The Modern Stoic #4: On Not Being A Dick

Voices in the Dark

Self-development – becoming better humans – is what Voices in the Dark is all about. But how do we set about it without showing off, making others feel insecure, or adopting the obnoxious air of the 'oh look how simple a life I lead' bohemian?

Being egotistical about how much you've worked on your ego is the next, subtle trap along the path to self-improvement. So how can we avoid it?

Seneca has some answers, but we don't agree with all of them.

We talk about how to present yourself so that others will follow your example and warm to your cause; how to avoid blinding yourself to the good parts of otherwise 'bad' people; and why Donald Trump wants to paint everything gold.

Human nature has its own traps, too: we have to watch out for our own (self)destructive animal and tribal behaviours before we end up copying others rather than becoming ourselves.

As Seneca warns, 'It is the sign of an unstable mind not to be able to endure riches'. There's a panoply of under-acknowledged mental illnesses in our society surrounding wealth and pleasure. We throw the spotlight on these and why it's just as dysfunctional to deny yourself the opportunity to enjoy privilege as it is to be, well, Donald Trump.

This is all about action, though. Philosophy has to be useful to be worthwhile – it's about living the Good Life, not analysing life into a dusty grave.

Needless to say, there's also time to contemplate the importance to life of pizza and anal.

Including:

• Is Tim Ferriss really following this advice?
• Wanting the finer things in life for the right reasons
• On not getting a 20-foot cock extension
• Why Dre only trusts militant vegans
• White Knight syndrome
• Why money can't buy you taste
• Why hope and fear always go hand in hand

Find Out More:

• Like us on Facebook to ask for the Audible download code
• The full text for free on WikiSource
• Ryan Holiday's superb and accessible book on Stoicism: [easyazon_link identifier="1591846358" locale="US" tag="vointhda06-20"]The Obstacle is the Way[/easyazon_link]
• Tim Ferriss's brilliant TED talk on 'fear setting' and Stoicism

Be Silly. Be Kind. Be Weird.