Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: Those things which the common sort of…
Those things which the common sort of people do admire, are most of them such things as are very general, and may be comprehended under things merely natural, or naturally affected and qualified: as stones, wood, figs, vines, olives.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
What people admire is often just ordinary material wearing an impressive label. Stone becomes a luxury home. Wood becomes a designer table. Fruit, vines, and oil become symbols of taste or wealth. Marcus is not condemning these things; he is trying to shrink them back to their real size. Status depends on our collective agreement to treat certain objects as extraordinary. That agreement can make us work too hard, envy too much, and feel inferior for lacking what is essentially common stuff arranged attractively. The next time you feel impressed or inadequate, look beneath the presentation. What is this thing, really? Does possessing it make someone wiser, kinder, or braver? Often the answer is no. Enjoy beautiful objects if you can, but do not let them determine the value of a life. Today, resist one urge to compare your ordinary life to someone else’s curated display.
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