Epictetus on Everything: February 2015

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Wandering To and Fro About the Earth

The philosopher's philosopher will be on hiatus until after the 16th.

Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly. --Epictetus

About Epictetus on Everything

My father "Epictetus" always has something to say. Retired from the military after twenty plus years, he spends his time filling my inbox with nearly 50 emails a day, with news stories and his thoughts on them. I think my dad knows what he's talking about, so I told him he should do a blog; let others read his commentary.

He said it was easier to just email it. I said too bad, I'm putting it up anyway. He writes it, I post it.

Epictetus was a famous Greek Stoic philosopher from the First Century AD. Here are a few of the philosopher's pearls of wisdom:

“Happiness comes from understanding one basic principle. Some things are within our control and some things are not. Our opinions, ambitions, desires, and aversions are in our control. We can change the content of our inner character. Our body, wealth, fame, and social status are not in our control. They are external to us and not our concern."
“Although we cannot choose what happens to us, we can choose how we respond.”