It seems baffling. It seems like it doesn't make any sense. It drives you nuts—the things some people believe and do and say.
But here's the thing: It does make sense. It makes sense to them.
Because they're not as informed as you. They haven't had the advantages you have. Because they haven't been blessed with philosophy the way you have.
That's why they have their superstitions. That's why they make the same mistakes over and over. That's why they can't see through various fears or biases. It's why they fall for demagogues.
One of the insights in Meditations (grab our favorite translation here) is the idea of really putting yourself inside other people's thinking, getting inside their brain. What you'll find is that this isn't always a pretty experience. What you also tend to find is that it's less baffling once you get in there—there actually is a kind of logic. It's just that the logic is defined by different influences, by a different education…and often the inability to do this very act of empathy that you are in the middle of trying to practice.
So look, they can't imagine what it's like to be someone else—that's why they're racist or cruel or so certain about certain things. But you can! And this demands that you understand why they are acting this way, that you understand that even though the belief or the action might not be acceptable, it comes from a human place. It demands, as Marcus Aurelius lays out in the first part of Book II of Meditations, you figure out how to both avoid being infected by this ugliness and still find a way to work with this fellow human being.
Because that's our job.
This Week On The Daily Stoic Podcast:
You Prove Stoicism WORKS | Listener Stories
How has Stoicism impacted your life? In this special bonus episode, listeners share their own journeys with the philosophy and how they work to implement the Stoic Virtues each and every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment