Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Think about how quickly everything dissolves and breaks down. Bodies and substances return to the basic matter of the world. Their memories fade into the flow of time. Think about the nature of all the things you can see and touch in this world. Especially those that trap you with pleasure, or frighten you with pain, or dazzle you with their shine and status. See how cheap and worthless they really are. How low and rotting. How empty of real life and meaning.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 9 Book 2 · 10 of 20
Death & Mortality What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Consider how quickly all things are dissolved and resolved: the bodies and substances themselves, into the matter and substance of the world: and their memories into the general age and time of the world. Consider the nature of all worldly sensible things; of those especially, which either ensnare by pleasure, or for their irksomeness are dreadful, or for their outward lustre and show are in great esteem and request, how vile and contemptible, how base and corruptible, how destitute of all true life and being they are.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 9 Book 2 · 10 of 20
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Why should anything hurt your life if it can't make you better or worse as a person? We can't think that the universe made these mistakes out of ignorance. And we can't think it knew about them but was too weak to prevent them or arrange them better. The universe isn't so lacking in power or skill that it would let all things—good and bad—happen randomly to everyone. So life and death, honor and shame, work and pleasure, wealth and poverty—these things happen to good and bad people alike. But they are neither good nor bad in themselves. They are neither shameful nor worthy of praise by their nature.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 8 Book 2 · 9 of 20
Freedom & Control What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

But why should that be thought to hurt and prejudice a man's life in this world, which cannot any ways make man himself the better, or the worse in his own person? Neither must we think that the nature of the universe did either through ignorance pass these things, or if not as ignorant of them, yet as unable either to prevent, or better to order and dispose them. It cannot be that she through want either of power or skill, should have committed such a thing, so as to suffer all things both good and bad, equally and promiscuously, to happen unto all both good and bad. As for life therefore, and death, honour and dishonour, labour and pleasure, riches and poverty, all these things happen unto men indeed, both good and bad, equally; but as things which of themselves are neither good nor bad; because of themselves, neither shameful nor praiseworthy.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 8 Book 2 · 9 of 20
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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