Marcus Aurelius: The Man Who Solved the Universe
2023 ж. 17 Ақп.
7 713 406 Рет қаралды
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4 mins in. This video is terrible. It just drones on and on about how amazing they think this lackluster philosopher is and yet... okay, we get it, you really like the guy, but... where's the amazing philosophy? Trying to live moderately doesn't make you amazing it just makes you a normal human with common sense. I can't stand all these Marcus Aurelius videos, every last one of them is exactly the same. It's just random access idolization of a man who completely and totally failed to explain his ideology to the masses, to the point where his entire beloved empire fell to ruin shortly after his existence. His work was so lackluster it couldn't even save his own people! Philosophy is only as good as your ability to get other people to realize it. If they can't, all they can do is idolize an impossibility and forget as they fall to ruin.
😢😮😅🎉😮🎉😅🎉😮😅🎉🎉😮😅😢😮🎉🎉🎉😅😅🎉😅😅😅
@OnideusMadHatter welcome to video essays. Mediocre people get on KZhead and distribute their shitty advice
Why horses?
"If it is endurable, endure it" has gotten me through many tough moments in my life.
Whatever I'm going through is there so I can GO through it.
That's one of the things that has steadily given me confidence as I get a little older. I'm not old by any means, I'm 26, but just enough bad shit has happened to me that I now feel as though I'm going to be alright. I have emerged alive so many times. My plans have changed in enormous ways, but my core goals remain intact. I have badly fumbled, stumbled and made a fool of myself, but I'm still typing this comment now.I think I'm better for having undergone the cycle of injury and recovery. I think we're lucky like that, our bodies can be maimed forever but our minds seem to have nearly limitless potential to recover, become more complex, and learn. I feel empowered to endure by this quote from Marcus. I think perhaps that endurance is one of those fundamental natural human values we all possess.
Amen brother!
if it is endurable but evitable, do not endure it*
I completely understand how the quote can be a source of strength during tough times. It's amazing how timeless wisdom from the past can resonate with us in the present.
"Never argue what a good man is. Be one." -Marcus Aurelius
@caioalbues7611 @caioalbues7611 @caioalbues7611 rock and roll baby 😎😎🤘🤘
*Machiavellian has left the chat*
"never argue what a bad man is .Be one " - your dad oh that's me 😑
How can you be a good man if there’s an argument on what a good man is?? Gotta get the identification of it right first don’t you think?
@@user-qe7bt9dz1l Because you end up living someone else's definition of good, not yours. Especially when debating theory people can conjure all kinds of fantasies, good luck with that lol.
"When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love." - Marcus Aurelius
That's a beautiful quote
I 100 percent agree. The odds of being born its almost none existent compared to the odds of dying. Wrap that around your head. When it comes to life. The odds are dying are much much better than the odds of being able to be born.
@@AleAlejandroCA its mind boggling when you think about it. Life is so precious.I am so grateful for the moment because that's all we are. Not past.not future. Rights now.
then you step barefoot on a red lego and get reminded the universe doesnt care about you
“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work - as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for - the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”” I think if this every time I want to sleep in. Thanks MA.
My favorite passage in meditations is him talking about mornings where he doesn’t want to get out of bed. Makes him human. And makes the way he lived all the more admirable.
Ah, but as Thoreau says "Morning is when I feel most alive. There is dawn within me." Yes, I am a morning person.
@@klosnj11 no one asked buddy, now go fy
@@broomheadjames yes, and? I have often considered the crossover of ancient philosophies, and saught evidence of some conceptual pedigree. Not only do many of the stoic ideas have the ring of my most beloved philosophy (taoism) but also plenty of vedic inspired concepts. I noted that some of his reasoning seems to emulate the eastern idea of the "Mandate of Heaven" in its structure. Both your comments here seem out of place, honestly. On a silly little video with AI generated visuals giving one short take on one of histories most commonly considered philosopher, you came across a comment about a single passage someone liked, and a simple response just for fun. And your decision seems to have been to take it all so seriously and write a small dissertation on what you believe are some flaws in peoples understanding of ol Marcus. I can't help but think of the meme..."Sir, this is a Wendies"
@@broomheadjames so flustered! You attempt to strike without reason or sense, hurling a salvo if replies. It is no matter. "An empty vessel makes the loudest sound."
@@klosnj11from 3-9am yes. Then the banks open and I go relax…
"All men suffer. Not all men pity themselves." -- Marcus Aurelius. I can’t explain how much hope in myself this video instilled..
Can't believe he called me out from thousands of years ago..
As an emperor, you do suffer a lot. 😂
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
@@s4vr652 Marcus was not a Christian.
@@andreibojor8732suffering comes in many forms. Being wealthy or privileged doesn’t save you from suffering.
I mean he drank opium laced wine before bed every night....you'd be feeling pretty immortal if you did that too.
Sounds great to me
I’ve never wanted to drink wine more than after hearing that.
I bet the dream state was great!
where it,s written he took this combination?
Wait what.
A man, who had unlimited power, wrote to himself before going to bed at night that the best revenge to your enemies is not becoming like them. That is all you need to know to understand that he was one of the most extraordinary human beings ever existed.
Tell that to his brown skinned slaves 😂
and unlike Jesus, he actually existed😂
@@InappropriateShortsbrother, why do you reject Christ?
@@ggoodlad why do you worship a fictional zombie?
@@InappropriateShorts wether you think he was god or not, sure. but jesus 1000% existed.
How refreshing to see a depiction of Marcus Aurelius as a humble, kind man. I see a lot of youtubers depict him with a serious demeanor, as if being a stoic is carrying the weight of the world upon your shoulders everyday.
Stange to think how much more burden one can handle by being humble. It's almost counter intuitive.
One can be burdened by humility and not look miserable, @@klosnj11 I'm simply pointing out that I find the stereotypical stoic aesthetic the internet has agreed upon standardizing is not exactly consistent with how stoics might have seen themselves, or wanted to be portrayed as.
i just dont get this comment? are you saying marcus was not a humble and a kind man ? we can argue more after clarification as for your thoughts on stoicism i agree you certainly arent carrying the world its about growing as a person lastly everyone depicts him as a serious person because of his teaching he continues to change lives of many
@@bxzczxxv man, they depict him in such a dramatic light like he's about to blow up or something. I'm saying that I much prefer depictions of him as the humble and kind man that he was.
@diogenes9380 i agree, stoicism is seen as an ideology that makes you emotionless and cold but it is the total opposite
Lost my mother at 22, and my baby sister now at 28. Marcus and his teachings have been keeping me sane since.
May both of them RIP
Make something beautiful out of life in dedication to their memories.
My condolences, God rest their soul.
Sorry brother. RIP your Mother and Sister. I hope you find happiness. God bless
Was it from Fent. poisoning? Ive lost 2 close friends in the last few years from OD.
When my dad died, the following day I went out to a little forested peninsula near my house with a bag of sunflower seed, listened to Meditations on audiobook, and fed Chickadees from my hand. Best thing I think I could have done. I've been handling the grief 10x better than I expected to. It's not frozen or suppressed grief, it's processed.
@@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist9 Did you set a bot or something to respond to every comment? This is about someone's grief and suffering and instead of prayer and using the gospel to relieve them you use it to set him farther from the Lord just for your own self? Have you forgotten Acts 17:16-34 where Paul uses the Stoic philosopher's own works to preach to them the Gospel? Have you read the scriptures? Why are you not preaching good news but instead using this moment to be superior? Is it true that we are not superior to unbelievers but that God is superior over believers and unbeliever?
Sorry for the previous Christian since I think it was highly inappropriate. Anyways, Meditations is a good book to start out with when learning basic philosophy and such. It is well written. And if you are experiencing grief it'll be good to read. I would recommend reading Mathew 5 since it has all of the fundamentals of virtues, however you aren't Christian so when you are having feelings of grievance, re listen to Book 11 of Meditations since it really goes in depth on such topics Either way God bless you!
Bless you. I will teach you some Aramaic. It's the slang of Hebrew. Schlama means peace. Malkuth means heaven. Hubba means love. Hubba to you and yours. How joyful that when you hear a bird sing or see a bird fly a beautiful ballet, you think of your father in your heart and soul. God, aka Elohim Adonai Hashem, needed your father in Heaven to be an angel. He enjoyed meeting Einstein.
Nothing beats death so carry on little peasants 😂😂
@@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist9your imaginary friend 😂😂😂
I love so much that these are just his personal notes about how to live his best life.... what an incredible soul.
This some how helps me understand myself, as if finally I feel seen , understood, I feel so connected to him and always seen his statue but until now understand. Like as if I found someone in the world that thinks like me on a mental level. This makes me happy, thank you for this video.
"All men die, but not all men die complaining" - Marcus Aurelius: The line that resonates with me the most, creating shivers even.
Thats because you are infact, gay
@caioalbues7611 @caioalbues7611 @caioalbues7611 @caioalbues7611 rock and roll baby 😎😎🤘🤘
Maybe some of them should have, and should have done a lot more than complain. MA didn't know everything.
Marcus Aurelius thought Epictetus to be his mentor. So that quote is a throw-back to Epictetus' saying: "I must die now, but must I die bawling?"
@@dutube99that’s only according to you that they should have. It just shows that perspective makes many things subjective. Many of those men may have been content.
I think one of the most important parts of Marcus’ story is how old he was when he became an emperor. He was around 39 years old, and had known he was destined for that seat almost his whole life. Marcus wasn’t born perfect, and I’m sure he didn’t entirely live perfect. Yet, when it mattered most he was good. Even if you don’t see yourself as Marcus today, it doesn’t mean you never will. He would’ve never became the man we know if he didn’t believe he could become that man, no matter how imperfect he had already been. Be kind to yourself, and live up to your potential.
That was beautiful ❤️
Thank you for writing this. It helps.
Well put
Thank you
This DOESN'T HELP!!! This DOESN'T HELP ME, because my ARM'S just been severed and I'm Bleeding OUT!!! Lol! Just kidding. 😊 Your words are very well expressed !
I come back to this video whenever I’m stressed. Good narration with good ambient noise and an overall message to calm down and face whatever I’m getting stressed by
I feel grateful for having had a man like him, who could bring such fundamental reflections and was in a position of immense power that made him influence people like us centuries ahead
Basically 2 milleniums
My best friend of 22 years, he was my brother from another mother, my family. His name was Mark Ayers and I use to call him Marcus Aurelius all the time. He was an amazing tattoo artist and the best father I had ever seen in my life. He was hit by a truck while riding his motorcycle June 2020. I cried every day for a year and I still break down from time to time. He had a beautiful soul! I miss him.
My condolences, i hope every happy memory you have with him stays with you for as long as it can. Have a great day.
I'm sorry to hear that 🙁 Hope his family and friends remember him more often with a smile on their faces than the occasional inevitable tear up.
Rest in paradise to your friend. I am sure you were as important to him!! Take care.
A good time for a beautiful soul to be spared the burden of experiencing the following times, though. At some point all that can be done has been done and then others have to pick the torch up. Grieving over that departure might even be an important push where before too many walls were up. Humankind would be just fine if we could refrain from the habit of killing our saints.
Thank you for sharing and I hope you're doing well.
The more I learn about Marcus Aurelius the more I respect and grow to appreciate his life and wisdom
He was cucked by his wife and gladiators if that brings you some reality 🫡
He failed in the one major task in his life - that of being a father.
@@freespeechisneverwrong9351 he had at least 14 children with his wife Faustina…
@@freespeechisneverwrong9351 It’s kinda weird how life works because you say that yet he’s been a great mentor and teacher to me more than my actual father has he’s righting his wrongs through his wisdom and life because I’m pretty sure he’s not just helping me but other young men around the world🤷🏾♂️💯
@@lucascorreia9916 His successor son was a complete tyrant.
In the midst of one of the most stressful, unpleasant weeks in my life this video as been a reassurance, reminder and salve. Your output is such incredibly high quality but this has genuinely helped me in a tough time. I really, really appreciate it. Thank you.
You'll get through. I believe in you
Honestly, I cannot explain how beautiful and awesome this video is. Thank you so much for this.
My dad named my brother after Marcus Aurelius. And even though we lost him to his own suffering, he still had many of these traits… He was a good man. Rest in peace Marcus, I miss you :)
Life is not fair, I think it's often the best people that have the most internal suffering. Rest in peace to your brother Marcus.
he should have been truer to his own morals
@@anthonylapenna8264 you should be truer to his morals. Start with trying to be a good man, rather than the worm you are.
Rest in paradise Marcus! I pray that he makes better decisions in the next life and so forth! Thank u for keeping your head high and maintaining a positive attitude on YOUR situation❤️
@@SteadyPlaying That's an insult to the worms.
One of my favorite things about meditations is how relatable it made Marcus seem. In one part of his book he writes about how sometimes he just doesn't want to get out of bed, if that's not the most relatable thing I don't know what is.
Agreed
Especially to hear an Emperor speak those things, unbelievable. We all fight it would appear, thank you Marcus
You are really good at Narrating . Thank you for so beautifully explaining MARCUS's thoughts about what one should strive for and how one should lead his/hers life . Your video gave me a lot of very meaningful & valuable takeaway's
Marcus Aurelius never knew the impact he'd leave on the lives on those to come. from all different corners of the world, were able to philisophise and ponder his writings. Life is an unpredictable journey but stumbling upon videos like these help me see that we can change the way we perceive the world and act in it. Bravo creator, bravo
And 2000 years later, his writings hit home to a common man like me. great video!
We’re all common men. We are no greater or less than anyone else.
All of us are normal person,no exception.We all just namelesss joe.but we still can try our best to become the better of ourselves.
@@mageds2684 i am definitely way less than Da Vinci or Napoleon
@@Dan_KanervaDa Vinci was a pompous artist, full of big ideas and dreams, but he only finished a few projects that he started. He wasted a lot of money from rich sponsors without ever realising what he promised them. And Napoleon let himself be crowned as emperor and in doing so, he betrayed everything the French Revolution stood for. And his conquests brought a lot death and destruction. Both were in some sense “great men”, but they definitely had their flaws and even big failures and unfulfilled potential.
