Behind the Scenes With The Fascinating and Anonymous “Stoic Emperor”

Tell us about your introduction to Stoicism. How did you first encounter it? Why do you  think it resonated with you?

Like many a love affair, it began with an unplanned encounter. I found a dusty old copy of Meditations in the back of a library. I had never read something so ancient that felt so contemporary and vital. Marcus Aurelius speaks truths that feel eternal. I think that in some core sense, Stoicism is in fact, true. True in the sense that it describes a way of being that is particularly well suited to the kind of life that human beings are privileged and condemned to live out. I think Stoicism represents a maturing of the moral imagination.

Studying religions and modern psychology has only reinforced this opinion. Every mature system of behavior seems to arrive at something akin to Stoicism. Life is to be endured. Life is to be accepted. We are limited and limitless; we must embrace that duality. We must find eternity in the finite, fearlessness through fear, and generosity through knowledge of our own covetousness. We must know ourselves, truly know ourselves, in order to be good. We must not delude ourselves into thinking we are better than we are, and we must not let ourselves off the hook for being less than we can be.

I think Stoicism offers up a remarkably accurate view of human nature, and it tells us how to live in a way that is appropriate for that nature.

https://dailystoic.com/stoic-emperor/