Things ordinary people are impressed by fall into the categories of things that are held together by simple physics (like stones or wood), or by natural growth (figs, vines, olives …). Those admired by more advanced minds are held together by a living soul (flocks of sheep, herds of cows). Still more sophisticated people admire what is guided by a rational mind—not the universal mind, but one admired for its technical knowledge, or for some other skill—or just because it happens to own a lot of slaves.
But those who revere that other mind—the one we all share, as humans and as citizens—aren’t interested in other things. Their focus is on the state of their own minds—to avoid all selfishness and illogic, and to work with others to achieve that goal.
Meditations 6.14
Today’s meditation
The underlying Stoic issue here is the focus of one's admiration and values. In Meditations 6.14, Marcus Aurelius highlights the progression of values from ordinary to more sophisticated minds. He notes that the most advanced minds admire what is guided by a rational mind, but ultimately, the highest reverence is for the universal mind, shared among humans and citizens.
This passage reveals that living well involves cultivating a mind that is free from selfishness and illogic. As Marcus Aurelius writes, the focus should be on the state of one's own mind, to "avoid all selfishness and illogic." This suggests that true fulfillment and admiration come not from external possessions or achievements, but from the development of one's character and the pursuit of rational living.
To apply this insight today, one might reflect on their own values and priorities. What do you admire and strive for? Is it external validation, material possessions, or technical knowledge? Or is it the cultivation of a rational and virtuous mind? Consider how you can redirect your focus towards the development of your character, and work with others to achieve this goal. As Marcus Aurelius notes, this involves avoiding selfishness and illogic, and instead, striving for a mind that is guided by reason and a sense of shared humanity.
What is one thing you can do today to cultivate a more rational and virtuous mind, and to align your values with the universal mind that we all share?