Quote: (03-07-2019 02:58 PM)Jhon_travolta Wrote:
I'm looking for stoic way of life and reading Marcus Aurelius Meditations, looking through websites about it, and so on. It is said that we cannot be dependent on our external desires. So let's say I have the desire of hitting on girls, taking them home, and do it repeatedly as hotter the girls I see are. Does that makes stoic averse to the topic of this forum?
And if we need to embrace what the universe gives us instead of expect it to deliver what we want, why bother trying do things? Should we be the passive kinda person that accepts everything and has no desire?
OP, the whole point of Marcus Arelius's meditations is to live your life to the fullest in a meaningful way that is of value to yourself, and to the world, in a lasting way by avoiding excessive hedonism.
Yes, Marcus Aurelius will be disappointed in you and frown down on you from heaven when you go to pick up a girl at a nightclub. That doesn't matter though. The point is that you shouldn't interpret anything too dogmatically, even Marcus Aurelius or Stoicism.
They both present powerful and superior methods to live your life compared to dominant mainstream beliefs today. They should be a guide or model for you to live your life by, not a dogma.
So, if you value these ideas, do your best to live by them. If you really can't or don't want to let go of chasing girls in clubs, at least don't become a slave to it or lose focus on what matters long term in life. I believe this is what's called, "Being a slave to the game".
Play the game, but whatever you do, don't be a slave to it.
I hope this helps with your confusion about what to believe or do.
"And guess what, you might have a feeling that youre destined for something else, and that any day now it will dawn on you, but it will remain that, just a feeling that you use as a crutch to never focus on anything", Beirut.