Marcus Aurelius Stoic teachings
Marcus Aurelius: Strip appearances down: fine food,…
Strip appearances down: fine food, wine, clothing, and desire become ordinary matter when seen without embellishment.
A paraphrase of a teaching associated with Marcus Aurelius, written for modern readers. Not a transcription of a copyrighted edition.
Desire often borrows its power from presentation. A product looks essential because it is photographed perfectly. A glamorous life seems complete because you see only its selected surface. A temptation feels irresistible because your mind describes it in rich, flattering language. One way to regain balance is to describe the thing plainly. What is it made of? What does it actually provide? What effort, cost, or consequence comes with it? This is not meant to make life joyless. It protects you from giving ordinary objects magical status. Try it when you feel envy or urgency. The expensive item is an object with a particular use. The admired position is a set of duties. The fantasy is a partial picture. Clear seeing lets you enjoy what is good without exaggerating it and lets you decline what is costly without feeling deprived of a miracle.
Related passages
- Marcus Aurelius All worldly things thou must behold and consider, dividing them into matter, form, and reference, or their proper end.
- Marcus Aurelius Remember the fable of the country mouse and the city mouse, and the great fright and terror that this was put into.
- Marcus Aurelius Set your mind first on unquestioned goods—wisdom, self-command, justice, courage—and the crowd's claims will lose…