@@SanderBessels i know they got flaws , they still achieved more than what thousands combined could . Also "achieving the full potential" is not a good argument because no human will ever achieve it , even Alexander the Great or Genhis Khan couldn't . So what hope do us have?
One interpretation of Meditations is that Marcus was an anxious human and used his meditations as a diary to remind himself how to behave
Is there any videos on this interpretation? That is a very interesting perspective.
This honestly makes so much sense; I always struggled with understanding how a person of abundant self-confidence & self-affirmation could even be a Stoic, it seems like a belief system for a person overwhelmed by life. Borderline defeatist in nature. Aurelius being anxious and writing these notes as personal guidelines would make much more sense tbh.
@Rickenewyork the book I read is called Meditations, A New Translation, with an Introduction by Gregory Hats
@@KevinJohnson-cv2no imagine running an empire
@@reiniergamboa I run a $215k/mo E-Commerce business that I've built from the ground up before the age of 25, so I have some "familiarity" with the nature of the position at least; immense difference in scale aside. More importantly, it seems like multiple others before him did just fine with it. Aurelius (who had the empire handed down to him on a silver platter, mind you) led mediocre campaigns, and was mostly a passive ruler; one who subsequently ended up passing the empire down to an heir which would bring ruination unto it. More aptly, Aurelius just wasn't fit for the position. Perhaps he spent too much time fantasizing about being a peasant with a regular life instead of commanding the most powerful polity in the world at the time.
Loved this video, I have listened to other videos but they speak so fast that it’s hard to absorb the beautiful nuggets of wisdom. Thank you for sharing this lovely presentation. I loved it so much that I choose to subscribe❤
It’s an honour to read the personal journey of such a great man! If you learn something you know you learned it from one of the best people who ever graced this floating trough the endless universe rock who we call Earth…
my philosophy prof said that she likes to read Marcus Aurelius when she feels down because he will write stuff like “even littlest ant goes on and works every day because every living creature has a purpose to live in the order of the universe and in that everything is important, even that littlest ant” (I am citing my prof) and I found it just so gentle and good
easy to say when you're the emperor
@@soggybiscuitz5985 No, not easy. Most of the people of his rank, after him rarely spared a thought for the common Roman.
u could not rule one day damocles sword bro. read about aurelius he got adopted @@soggybiscuitz5985
@@naoiwatani8402exactly
That said, Nietzsche's critiques of stoicism were right.
It is said that the true test of character is what a man would do if he knew no one else would find out (he would never be held accountable). It seems Marcus Aurelius was one of the few men who realized that, with any given action, even if no one else would find out, he would always know. And you are the only one who has to live with yourself all your life. As the introduction mentioned, Stoicism focuses on having principles and living by them, fearing only “letting yourself down.” Excellent video.
The secret to this realization is to be aware that there is simply no such delineation between the presence or absence of accountability at all, except in our willingness to acknowledge virtue. The one who acknowledges virtue will receive it's benefits, and the one who deludes himself must endure their absence. This is made evident in the very nature of virtue itself, in what it is defined by and made possible with. Everything you do has a consequence, both good and bad. There will never be a day where your actions, or lack thereof, do not contribute to the inherited destiny of all humanity, no matter how large or small you may be. When you do good, it is only good by contextual relation to the circumstance; there is no good deed to be done independent of your immediate environment, let alone the larger one- the same goes with bad deeds. What is virtue without relation to the world, of which you are a citizen? It is therefore only an illusion of our willingness to entertain narrative ideology which can allow us to separate our identity from our actions. I may chose to order the execution of a dozen men without trial for intrigue and suspected conspiracy against the state, but it does not change the fact that I have committed murder. I may chose to allow a subordinate to prosecute them on my behalf, but it is still my responsibility. I bear the consequences of this choice, and their guilt or innocence does not change the fact of the outcome. It is therefore utterly paramount that one consider themselves honestly and without favor or overdue sympathy, lest the blood of another be on your hands without your direct acknowledgement. The consequences are not necessarily the guilt and shame of dishonor, but the reality of the shift in outcome for the immediate fates of everyone in the immediate environment- from those about to die, to their families, to their cities, their nation, etc. Accountability does not change the outcome, as the past cannot be changed, no matter how deep our regret or shame. It serves as a learning tool, a method of bringing truth to one obfuscated by lies. To the one who is aware of the inherently dependent nature of virtue upon the entirety of one’s immediate and larger environment, the absence or presence of the learning tool is redundant, as the awareness has become acute and immiscible. In reality, the consequences of our actions always return to us in some form or another. The one who enters into self-delusion, intentional or otherwise, will clamber blindly about his cave, running calloused hands across the cave wall in search of the source of light from which dancing forms flit about the rough stone. He will wonder why others are compelled to put him at a distance, set apart and distrusted, while he continues to judge them harshly and push them away. The one who sits in anger and ruminates on the destruction of his enemies will be shocked and confused when this resentment boils over and he finds those whom he had considered friend have plotted to protect themselves from the possibility of his wrath spilling out onto them. He who, in avarice and desire to preserve wealth and legacy, destroys rivals politically and socially, refuses to pay fairly for labor, lies and uses subterfuge to acquire advantages which can be used to bludgeon others into obedience, will find himself making choices that inevitably lead to the bottom of a great ditch; a cavernous hole of stark basalt, no easy method of escape except through the back-breaking effort of carving a staircase out of the cliff face, step by step.
