Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: That rational essence by which the…
That rational essence by which the universe is governed, is for community and society; and therefore hath it both made the things that are worse, for the best, and hath allied and knit together those which are best, as it were in an harmony.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Human beings are built for community. Our strengths are not meant only for private advantage; they are meant to fit together. A society works when people with different roles and abilities cooperate toward something larger than their individual appetites.
This does not mean every system is fair or every group deserves loyalty. It means isolation and contempt are not our natural ideals. The person who cleans the building, the person who writes the code, the person who cares for children, and the person who delivers food all contribute to a shared world.
When you feel tempted to see everyone as competition, remember how much of your life is made possible by other people. Look for the cooperative action available to you: share information, give credit, make room, or help without needing an audience. Today, act as a citizen of a whole, not merely as a consumer of benefits.
Related passages
- Seneca It accords with nature to love our friends and rejoice at their progress as though it were our own. Without this…
- Marcus Aurelius Doth either the sun take upon him to do that which belongs to the rain? or his son Aesculapius that, which unto the…
- Marcus Aurelius Let this be thy only joy, and thy only comfort, from one sociable kind action without intermission to pass unto…