Through experiences that are usually either positive or negative depending on their direct effect on us, we are always changing. Early on in life we become aware of this assurance and learn to accept it on some levels. But as human nature unsurprisingly is, we are determined to be in full control of our environment and ourselves at all times. To prevent taking this negative and destructive direction, Epictetus thrusts on us a couple or rules we must follow to never be disappointed. Among them we can find to “remember you are an actor in a play, which is as the playwright wants it to be…” (pg.16) Meaning you are born into something, whether it’s being a tramp, a heiress, or a private citizen among many categories, but the importance lies on what you make of yourself. There are some of us that are born into greatness, while others have to work excessively to get to it; what’s important is the effort and journey that takes us from what we are born into, to what we become. Resuming, “what is yours is to play the assigned part well. But to choose it belongs to someone else.” (pg. 16)
An additional significant rule is to “…not be weighted down by the consideration, I shall live without any honor, everywhere a nobody! ”(pg.17) Implicating that we are constantly put down by the fact of lacking honors, but what are actually honors? Who has the right to grant them? There is no such thing as a nobody, but someone who chooses to be one. An honor is a superficial statement, like the handbook states “ it is not your task to gain political office or be invited to a banquet…” (pg. 17) The honors that truly matter are the qualities that we posses, those I believe are the honors by which people should be considered a someone, and as Epictetus states,: “…be a somebody only in thing that are up to you…” (pg.17) I interpret this, as stepping up, when necessary, standing out when you can, and being a somebody when it matters and counts.
A different regulation set on the handbook consists in “If these things are good, you should be glad that he has got them. If they are bad, do not be angry that you did not get them. And remember, you cannot demand an equal share if you did not do the same things…” (pg. 18) This entire phrase is teaching a lesson about jealousy and selfishness. We relentlessly feel envy when someone is granted something we desire, but don’t have; we feel greed when we don’t get something and we are egotistic when we feel we deserve something and don’t have it. Therefore we must analyze how self-centered we are being and understand that goods happen to those who work for them and that well-being comes to those who deserve it. At the end equality reigns, and those who worked for it will get it.
The last parameter that called my attention from this section of the handbook was “For each action, consider what leads up to it and what follows it, and approach it in the light of that.” This expression immediately reminded me of Newton’s law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, so as we see, as it happens in science, it does as well in human being proceedings. The phrase is trying to give us a lesson that consists on, before stepping up and doing an action, we must consider the consequences it will bring and by understanding them and accepting them if we still desire to do the certain action, we may so but confronting the cost that may come.
Along this passage there were a couple of statements, which I disagreed on, or maybe a quite didn’t understand, among this “remember that what is insulting is not the person who abuses you or hits you, but the judgment about them that they are insulting.” (pg. 16) I consider this to be false, when someone hits you or insults you, it’s not your judgment that they are insulting you, it has nothing to do with judgment.
An additional significant rule is to “…not be weighted down by the consideration, I shall live without any honor, everywhere a nobody! ”(pg.17) Implicating that we are constantly put down by the fact of lacking honors, but what are actually honors? Who has the right to grant them? There is no such thing as a nobody, but someone who chooses to be one. An honor is a superficial statement, like the handbook states “ it is not your task to gain political office or be invited to a banquet…” (pg. 17) The honors that truly matter are the qualities that we posses, those I believe are the honors by which people should be considered a someone, and as Epictetus states,: “…be a somebody only in thing that are up to you…” (pg.17) I interpret this, as stepping up, when necessary, standing out when you can, and being a somebody when it matters and counts.
A different regulation set on the handbook consists in “If these things are good, you should be glad that he has got them. If they are bad, do not be angry that you did not get them. And remember, you cannot demand an equal share if you did not do the same things…” (pg. 18) This entire phrase is teaching a lesson about jealousy and selfishness. We relentlessly feel envy when someone is granted something we desire, but don’t have; we feel greed when we don’t get something and we are egotistic when we feel we deserve something and don’t have it. Therefore we must analyze how self-centered we are being and understand that goods happen to those who work for them and that well-being comes to those who deserve it. At the end equality reigns, and those who worked for it will get it.
The last parameter that called my attention from this section of the handbook was “For each action, consider what leads up to it and what follows it, and approach it in the light of that.” This expression immediately reminded me of Newton’s law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, so as we see, as it happens in science, it does as well in human being proceedings. The phrase is trying to give us a lesson that consists on, before stepping up and doing an action, we must consider the consequences it will bring and by understanding them and accepting them if we still desire to do the certain action, we may so but confronting the cost that may come.
Along this passage there were a couple of statements, which I disagreed on, or maybe a quite didn’t understand, among this “remember that what is insulting is not the person who abuses you or hits you, but the judgment about them that they are insulting.” (pg. 16) I consider this to be false, when someone hits you or insults you, it’s not your judgment that they are insulting you, it has nothing to do with judgment.
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