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?