The Stoic Magazine Library

So long as we are making thoughtful, reasonably prudent use of our time, we don’t need to feel bad about how things pan out imperfectly. We don’t make things any better by preoccupying ourselves with plans for perfect uses of our time.

How are you going to be any better the next time you start to feel anger? You just strengthened one already bad habit, and perhaps a second one, precisely that of making that sort of excuse.

What is the “self” that we’re supposed to impose and exercise mastery over? Another lower part or a whole panoply of paris of ourself, perhaps? And who or what is the master in that case? The ruling part? The faculty of choice?

Fulfilling our multiple roles and responsibilities, meeting the call of our duties, following through on commitments, restraining ourselves or rousing up our spirit, these all do as well. Would the word “sacrifice” be out of place in all of these cases? It strikes me that it might be one of the most apt terms we could use for them.

When or whether suicide might make sense or not, be right or wrong, is not just an abstract doctrine, but also for some an existential matter, one to which the Stoics might contribute some useful clarity.