Both of your comments are so profound and helped give words to the realizations I’ve had about stoicism and Marcus Araleus himself, thank you both
This dude was a bad father, his son was messed up. Can someone make sense of this. Either even if you're a good person you can't change your children or this is all a bit of bullshit. Those are the only two options I can see
If Stoicism was really about not letting yourself down then Stoics wouldn't be such meek, powerless individuals. Stoicism literally preaches for one to abandon any attempts to control the external, and advocates for the passive acceptance of circumstance. Stoics are mediocre average joe's who have been forced to accept their mediocrity, and thus they ease their own suffering by wrapping their lack of achievement up in a "philosophical" bow. If Stoics truly didn't want to let themselves down they'd take life by the balls, and embark out in the acquisition of great feats and achievements; "making a dent in the universe". Instead Stoics let life take a shit on their faces; then they proceed to lie to themselves so deeply that they begin believing the blind acceptance of shit on their face without complaint is somehow "strength". I'm sure the Roman slave who couldn't afford to fight back against his master or break his chains called his subservience "Stoicism". I'm sure it helped him sleep at night.
God concept !?
I watched this multiple times. Had never felt so much clarity about so many of my own thoughts. Thank you so much for this video!
Your voice is soooo soothing and makes the information sink in so easily. Thank you so much for this video 🙏
At @6:44 you can see Marcus was so ahead of his time he was wearing reading glasses 1000 years before they were invented. An absolute legend.
To be honest, monocles could have been invented back then, they knew how to make glass and were very good at it, I don't see it as all that impossible. The glass was far from perfect, but it was still glass.
writing using a ballpoint pen too haha
@@dud3655 yes even I think so, Antikythera mechanism was invented, which is close to analog computer, so glasses are comparitievely much less complicated. if they knew glass working there is definitely chance for it
@@gvkl09palakkad Like, ancient people were not stupid, they just knew less. The Romans made buildings last for thousands upon thousands of years, meanwhile modern buildings last at most 100 before the walls need reinforcement. Roman concrete isn't the best for building roads, or for skyscrapers, but it has a lot of fricking use in just building homes or buildings in general.
@@dud3655 Seneca mentioned what we'd call magnifying glasses, "burning glass", which were used to light fires.
What was astounding of Marcus Aurelius was that he was born in a great Roman house, lived wealthy and was emperor of the most powerful empire of its time and yet he had the ability to write and articulate his stoic principles that even the most common Roman citizen could apply this in their own life.
The difference between those at the top and those at the bottom is illusion. We all live very similar lives shaped by our material reality.
Well said.
and also helped ruin the empire by letting his son take over, remeber that he was still a flawed man
He did not practice what he preached
@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist9 Many apologetic methods come from classical philosophers however they are not our authority of how we should live our lives. I just see them as things that the Bible already sets up for us that are said somewhere else, either way, most of Marcus Aurelius's works are pretty miniscule compared to Biblical teaching in the Proverbs, Mathew 5-8, the Epistles and OT and NT cannon, this is not to discredit his work it is just to say that he started the philosophy, even in his own words in Book 1. (Correction, the modern approach to apologetics is also from scripture Acts 17:22-28, we are able to use philosophy while ignoring the pagan aspects of such)
I love the context, text styling, and art in this video, truly superb for the peepers to look at! Thank you
I'm ngl this might be one of my favorite genre on youtube, well done video essays about philosophy
I recently got into stoicism, and one thing that shocked me about reading Meditations, was how natural it all was. Most of what Marcus said I had already contemplated when thinking about myself and the human condition.
Nature is our father and Earth our mother. We are their seed, and the Universe is our playground, and the future limitless.
"You can't control what the world throws at you, but you can control how you react" Great philosophy for a person abused by narcissists
great philosophy for those whos lives changed over night.
Life is 10% and 90% is how you react to it
it's called stoicism iirc
My passions are tax evasion and weapon procurement.
@@aaronflores1313we suffer more often in imagination than in reality...
I have watched this for days upon days, allowing it to me move forward that much more.
i just binge watched 5 of your videos. Love your work, thank you.
"He only fears that he lets himself down" -- This hit close to home
Then it is important to not cling to that. Forgive yourself, learn and do better next time.
