The Daily Stoic No One Can Hold Anything Over You | Keeping “The News” In Check
Explore how Stoic philosophy offers a path to inner freedom, regardless of one's background. Discover the importance of favoring timeless wisdom from books over the chaos of daily news. Learn how to establish a clearer purpose by managing information consumption and minimizing distractions. Dive into strategies for maintaining mental clarity in today's fractured information age, focusing on personal growth and civic duty rather than sensational headlines.
08:51
Stoic Freedom
- Stoicism offered a form of power and freedom, regardless of social standing.
- This inner resilience stemmed from understanding what is truly good and true.
Reinforcements through Reading
- Cultivate a strong mind by reading and engaging with philosophy.
- Join the Read to Lead Challenge for guidance on becoming a better reader.
Managing the News Deluge
- Step away from the noise and constant news updates.
- Remember that news cannot alter your present purpose or reasoned choices.
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Intro
00:00 • 4min
Focusing on Purpose Amidst the Noise of News
04:08 • 4min
Maintaining Equilibrium in a Chaotic Information Age
08:19 • 2min
The Jungle
Upton Sinclair
Published in 1906, 'The Jungle' follows the life of Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus and his family as they navigate the brutal realities of working-class life in Chicago's meatpacking district, known as Packingtown.
The novel highlights issues such as public health hazards, extreme poverty, and the cruel treatment of workers and animals.
Despite Sinclair's intention to expose labor abuses, the public reaction primarily focused on the sanitation issues in the meatpacking industry, leading to significant legislative changes, including the passage of the U.S.
Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Neil Postman
In this book, Neil Postman argues that the contemporary world is more akin to Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' than George Orwell's '1984'.
Postman contends that television's emphasis on entertainment has led to a decline in rational discourse and the trivialization of politics, education, and religion.
He contrasts the print-based culture of the 19th century with the televisual culture of the 20th century, highlighting how the medium of television inherently promotes incoherence and triviality, turning serious information into a form of entertainment.
The image
Daniel J. Boorstin
Daniel J. Boorstin's "The Image" is a seminal work in media studies, exploring the impact of mass media on shaping public perception and the erosion of the distinction between reality and its representation.
Boorstin argues that the proliferation of images and pseudo-events leads to a decline in genuine experience and critical thinking.
The book examines how media representations influence our understanding of history, politics, and culture, often substituting fabricated narratives for authentic events.
Boorstin's analysis remains relevant in the age of digital media, where the line between reality and its representation continues to blur.
His work serves as a cautionary tale about the potential for media to manipulate and distort our understanding of the world.
The Great Influenza
The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History
Amelia Pérez de Villlar
John M. Barry
Amelia Pérez de Villlar
The book examines the origin, spread, and consequences of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
It traces the virus to Haskell County, Kansas, and details how it spread globally through military camps and troop movements during World War I. Barry discusses the scientific efforts to identify the pathogen, the failure to develop an effective vaccine at the time, and the significant social and political factors that exacerbated the pandemic.
The book also highlights the long-term impact of the pandemic, including the revolutionary scientific discoveries that followed, such as Oswald Avery's proof that DNA carries genetic information.
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius
Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe.
Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature.
Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.
Discourses
Epictetus
The Discourses of Epictetus are a series of informal lectures written down by his pupil Arrian around 108 AD. The philosophy of Epictetus is intensely practical, directing students to focus on their opinions, anxieties, passions, and desires to distinguish what is within their control from what is not.
The teachings aim to make people free and happy by living virtuously and 'according to nature.
' The Discourses cover a wide range of topics, including friendship, illness, fear, and poverty, and how to acquire and maintain tranquility.
They are set in Epictetus' classroom in Nicopolis and reflect his earnest and often humorous style of teaching[3][4][5].
Trust Me, I'm Lying
Confessions of a Media Manipulator
Ryan Holiday
In 'Trust Me, I'm Lying,' Ryan Holiday exposes the inner workings of the online media system, detailing how rumors and false information can quickly spread from low-level blogs to major news outlets.
The book highlights the role of marketers and media manipulators in this process, driven by the toxic economics of the news business.
Holiday shares his own experiences as a media manipulator and provides insights into the social science behind why this system is so vulnerable to manipulation.
He also offers advice on how to spot and combat these manipulative tactics[1][3][5].
The brass check
Upton Sinclair
The Brass Check, published in 1919, is a critical analysis of American journalism, focusing on its commercialization and political biases.
Sinclair critiques newspapers and the Associated Press for serving the interests of their owners rather than the public.
He proposes reforms to address these issues, including laws to ensure accuracy and the unionization of journalists.
Read to Lead
Jeff Brown
Jesse Wisnewski
Many of the Stoics were powerful and privileged. Marcus Aurelius was born to a wealthy family and then was given the throne and the empire. Cato came from an old and prestigious family. But not all the Stoics were so lucky–Epictetus was born a slave. His teacher Musonius was exiled multiple times. Admiral James Stockdale, whose heroics we’ve spoken of often, was from an ordinary American family in Illinois.
Yet advantaged or disadvantaged, all the Stoics possessed a certain power, a certain freedom by way of their philosophy.
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And today's entry of The Daily Stoic Journal, Ryan discusses why even the Stoics struggled with maintaining a balanced information diet, and therefore preached the benefits of favoring the everlasting wisdom found in books over daily news.
If you want to become a better reader, the Stoics can help. We built out their best insights into our Read to Lead: A Daily Stoic Reading Challenge. Since it first launched in 2019, Read to Lead has been our most popular challenge, taken on by almost ten thousand participants. Sign up today!
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