>trying to read through this book
>halfway through and haven't really absorbed anything and it's like it's all bouncing off my face
God I hate being a brainlet
Trying to read through this book
Brandon Jones
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Jacob Bailey
It's ok fren just keep at it. I've read it a couple times, not everything goes in always so gud
Ayden Miller
Meditations is more like a diary, it was not to be published. There is nothing there that you don't know or haven't heard already.
>act ethically
>if bad things happen don't worry, because they're out of your control
>if there were in your control, do better next time
>live frugally
etc
I really don't understand why anyone would read that book.
Mason Lewis
Well i was looking to add some sort of meaning or new understanding to my life. I guess I fell for the marketing.
Liam Williams
This book is pretty motivational to me, if you try to think about how you can use the weird things he says in your day to day life. I find myself often repeating phrases and things mentioned in the book just accidentally when I'm struggling with something.
>Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look
Simple but memorable
>goodreads.com
I like that one a lot, mainly the first section up until "give to thyself this retreat, and renew thyself;"
The part that really hits me is when he speaks about how you should always try your hardest and if you do there is nothing to be embarrassed about even if you fail. The only reason you should be ashamed is if you know you didn't give it your all. I've heard also Miyamoto musashi say something similar and it made me do a big think
I could go on with some other parts but I'm not really sure if this is helping you any, the gist is that it's packed full of memorable mantra that can help you through tough times.
Anthony Sanchez
So do you just kinda skim it and focus on parts that strike you in some way?
Levi Green
I agree, but there are some specific ideas worth mentioning:
-you should act regardless of pleasure and moved solely by your reason.
-a happy life is a life in which you behave according to the natural order of things (an idea which relates to iusnaturalism)
-everyone is already dead, because death is the destiny of all living creatures, so you shouldn't worry about death.
-avoid passions. embrace order.
Jaxson Watson
Well yes and no, I read it front to back firstly then when I want to read a section again I can find it easily and just focus on that part. I like it a lot because you don't have to read chapter 1 to read chapter 2 because it's memoirs. At this point I like to just read it because it's pretty comfy.
I'd say you could go without the first segment where he talks about what he learnt from whom although go back to it later. That bit kind of threw me off first time too.
Levi Roberts
Try Nietzsche's Zarathustra.
Parker Sanchez
read Heraclitus first
William Gomez
>There is nothing there that you don't know or haven't heard already.
"In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this."
Hunter James
>be Marcus Aurelius
>stoic pro
>dude just, like, act reasonably and stuff
>like never give into your emotional bursts because bad things might happen
>proceed to ruin the roman empire by leaving his lunatic son as emperor instead of a seasoned general only because muh emotions, muh monarchy
>not 4 emperors later and the empire ceases to be
What a hack.
Aiden Davis
>not 4 emperors later
That's something like over 100 years
Austin Lopez
It was just his faggot-ass diary, don't feel dumb.
Adrian Nguyen
Directly attributable to Marcus Aurelius.
Cooper Gomez
he probably thought the empire would assassinate his retarded son earlier, and if they were too cucked to not do this then it deserved to fall
Daniel Hughes
I wouldn’t feel too badly; it’s a diary, and honestly rather basic. It was essentially Aurelius’ daily recitations and reflecting on his stoicism. I’ve never gotten much out of it, and honestly I’ve never got why people believe it’s so magnificent. There are much better Stoic works, such as those of Epictetus.
Leo Jackson
Okay, let's be fair here, each of the previous emperors had also entrusted the empire to their sons, it was purely coincidence that none of them had a biological son to pass it to, forcing them to adopt.
If Marcus were going to adopt a son and pass the empire to him, he would have had to necessarily kill his biological son, to prevent infighting.
He had an extended period of co-rule with Commodus, he was doing his best to prepare for his role as Emperor.
And philosophers not living up to their credo is nothing out of the ordinary. Seneca, another much celebrated (arguably more so than Marcus) Stoic, was much the same in failing to live up to the idea of reason triumphing over baser elements of humanity.
Hunter James
The big secret: it's not really a very good book. The only real value it has as opposed to self help books is the historical aspect. If you don't really care about Roman history, you shouldn't think much of it.
Angel Jones
bouncing off your face? Just do your job nigger and try to live in the moment. Your life isn't next week or last week it's fucking now.
- Marcus Aurelius
Nolan Morales
When you examine as any other book, as a work written to be read by others, then yes, it is not a very good book.
And it is this "historical aspect" of the book that proves it's value compared to other self help books, as it was written quite literally as "self-help" by an Emperor for an Emperor besieged by all manner of problems.
It's not some scummy guy trying to squeeze money out of gullible idiots looking to solve all their problems with "3 Easy Rules for Living" or any sort of similiar nonsense, it's advice and thoughts that legitimately helped a man to endure and succeed as Emperor in trying times.
All of that being said, no advice is universally valuable, either due to context, translation, or taste, so it may not be of any use to the OP. The book isn't very long though, I would certainly say it's worth reading.
Dylan Thomas
This. Meditations is wonderful to refer back to. Read it first, then reread segments over time.
I've found quotes returning to me often as well, and they serve as great guides during times of adversity or mental discontent.
Jaxon Richardson
Epictetus reads more like a textbook and doesn't have the personal and poetic delivery that Aurelius often has
Alexander Garcia
>read philosophical work
>feel motivated to follow what it says
>forget the book after a day
Parker Parker
ok pleb
Hunter Jones
>claims to have read a work
>forgets it after a day
You haven't read it if you forget it after a day.
Mason Gray
practicing what you read is the hard part incel
Evan Lee
Have sex
Brandon Cooper
yikes
Noah Wright
Worry not what you fail to understand. Learn what you can. Be thankful you still have a mind and a body to experience all the joys of life.
David White
Based
Gavin Butler
This, it's a snooze
Jordan Smith
I just started getting Yea Forums a few months ago and I am currently reading meditations. For me it's a slow read as the translation I'm reading is written in Goethe style (it's a German translation) according to the preface.
I understand most things, but it really takes me some time. I save the most interesting parts with bookmarks. I think the book is great, since it let's me see that most thoughts about self-improvement were already thought a long time ago. It's basically the souce material for thoughts like "don't blame your predispositions for your shortcomings, instead of blaming you could've started a long time ago."
Based
Elijah Adams
He can't even read the most basic philosophy out there.
Jace Roberts
>Unironically reading inspirational literature from a cuckold.
Jaxon Edwards
Hey it's cool man. I'm in the middle of reading it too. I'm just starting to get into reading after years of almost never reading and it's kind of a challenge. Don't feel pressured to read fast or in bulk. Take your time, maybe take notes, highlight, underline, do what you need to do. It's important to take some time and reflect on what he meant or what that book/section was about. Good luck, keep up the great effort! Don't be afraid to re-read.
Tyler Thomas
That's the joke, autist. Kys