The way people behave. They refuse to admire their contemporaries, the people whose lives they share. No, but to be admired by Posterity—people they’ve never met and never will—that’s what they set their hearts on. You might as well be upset at not being a hero to your great-grandfather.
Meditations 6.18
Today’s meditation
The underlying Stoic issue here is the pursuit of external validation and the fleeting nature of human desires. In Meditations 6.18, Marcus Aurelius highlights the absurdity of seeking admiration from people we've never met, such as posterity. This reveals a fundamental flaw in our thinking: we often prioritize the opinions of others over our own character and actions.
As Marcus Aurelius notes, it's akin to being upset at not being a hero to your great-grandfather, someone you've never met and never will. This insight encourages us to reexamine our motivations and focus on living in accordance with virtue, rather than seeking external validation.
To apply this insight today, consider your actions and decisions. Are you driven by a desire for recognition or admiration from others? Ask yourself: "What would I do if I weren't seeking external validation?" This simple question can help clarify your values and priorities, allowing you to focus on living a life of integrity and virtue, rather than one driven by the opinions of others.