“For instance, when bread is baked, some parts are split at the surface, and these parts which thus open, and have a certain fashion contrary to the purpose of the bakers art, are beautiful in a manner, and in a peculiar way excite a desire for eating.” – Marcus Aurelius
What a quote this is. The stoic philosophers often get a bad rap as being hollow, emotionless, and robotic. But man, point two of book three of meditations is a perfect counter to that. As Aurelius continues, he describes a number of different things, which when observed without depth, one might consider ugly, but which he says might be considered as beautiful in life as in an artists rendering.
Welcome back to Meditations on Meditations, my personal study into Marcus Aurelius’ personal works of philosophy. Today, I’m reading through book three, and I’m going to highlight my personal favorite points in the book. If you enjoy this reading, I highly recommend you to purchase a copy yourself, it is worth the read.
Point 4: Worrying About Others
“Do not waste the remainder of your life in thoughts about others, when you do not refer your thoughts to some object of common utility. For you lose the opportunity of doing something else when you have thoughts such as these.”
Here, Aurelius speaks on control of your own mindfulness, and not worrying about what other people do, say, and think of you.
Since it is obvious you cannot do anything about these doings and sayings, why distract yourself from them?
He also points out that your thoughts should be focused in such a way that, should you be asked “What are you thinking?” You can answer truthfully, without shaming yourself or anyone else.
Point 10: Ephemeral Memory
“Bear in mind that every man lives only in his present time, which is an indivisible point, and that all the rest of his life is past or uncertain. Short then is the time that every man lives, and small the nook of earth where he lives; and short too the longest posthumous fame, and even this only continued by the succession of poor human beings”
We are ephemeral memories in the minds of those who come after us, and whatever we create will be destroyed. It’s a reflection very akin to Ecclesiastes 2:18-19, where Solomon laments that all his work will be left to another, and who can say if he will do good?
This way of thinking helps you to take life seriously, but not so seriously that you are crippled by the severity of your own decisions. Yes, you will make mistakes, and that’s tragic, but ultimately, will all be left behind soon after you die.
It also brings humility. Yes, you will do good things, but no one will remember that in 100 or so years. After all, who can remember all of the good things Aurelius and Solomon did do? It is long gone, and what we have are shallow records of their doings at best.
Point 15: Another Kind of Vision
“They know not how many things are signified by the word stealing, sowing, buying, keeping quiet, seeing what ought to be done; for this is not effected by the eyes, but by another kind of vision.”
The ambiguity of this statement lends us to contemplate and interpret something we can never truly know. At times I wonder if great philosophers intentionally throw out these kind of statements, leaving me with a “That’ll get em thinking” moment.
I imagine Aurelius wrote this, perhaps laughed, and wondered how many simpletons like myself would ponder such a brief statement, peering into it and making it much deeper than it is.
Nonetheless, I do see depth here. I imagine that Aurelius was speaking of the long term consequences of all of these things, the expansive possibilities that arise when presented such simple options. Everything we do has second and third order effects that can carry on for years. And this is another kind of vision, to think in the future of one’s actions and inactions.
Or perhaps I’m just blowing hot air, who can say?
Modern Survival Arkansas 