You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think. If the gods exist, then to abandon human beings is not frightening; the gods would never subject you to harm. And if they don’t exist, or don’t care what happens to us, what would be the point of living in a world without gods or Providence? But they do exist, they do care what happens to us, and everything a person needs to avoid real harm they have placed within him. If there were anything harmful on the other side of death, they would have made sure that the ability to avoid it was within you. If it doesn’t harm your character, how can it harm your life? Nature would not have overlooked such dangers through failing to recognize them, or because it saw them but was powerless to prevent or correct them. Nor would it ever, through inability or incompetence, make such a mistake as to let good and bad things happen indiscriminately to good and bad alike. But death and life, success and failure, pain and pleasure, wealth and poverty, all these happen to good and bad alike, and they are neither noble nor shameful—and hence neither good nor bad.
Meditations 2.11
Today’s meditation
The underlying Stoic issue in this passage is the human fear of death and the unknown, and how it relates to living a virtuous life. In Meditations 2.11, Marcus Aurelius reminds us that "If the gods exist, then to abandon human beings is not frightening." This phrase reveals that the Stoic philosophy is rooted in the idea that the universe is governed by reason and that we have the power to choose how we respond to events.
This passage reveals that living well is not about avoiding harm or seeking pleasure, but about cultivating a strong character that is not swayed by external events. As Marcus Aurelius notes, "If it doesn’t harm your character, how can it harm your life?" This insight suggests that we should focus on developing our inner strength and wisdom, rather than trying to control external events.
To apply this insight today, someone might ask themselves: "What am I afraid of, and is it truly a threat to my character?" By reflecting on this question, they can begin to let go of fears and anxieties that are not rooted in reason, and instead focus on living in accordance with their values and principles. As Marcus Aurelius says, "everything a person needs to avoid real harm they have placed within him." This means that we have the power to choose how we respond to challenges, and that we should trust in our own inner resources to guide us.
In practical terms, this might mean taking a step back from a difficult situation and asking oneself: "What is the worst that could happen, and is it truly a threat to my character?" By reframing challenges in this way, we can begin to see that many of our fears and anxieties are not rooted in reality, and that we have the power to choose how we respond to them. As Marcus Aurelius notes, "death and life, success and failure, pain and pleasure, wealth and poverty, all these happen to good and bad alike, and they are neither noble nor shameful—and hence neither good nor bad." This means that we should focus on living in accordance with our values and principles, rather than trying to control external events.
What is one thing you can do today to cultivate a stronger character, and let go of fears and anxieties that are not rooted in reason?