Up@dawn 2.0

Monday, May 1, 2017

Meditations part 2

Luke Harris
Oliver
Philosophy
29 April 2017
Meditations Part 2
In the previous installment, I got to book two of Marcus Aurelius’ meditations. For instalment 2 I plan on continuing to summarize the rest of the book and in some of my own ideas on the material. In book three Marcus tells us not to ignore the little things but also not to dwell on them either. For example, he finds beauty in simple things like when bread is baked it cracks on top. Not by the design of the baker but just on its own. In the same way, he talks of a lion’s eye brow and the foam from a wild boar’s mouth. He explains himself by saying “if a man should examine them severally- still, because they are consequent upon the things which are formed by nature, help to adorn them, and they please the mind; so that if a man should have a feeling and deeper insight with respect to the things which are produced in the universe, there is hardly one of those which follow by way of consequence which will not seem to him to be in a manner disposed so as to give pleasure” (Aurelius). I liken this sentiment to the modern-day colloquialism of “stop and smell the roses”. If more people would just stop and appreciate the beauty of our planet maybe people would think twice before they throw their gum wrapper on the ground. Taking time in your day to look around and breath in your surrounding is a great exercise. That’s why I think peripatetic philosophers have a leg up (no pun intended) on those dormant philosophers. When you get up and move around it grants perspective. Shifting gears to later in the book he says,” Never value anything as profitable to thyself which shall compel thee to break thy promise, to lose thy self-respect, to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite, to desire anything which needs walls and curtains”. This chapter or paragraph in the book could possibly be the end to all wars. However, in my opinion this sounds like the start of some liberal hippy BS that you would hear in a commune. He’s not wrong though. If we all didn’t value anything so much that we would fight for it there wouldn’t be war and we might possibly get along. It’s the people that feel entitled to things or want things so badly that they will do anything to get them that ruin it for the people that work. Just because I value something doesn’t mean I will go out and take my neighbors things. I believe in hard work and as long as you stay within your morals there’s nothing wrong with doing everything in your power to get something.


Comment 2: http://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2017/04/installment-2-is-there-god.html#comment-form



1 comment:

  1. I agree with you about if we didn't value things we wouldn't fight for it. That's why most of our troops enlist. Because they value our freedom and they are willing to fight for it.

    Also not everyone has the same morals. What may be within my morals may not be the same as yours.. if i thought it was ok to steal from my neighbors and you didn't who is wrong?

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