I understand that MA feared that, but I don't want to. I know I will let myself down many times. I want to be okay with that and learn from that to do better next time.
kzhead.info/sun/ZZSPmaqojIR_d6M/bejne.html
“Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened. Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
I was thinking exactly about this quote while watching the video
Extremely common Tolkien W
Stopping the video at 4:46 bc you just gave the most convincing book recommendation and I'll come back to you when I finish it. I really don't want to spoil this for myself
LOL i just ordered it😭
this is one of the chillest videos i've ever seen on one of my favorite dudes. love the aesthetic, love the voiceover. i've owned a copy of meditations for ten or fifteen years and lost a lot things while making sure to keep it but one concept that i never read up to was death as a duty. i find that comforting. thank you.
Our materials must recycle into the Earth. (Almost) all Life is in a continual sun-powered cycle, each entity taking a small sun-powered cut. Acknowledging Nature is *_closure._*
My uncle who has always been a simple, hard worker who helps without even being asked and never wants anything in return always shuts people down when they try to make him out to be a saint. He is simply human.
Goodness and competency is as it should be, not out of vanity or greed, but in the peace and fulfillment of being.
I think there are more people like Aurelius out there than are given credit for. Quietly committed to virtue above worldly pleasure. Imagine they were all to disappear at once?
He is a good men .. not all men are kind and humble like your uncle
@@Geordie-rr2gq absolutely there are
I wrote a paper partially inspired by this book, about how the modern methodology of stoicism has completely lost the plot. It’s really less about being good, and more about being unwavering, which is what stoicism is not. You don’t have to be unwavering, in fact it’s better if you are open to new ideas, new people, new experiences. Being kind and gentle to your soul is what it’s all about IMO
So that will help one be virtuous when the unendurable adversity Marcus speaks about comes?
Can you send me a copy of your paper? Id enjoy reading it to see your ideas fleshed out.
THANK YOU for bringing this up. Modern stoicism has been co-opted by toxic individualism culture and twisted to benefit those who rule, something Aurelius would have been enraged and left despondent by. Videos and comments like this give me hope that the truth of his wisdom is not totally lost.
Replying to this in hopes OP gives us a link or a name to this paper, should it be published. I'd love to hear more about it, since the cooptation of Stoicism by modern toxic individualists is perfidious, and it was sad to see since I personally valued stoicism for longer than it became a sudden fad in meme culture.
I'm excited to learn more about Marcus! I'll do my best to learn from his life not just teachings! It's the best thing I can do with all lessons in life really.
I needed this video more than I knew. Thanks for doing what you do:)
Love how comforting your voice is
What I like best is he made someone follow him around and tell him "you are only a man" every time someone gave him a compliment. Humility. Our politicians could use that now.😮
Bodyguards and humilityguards
alarm ideas 😂😂
too much humility can be a problem, a ruler who thinks he is a peasant will not be a good ruler at all. its better to have a firm grasp on where you stand in society and where you stand against your ideal self, and use both to define what you really are.
@@mangakasaide2166 Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.
@@mangakasaide2166 I think you have confused humility with modesty, specifically false modesty.
"Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs?” - Marcus Aurelius
I love this philosophy. Everything happens for a reason.
"Do you believe in fate Neo?" "No" "Why not?" "Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my own life" Change that which you can, accept that which you cannot, and learn to tell the difference - one of the great quotes of all time.
Aurelius resonates with american now because America today is similar to roman end era
Pretty easy to accept what comes to you when you are handed immense wealth and power…
@@BiscuitGeoff lol ya let's all be stoic in the face of injustice and genocide and ...
I never looked at dying as a duty... I'm so used to characterizing it as a "bad" thing, this idea is extremely cathartic.
Wow. I have only seen one other video on this platform to change my state of mind. This has fulfilled that duty. Well-spoken.
Such a gorgeous and insightful video. This channel is criminally underrated, but not for long!
He uses AI generated art well.
couldn't agree more!
@@randomnumbers84269 Also, very little actual research. 0:35 Marcus Aurelius wasn't a "founding father of stoicism". Stoicism already existed for several centuries, before Aurelius was born.
Its not underrated lol. Idealization as .... , Clickbait videos, terrible AI "ART"? COME ON.
@@RTL2Lyeah be Zeno obviously! Aurelius just expanded on it!
Stoicism, and especially Marcus Aurelius, is the first and only time that I have seen the hammer of truth come down on my bubble. It is a real catalyst for monumental change. Wonderful and thoughtful work on the video.
Stoicism is pretty good when learning about virtue ethics in my opinion, I am proud to see so many people interested in learning about virtues and actively seek it. Most of the time people will figure out virtue and morality and embrace it just by following the breadcrumbs but no one can truly be fully virtuous in their nature which is what makes life so wonderful.
