This Is The Most Valuable Real Estate In The World | Keeping "The News" In Check

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Jul 22, 2025

Explore the wisdom of Epictetus and how it empowers mental resilience. Learn to cultivate your inner empire, transforming your mind into your greatest asset. Discover why news consumption can be detrimental and how Stoic teachings encourage selective engagement with information. Embrace reading as a means to enhance happiness and productivity, and balance emotional well-being. It's all about turning ancient wisdom into actionable insights for a fulfilling life.

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INSIGHT

Value of the Mind's Real Estate

The most valuable real estate is the mind, the "empire between your ears."
Despite external control losses, we can cultivate and rule this internal empire, as Epictetus exemplified.

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ADVICE

Control News Consumption

Limit your news intake to prevent distraction and maintain purpose in present choices.
Avoid adding positive or negative bias to news; stay within your initial impressions.

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ADVICE

Prioritize Books Over News

Do not consume excessive news; focus instead on reading books and thoughtful analysis.
Step back from the 24/7 news cycle to avoid anger and information overload.

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Cultivating the Empire Within: Insights from Epictetus

00:00 • 6min

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Navigating the Noise: Stoic Wisdom on News Consumption

06:12 • 5min

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#827

• Mentioned in 24 episodes

The Girl Who Would Be Free

Ryan Holiday

#82

• Mentioned in 115 episodes

The Daily Stoic Journal

Ryan Holiday

Stephen Hanselman

This journal is designed to help readers apply Stoic principles to their daily lives. It features space for morning and evening notes, weekly explanations of powerful Stoic practices, related quotations, and daily prompts to inspire deeper reflection and application. Created with a durable, Smyth-sewn binding and including resources for further reading, it is a companion volume for those who love 'The Daily Stoic' and can also be used as a stand-alone journal. It aims to help readers achieve inner peace, clarity, and effectiveness in their lives.

#1777

• Mentioned in 13 episodes

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.

#2547

• Mentioned in 10 episodes

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.

#203

• Mentioned in 64 episodes

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.

#139

• Mentioned in 87 episodes

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.

We study philosophy to learn how to protect this real estate between our ears—and you could argue there's no better teacher than Epictetus.

💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you.

And if you get the guide before July 26th, you’ll receive a private invitation to an exclusive LIVE Q&A with Ryan Holiday, where he’ll go deep on all things Epictetus, Stoicism, and how to apply these ideas right now, in today’s world. Head to dailystoic.com/epictetuscourse to learn more and get your book, guide, and bundle today!

👉 Get How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) & all other Daily Stoic courses for FREE when you join Daily Stoic Life | dailystoic.com/life

📚 Turn off the news and read these books instead:

Trust Me I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman

The Image by Daniel Boorstin

The Brass Check by Upton Sinclair

📕 Grab a signed copy of The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday

📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work

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