Like seeing roasted meat and other dishes in front of you and suddenly realizing: This is a dead fish. A dead bird. A dead pig. Or that this noble vintage is grape juice, and the purple robes are sheep wool dyed with shellfish blood. Or making love—something rubbing against your penis, a brief seizure and a little cloudy liquid.
Perceptions like that—latching onto things and piercing through them, so we see what they really are. That’s what we need to do all the time—all through our lives when things lay claim to our trust—to lay them bare and see how pointless they are, to strip away the legend that encrusts them.
Pride is a master of deception: when you think you’re occupied in the weightiest business, that’s when he has you in his spell.
(Compare Crates on Xenocrates.)
Meditations 6.13
Today’s meditation
The underlying Stoic issue in this passage is the tendency to be deceived by appearances and the importance of cultivating a deeper understanding of reality. In Meditations 6.13, Marcus Aurelius emphasizes the need to "see what they really are" and to "strip away the legend that encrusts them." This suggests that we should strive to look beyond the surface level of things and not be swayed by external trappings or superficial appearances.
This insight reveals that living well requires a certain level of detachment and discernment. We must be able to distinguish between what is truly important and what is merely a product of our own perceptions or societal expectations. As Marcus Aurelius notes, "Pride is a master of deception," implying that our own ego and pride can often lead us astray.
To apply this insight today, one might take a step back and examine their own perceptions and assumptions. Ask yourself: What am I taking at face value that might be worth questioning? What legends or myths am I living by that might be limiting my understanding of the world? By cultivating a more nuanced and discerning perspective, we can begin to see things as they truly are, rather than being swayed by appearances or external influences.
As you go about your day, try to apply this principle by "latching onto things and piercing through them," as Marcus Aurelius suggests. When encountering something that seems impressive or appealing, take a moment to strip away the external trappings and consider its underlying nature. This might help you to develop a greater sense of clarity and purpose, and to live more in accordance with your values and principles. What is one thing you can look at today with a more discerning eye, and how might that change your perspective?