@@aCatholicOne It's the path towards the impossible, that's worth taking.
it pains me so much to often see people talk of stoicism while keeping empathy out of the conversation. misstreating your fellow man while preaching about the parts of stoicism that seem to benefit you as an individual seems like a very empty way of living your life.
@@nottaibo Fair enough point, I think he should've included the parts of Meditations like the example of the sparring partners in order to show the empathy of Stoicism.
Considering how much he used opium I find it hard to believe that his philosophy and its application to life can be anything but artificial and a temporary method that easily wears down with time. Everybody has a stoic period, like many have a communist or Ayn Randian period, but then these ferments wash away by the magnitude of life. Its a bubble that gets popped like any other.
Thanks for indirectly guiding me to read the book. This is the most practical and precious video I’ve ever watched. I’m still so grateful after watching this video I wouldn’t be able to see who truly I am and the clarity of the nature; the way I supposed to value the world around me
That book got me through the worst of 2020. It's one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.
what’s the name of the book
What book
@@andreluna7222 The book meditations?
Same but 2013-14 for me.
@@andreluna7222the book Horse is discussing.... Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.
"All men suffer. Not all men pity themselves." -- Marcus Aurelius
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24. This reminds me of that Marcus Aurelius quote which is a great quote, and deeply true. Just remember that there is something even better, and greater than self pity that is offered to us generously by the Creator of the natural order, Elohim, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That being salvation from the true death we all deserve as people who have messed up :D
easy to say when you were an emperor
@OrgusDin Marcus Aurelius lost 12 of his children, as well as spending the last decade or so of his life fighting in a war. He had plenty reason to bemoan his duties.
@@OrgusDin well imagine dealing with assholes and unfair circumstances everyday but stopping yourself from abusing your authority. thats plenty of reason to waver from your values and beliefs
@@lmaomoofeq2505 that's the most impressive part, you need a fair amount of introspection to understand that
Whoever made this video, you have my love and my thanks. While in my current life I was feeling lost and anxious this video helped me understand that everything will be alright and I should not be worried too much and I shall strive for being a great person once again, that I had stopped believing into.
This is one of the best videos I've seen. Made me buy the book and learn more about it. Superb content
Aurelius describes the people who inspired him and touched his life. He talks in the past tense of people who's names have been lost to history.
That’s one thing that makes him great. He remembers those others forget. He remembers the gifts given.
Why would u want to follow him when we have Jesus? This ideology is flawed.
@@Zelchinho Thats like saying why do we need math we have Jesus lol
@@YouMustBeMadReplyingToMe what a stupid thing to say. Marcus gives advice on how u should live, same thing Jesus did. So yeah, very low iq.
@Zelchinho you can gain knowledge while having jesus in one's life
'Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.' This quote by Marcus Aurelius will never not bring me comfort.
This makes me cry , I don’t know why , I don’t Or how, but I understand him.
that one is like a psychedelic trip
I am the enemy of my present, so will i be the same. May god help me to fight “me” cause i have been my own sworn enemy 🙏🏻
never not bring me comfort ?? You're trying to be Marcus now
Exactly, I’ve always thought something similar myself. The future is just the present waiting to happen.
what a beautiful man, thank you for changing my life horses. i know it isnt a self help vid but it did help me a lot, you never fail to change my life
Horses don't exist. Ask Hbomberguy.
The background audio really makes this, great job!
I literally just finished Meditations yesterday. I’m reading through the notes and index tonight before I move on to my next book. I can already tell it is something I will come back to periodically for the rest of my life. There is so much to be gained from his writings and I genuinely feel more at peace than I did when I started.
Definitely. I read a few pages every now and then and it is something many people keep with them. Many world leaders and people of important standing have quoted, read or utilize that book on a frequent basis. It's a good ideology to subscribe to, and doesn't hurt anyone.
@@sagewynngames4222 🍻
Meditations got me through a really really rough patch in my life. One of my heroes.
Same for me.
My first ever comment on a KZhead video and I'd like to tell you that this video motivated me to read Meditations, which has led to me changing my life and a lot of things about myself so from the bottom of my heart, thank you very much for this.
Keep at it dude. One day you will look back with wonder at what you have become.
Loved this so much! ❤ thank you!
“Soon you will have forgotten all things. And all things will have forgotten you.” Wow.
I was not prepared for this humbling profoundness. Great words from one of the greatest men. Most “great” men became great by killing millions. Marcus is greater than them. He showed, by example, how everyone can live their greatest life
"by killing millions..." Marcus Aurelius led the brutal subjugation of the Marcomanni and Quadi. The notes in "Meditations" were actually written while on campaign. The scenes on the column in Rome that commemorate the Marcomannic wars are the most horrific seen in any Roman art of any period.
Uh, my guy... he *did* kill, if not millions, at the least hundreds of thousands.
But he is not remembered for the killing, he did what just everybody in his times were doing. Meditations is one of the best books because it was not meant to be read by anyone but him. The book is he talking to himself, in its most pure form. No lies, no ideology, just ruminations. And even when talking to himself in the book, he don't mention anything about killing.
