Opus 2018-227: The Art of Life

As I was perusing the notes I had taken while reading Marcus Aurelius, I came across this line,

“The art of life is more like the wrestler’s than the dancer’s...” page 251

I find I can identify with that.  Wrestlers and dancers both use a lot of energy but have totally different experiences.  A wrestler gets down and dirty.  A wrestler always is involved with someone else and responds to what they do.  A wrestler is defeated by someone else.  I tried wrestling once in college and one day put me in bed for two.

A dancer can be a loner and doing their own thing.  If they have a partner they are working together.  Ultimately they are really competing against themselves.  A dancer is involved in an work of art.  In addition to the strength and endurance of a wrestler they also have elements of interpretation and creativity. 

Few of us has the gifts to produce a great work of art.  We can celebrate those who do.  The rest of us should be able to take some satisfaction in putting a half Nelson, whatever that is, on the next crisis that dares to look us in the eye.  A perfect cup of coffee is a rare treat to be savored but on a day-to-day basis most of us will have to be content with a cup of everyday Joe.

Aurelius, Marcus.  The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, from the Harvard
   Classics, Vol 2.  New York:  P.F. Collier & Son Corporation, 1937.

homo unius libri

Opus 2016-42: John Wayne Channeled Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was emperor of Rome and a famous Stoic philosopher.  As such he was not in step with the masses of his time.  He is also not in step with our current thinkers.  One of the things he said was,

“A man then must stand erect, not be kept erect by others.”, p. 208, Book III, 5

That might not sound like anything more than John Wayne in one of his movies but Wayne was the old America, not the Post Modern America.

The American Republic was founded on the idea of individual rights and individual responsibility.  The world was your oyster if you were willing to dive and crack shells.  The history of the United States is full of examples of individuals coming from poverty and climbing to wealth and power.  Of course it was also full of those who crashed and burned, but in between are the large numbers who bettered their lives without becoming Carnegie’s or Rockefeller’s. 
Did they know how to work together?  Of course.  But it was not the type of working together that is being fostered in our modern culture.  Rockefeller had a large group of highly talented men who supported him in his drive to the top.  He could not have done it alone.  They, however, were clear that they were supporting him, not building a group empire.  All prospered but it was his dream and his dynasty.  Although people knew how to work together, they were judged as individuals, not as members of a group.

Children today are being taught that they deserve their dreams because they are part of a group.  That is the root of the nonsense that is going on at our colleges with the demands for free education and equality instead of excellence.  It is at the root the diversity training going on in our businesses.  It is the opposite of what America was about and what Aurelius felt was key.

We need to get back to standing on our own feet and save the support for times of genuine crisis.

Aurelius, Marcus.  The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, from the Harvard 
     Classics, Vol 2.  New York:  P.F. Collier & Son Corporation, 1937.

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-269: Sources of the Founders

Where did the Founding Fathers get their ideas for government.  There were many sources.  When Jefferson was in France during the writing of the Constitution he send books and notes from books for the consideration of those in congress.  As I was reading The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius I came across this which I can see a source of some of our ideals.

“...and from him I received the idea of a polity in which there is the same law for all, a polity administered with regard to equal rights and equal freedom of speech, and the idea of a kingly government which respects most of all the freedom of the governed;...”, p. 195

This is coming from a Roman emperor, one of the most absolute of dictators.  Obviously he had different ideas about equal rights in regard to women and slaves but he is still laying the groundwork. 

Read and think.  Some of those dead white guys had some good ideas.  Of course I assume that some dead not-white not-guys also could have good ideas, so get off my back.

Aurelius, Marcus.  The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, from the Harvard Classics, Vol 2.  New York:  P.F. Collier & Son Corporation, 1937.

homo unius libri