Epictetus Stoic teachings
Epictetus: Good lies in a certain use of rational…
Good lies in a certain use of rational choice, and evil in another. Externals are merely material for that choice, which finds good or bad in how it handles them. It does not find good by admiring the material: straight judgments make choices good, while distorted judgments make them bad.
A paraphrase of a teaching associated with Epictetus, written for modern readers. Not a transcription of a copyrighted edition.
Events supply the raw ingredients of a day, not its moral meaning. A promotion, a mistake, an illness, an insult, or a windfall may be welcome or unwelcome, but each still leaves a question: how will I use this? Success can make a person careless or generous. A setback can invite bitterness or teach patience. The difference is not magic. It lies in the judgment brought to the circumstance. When something notable happens today, resist assigning its final meaning immediately. A disappointing outcome may reveal a skill to improve; a flattering opportunity may carry a cost to your integrity. Ask what response would be fair, useful, and consistent with your values. This does not make painful events pleasant, nor does it deny the value of good fortune. It gives you a role in shaping what follows. Clear judgment turns changing conditions into occasions for character rather than excuses for chaos.
Related passages
- Seneca Let us decide by exact definition this other slippery matter, the true nature of pardon, and we shall then perceive…
- Marcus Aurelius Return quickly to your own reason, to the reason of the whole, and to your neighbor's: make your mind just, remember…
- Epictetus Good and bad lie in our deliberate choices. Things outside choice are neither good nor bad in themselves.