Please forgive me, but sometimes the desire to teach just is irrepressible... Now, who is Epictetus you may ask? He was a Greek philosopher that lived about 1900 years ago. When he was young he was a slave in Rome but was later released and started to teach philosophy first in Rome and later on in Greece. Epictetus was somewhat of a lonesome minimalist. He lived with few possessions and by himself for a long time. He also seems to never have written anything, but luckily his thoughts were recorded by his pupil Arrian. Here are some pearls of wisdom from Epictetus. Some amplification can be found at: http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2008/02/22/epictetus-top-7-timeless-pearls-of-wisdom/ “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.†“It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting.†“It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.†“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.†“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.†“When you are offended at any man’s fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.†“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.†“I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?†“It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.â€
His name almost sounds dirty...maybe that is why his words are so memorable! Kind of like "Shit Happens!" Cute, and every bit as pithy!
“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” well...im sure im "thought foolish and stupid" quite often...but i dont know that im improving hahahahaha
Here are a couple of Joe Magisms: "Thank God when the leaves fall, the trees don't follow" " There's always someone with more money and a darker tan" Not a Greek philosopher, but, hey, you can't knock me for trying.leasantry:
