Meditations - A review
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.” (Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.)
Stoicism has recently seen a massive surge in popularity, most prevalently seen during the pandemic, when you had an entire generation of broccoli-haired, BO-smelling, puberty-suffering teenage boys cooped up at home doing nothing but trying to learn how to look cool. As trends go, a philosophy that preaches emotional tranquility, reason, and virtue would seem to be on the beneficial end of the spectrum, so it is no small wonder that a bunch of teenagers (and adults) would take to Stoicism as a moth would to a flame. And throughout this growth, Meditations by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius has seen an impressive increase in sales; perhaps, I would think, people are curious to read about what one of the most powerful men in the world (at that time) had to say about humility and happiness.
Before I start this review, I would like to say that I am by no means a Stoic. Stoicism, at its core, is about restraint, and endurance; I, as most other humans, have hedonistic tendencies, and have of course fallen prey to these tendencies. I cannot, by the very definition of this philosophy, call myself a full Stoic, simply because I lack the emotional restraint that is needed to partake in this way of life, at least for every moment of every day. However, I will say that Stoicism is a very good way of teaching you about the simpleness and the shortness of life, and of how the things you cannot control are not to be paid attention to (such as death). Therefore, while I am not a full Stoic, I do show some Stoic tendencies, and I have read enough and written enough about Stoicism that I consider myself knowledgeable in this topic.
Simply put: I think Meditations is a fantastic book. It is not a traditional book, where you have characters and a story to tell you all about Stoicism. It is rather a journal, one that was kept private by the emperor, and one that he did not expect to be published. It presents Stoicism as a way of life, and a way of meditation: stuff happens, you try to do your best, and then you die, and nothing matters. Everything that happens in life can be squeezed into that little sandwich between stuff and death happening, and hopefully you will realise how little anything matters, especially when you are dead. Of course, this shouldn’t mean that you don’t try to do your best – for Stoicism is about striving towards the moral good, not the bad. And what is the moral good? Stoicism puts emphasis on the social aspect of humans, and this means being affectionate, caring, and loving towards your community. A good human is one that acts in accordance to their reason, that cultivates virtue, and strives to do good as how it is largely defined.
Meditations is interesting. As I’ve mentioned before, it was written by Marcus Aurelius, one of the Five Good Emperors of Rome, whose reigns all marked a period of relative peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire. Marcus Aurelius, as emperor, was therefore one of the most powerful men in the world at the time, with vast resources and armies under his command. But he was also a good man, a humble man, a Stoic man, who took pleasure not in external things, but rather in things he controlled within himself: his love for his people, his love for his country, the relationships he had in court. Meditations is interesting to me because, especially today, I cannot imagine someone who had this much power yet still held on to his blameless character, and tame way of life. In his journal, Marcus Aurelius wrote anecdotes about self-restraint, duty, and respect for others – all things that Stoicism advocates for. And all things that are scarce to find today, as the world grows darker and colder, and our love for external pleasures increases evermore.
Meditations is also often misunderstood. It is taken in the same vein as Epictetus’ Enchiridion, where Epictetus famously states to not weep when your child dies. Of course, to people now, this sounds silly, and even sillier is the fact that a lot of young men have taken this advice at face value and become colder, emotionless, and full of vice. One must understand – when you read this book, and when you read any of the other famous Stoic works – that Stoic literature was written in a time of militaristic might, when lives were lived and fought by the sword. Much of what the Stoics wrote were in the context of being a good soldier, simply because that was the common way of life at that time. Nothing is more unforgiving than war; you can die, your friend can die, and that simply indicates that it is time to go. “When you embrace your child,” Epictetus writes, “Then you embrace a mortal. Thus if they die, then you can bear it.” For it was simply the best path to follow at that time: taking time to grieve very much took time away from preparing for war, and could instill a lethal fear. And so if you come across any passage in Meditations that sounds cold, or unforgiving, remember that time has passed, and you are living in a much better era than any Roman soldier. And most important of all – remember you are mortal. Remember that it is the most natural thing in the world to die. Memento mori.
I would rate Meditations a five out of five. I do not think it is the greatest book of all time, nor the most influential. However, with context, with the knowledge that Marcus Aurelius had all the power in the world, and chose still to live a pious, honourable life, I believe this book becomes a powerful tool in learning how to deal with your emotions, and the events outside of your control. “Death hangs over you,” Marcus Aurelius writes. “While you live, while it is in your power, do good.” For Marcus Aurelius woke up every day, journalled in his diary, and tried to do good for his people of Rome. Stoicism is not for everyone, and who knows how many quotes people have taken out of context, but at its core, it is meant to be something that brings you peace, and others happiness.
