation, when you want them; and even accusing the Gods. But, the reverencing and honouring your own intellectual part, will make you agreeable to yourself, harmonious with your fellows, and in a perfect concord with the Gods; praising whatsoever they distribute or appoint to men.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book VI, Aphorism 16.

Taft Speech

"How many of you out there have heard of alternative engines? Engines that can run on anything from alcohol to garbage or water. Or carburetors that can get hundreds of miles to the gallon. Or electric or magnetic engines, that can practically run forever. You don't know about them because if they were to come into use, they'd put the oil companies out of business... Big Business is primarily responsible for destroying the water we drink, the air we breathe and the food we eat. They have no care for the world they destroy, only for the money they make in the process." -Forrest Taft

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On human nature

The natures of things are so covered up from us, that, to many philosophers, and these no mean ones, all things seem uncertain and incomprehensible. The Stoics themselves own it to be very difficult to comprehend any thing certainly. All our Judgments are fallible. Where is the infallible man, who never changes his opinion? Consider the objects of our knowledge; how transitory are they, and how mean! how often are they in the possession of the most effeminately flagitious, or of a whore, or a robber! Review again the manners of your contemporaries, they are scarce tolerable to the most courteous and meek disposition; not to mention that few can well comport with their own manners, but are often angry with themselves. Amidst such darkness and filth, and this perpetual flux of substance, of time, of motions, and of the things moved, I see nothing worthy of our esteem or solicitude. On the contrary, the hopes of our natural dissolution should be our consolation, and make us bear with patience the time of our sojourning among them: refreshing ourselves with these thoughts; first, that nothing can befall us but what is according to the nature of the whole: and then, that it is always in our power, never to counteract the Deity or Genius within us: to this no force can compell us.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book V, Aphorism 10.

Condenado a viver

Condannato a marcire in un letto d'ospedale
Condenado a apodrecer num leito de hospital
Strappato alla morte da un vizio legale
Amarrado à morte por um vício legal.
Garze, tubi e flebo oltraggiano l'essere
Gazes, tubos e agulhas ultrajando a existência,
Cristallizzando il soffio della vita!
Petrificando o sopro da vida!

«Oh, vita, quando non sarò più in grado di amarti fuggi da me
Perché un uomo albero non può che desiderare disperatamente di morire
Amore, se mi vuoi bene davvero uccidimi, uccidimi!»

"Oh vida, quando não mais eu puder amar-te, fujas de mim.
Porque um homem vegetal não pode mais que desejar desesperademente morrer.
Amor, se me tens afeição verdadeira, me mate, me mate!"

Eutanasia: diritto e non delitto!
Eutanásia: direito, não delito!
Diritto e non delitto, diritto e non delitto!
Diritto e non delitto, diritto e non delitto!
Diritto e non delitto, diritto e non delitto!
 

Una sentenza d'ergastolo da scontare
Uma sentença de prisão perpétua a cumprir
Per un cuore ormai stanco di scandire le ore della sua agonia!
Para um coração já cansado de marcar as horas de sua agonia!

Self-control

Do you know why most successful men of war, were self-controlled and disciplined? And why strategists from Sun Tzu to Von Clausewitz do recommend men with these qualities to be commanders? ‘Tis because baiting and tricking is one of the essences of the art of war, getting the enemy into his fatal web, is the aim of any general, to conduct the events of war at his will capitalizing in the shortsightedness, ignorance and recklessness of the enemy.

In war, unrestrained fury and rage will only get you dead, or at the mercy of the enemy, the good general shall never be of a flaming temper, he must be cold and contextualize the current situation in greater frame of war, seeking the best way to come up with a quickly and decisive victory.

Reckless and arrogant men, will fall for any trap you set up, be it for their ineptness for seeing things in the long run of the war, be it for their great sense of self-worth, they will get trapped, baited, lured, touted into their own obliteration.

Guard thyself from strong emotions, be calm and constant in the course of war, for, doubt it not, the enemy will try to bait you with soothing words, apparently comfortable situations, heinous slanders against your dignity and the honor of your people, ignoble acts and so on, ad nauseum… The fit general shall never fall for these lures as long as he maintains a strictly control over himself, his emotions, and tendencies….

“All war is based on deception.” ~ Sun tzu

 

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” ~ Sun Tzu