Practical Stoicism

Character And Action In The Face Of Wrongdoing

Nov 28, 2023

09:01

Snipd AI

The podcast discusses Marcus Aurelius' meditation on responding to the wrongdoings of others, emphasizing the importance of focusing on our own character and actions. It explores the relationship between others' actions and character, and highlights the significance of evaluating our own character before intervening. The podcast also explores the concept of roles and attributes in helping others, emphasizing that bravery and effectiveness don't always require physical strength.

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Our response to the wrongdoings of others reflects our own character and virtues.

Assessing our roles and attributes helps determine the appropriate response to acts of wrongdoing.

Deep dives

The Importance of Assessing our Role in Responding to Wrongdoing

In this podcast episode on Stoicism, the host delves into Meditation 25 from Book 5 of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. The main idea explored is the notion that when witnessing someone else commit wrongful acts, it is essential to assess our own role in responding to them. The host explains that the actions of others do not directly reflect on our character, but rather our choice to act or not act in response to these situations does. This assessment of our role helps us determine whether it is appropriate or within our capabilities to intervene, ensuring our actions align with our character and virtues.

Introduction

3min

Exploring the Relationship Between Others' Actions and Character

2min

Character and Action in the Face of Wrongdoing

3min

Understanding Our Roles and Attributes in Helping Others

2min

Today's episode takes a deep dive into a particularly challenging meditation from Marcus Aurelius – Meditation 25 from Book 5. This meditation, often misinterpreted, addresses how we should respond to the wrongdoings of others. It reads: "Another does wrong. What is that to me? Let him look to it; he has his own disposition, his own activity. I have now what Universal Nature wills me to have, and I do what my own nature wills me to do."

At first glance, this might seem like Marcus is suggesting we ignore the misdeeds of others as they are none of our business. However, this interpretation misses the point. Instead, Marcus is guiding us to focus on our own character and actions, especially when confronted with wrongdoing.

The real question is not about the character of the wrongdoer, but about our own. As witnesses to an act of wrongdoing, our reaction speaks volumes about our character. For instance, if you're a police officer and witness domestic violence, your response is a direct reflection of your character. But what if you're just a bystander on public transit? Is it still your concern? Yes, because how you respond – whether you choose to intervene or not – reveals your own virtue or vice.

The key takeaway from Marcus' meditation is the importance of discerning our role in each situation. Whether we're a bartender, a priest, an off-duty cop, or a student, our roles and attributes should guide our actions. It's not always about physical strength or confrontation; sometimes, it's about offering help in a way that aligns with our unique strengths and roles.

In sum, Marcus Aurelius isn't telling us to ignore evil; he's reminding us to focus on what we can control – our own character and actions – and to act virtuously when faced with wrongdoing, not for others' sake, but for our own.

Get the lifetime ad-free deal : https://stoicismpod.com/lifetime

Support my work directly on Patreon : https://stoicismpod.com/members

Subscribe to my Everyday Stoicism blog : https://everydaystoicism.com

Join the Actual Stoicism discord community : https://stoicismpod.com/discord

Online copy of Meditations (A.S.L Farquharson) : https://link.stoicismpod.com/farquharson

Online copy of Enchiridion (Elizabeth Carter) : https://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices