Epictetus Enchiridion
Epictetus: If a person gave your body to any stranger he…
If a person gave your body to any stranger he met on his way, you would certainly be angry. And do you feel no shame in handing over your own mind to be confused and mystified by anyone who happens to verbally attack you?
The passage follows a public-domain translation of the Enchiridion. The reading beside it is ours.
You would not let a stranger grab the steering wheel of your car or take control of your body. Yet a single insult, comment, or post can take over your attention for hours. We hand strangers access to our peace because they know which buttons to push. Epictetus calls this a kind of shame because the mind deserves at least the same protection we give our physical space. Protecting it does not mean avoiding disagreement or becoming emotionally numb. It means deciding who gets authority over your judgments. A rude comment can be information, noise, or a reflection of the speaker; it does not have to become your identity. Notice when you are replaying an attack long after the attacker has moved on. Take your mind back by redirecting it to something chosen: a task, a conversation, a walk, or a principle you respect. Your attention is not a public utility.
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