@@reinaldoantonio7271yeah....if you think that an emperor of Rome didnt know after his death that people would read and publish his notes, it means one of two things. 1) he was not smart but the original hippie idiot. Or 2) He was insane and thought he was the queen of Albuquerque. Not trying to be mean but....yeah.
He was born into leadership during the golden ages of Rome, and died before they ended... I think that the most impressive thing about him may simply be that he wasnt as corrupt (morally, mostly) as some other historical rulers, but other than that, not too interesting.
The inner self is tearing after this awesome video,I had so much to learn to.Thank You
Sports car was a nice touch at the end. Loved the music and font too. Great video. ❤
One of the most striking things I take away from Aurelius's writings is the tone of his delivery. To me, his words always seem like those of a general addressing his troops, espousing wisdom during training, inspiring courage in the face of the enemy, reminding those who return from battle what is most important, what they've truly fought for. He reminds one that, while there are indeed circumstances that will always be beyond one's own control, one always has full control over oneself - and ought to exercise it. #livewithoutfear
He was only addressing himself.
lol tone
Agreed. So Humble. Being a good General of himself first, 2000 years later we still respect and honour the penned words of his inner voice.
Yes, he was addressing himself, but he was a military commander, so the tone may be there.
Every living being is a soldier, marching inexorably to the front, and to certain death. Life is the journey, not the destination.
Completely amazing. Wonderful explanation and pace. Well done. "All men suffer. Not all men pity themselves." -- Marcus Aurelius.
And there was one that suffered more than others and His sacrifice can save the souls of men but people don't care, and it's sad. But hey, give them anything from any other historical figure with ideas and a personal philosophy and they will read it up in an instant and even twice or more, calling it genius. Vanity of vanities.
Right, because only one man in the history of mankind has the right to teach profound things? @@JesusProtects
@@bandorthegreen620 before you thank God that Marcus Aurelius lived and left true wisdom for the world, you'd rather be spiteful and talk him down, neglecting that those teachings aren't religious and doesn't require you to believe in a God, which is what irks you, because then your entire beliefs and religion is meaningless to the great stoic Marcus Aurelius n anyone who follows his teachings and not have a religion.
@@JesusProtectsmost people don’t care? Wtf stop acting like Christianity is some hidden away secret religion that nobody cares about, it’s literally the second largest religion in the world, what a pathetic response. Very disappointing from a “Christian”
@@effortless-joshthereactdev What? Dude I'm atheist. I was talking to the Jesus person, who was lamenting that people praise Marcus instead of just loving Jesus.
Thank you for making this video :)
For this video alone, I’m going to be your subscriber. Loved it. Thought provoking.
I can’t explain how much hope in myself this video instilled.
MURICA WILL DESTROY ALL HOPE
In one day flat, you’ve become my favorite channel on this platform. You bring so much depth and nuance to complicated topics. This inquiring mind thanks you from the bottom of her heart. Your content is helping me become a better person.
This whole reading was remarkably soothing, I may have to check out this Meditations you mentioned.
Those who are here after the reel🦭
Tylerzwise🤝
@@charlieobid2345😅
Nop
Thank you, thank you for reminding me about Aurelious in times of need. I am struggling to find meaning every day. Every moment is a fight against suicidal thoughts. I am still fighting. Every day I am alive is a victory. I am winning.
If your life has no meaning, it's clear that your purpose is to find meaning?
Beautiful things and disgusting things both exist in the world, but you have the power to see the beautiful things and to make more of them. Keep fighting, stranger, I believe you will win.
We all fight death every moment whether we know it or not. Whether you dwell on it, how it will come, when, why, is the difference between living and dying…
The meaning of what? I think you've become roped into a completely meaningless search.
@@MrCmon113The meaning comes from being the best version of yourself you can be.
I recently hiked to Fern lake in the sierra nevada mountains. It is a grueling 1700' climb in 1.6 miles. Your reward is a pristine lake with nay a soul around you. The only thing you can hear is the wind and the birds. You are in complete solitude. In that moment I thought of Aurelius' teachings. It reminded me that we have control over our mind and our lives. We can push ourselves to great heights both mentally and physically. We are creatures that are a part of nature. Hiking and mountaineering serve as a perfect metaphor for life. Pain is assured but suffering is optional. Keep solidarity brothers, with each other, with nature, with the world.
Amen brother.
I love the art style of this video. It reminds me of any given, random VHS tape my mom would’ve brought home from the library in the ‘80s.
Your voice is very listenable. Thank you or posting this great content.
This was an amazing video. The music, the images and the soothing voice tied up beautifully to the teachings of Marcus Aurelius. A lovely format.
I would agree, but the images suck totally. They are generated by artificial intelligence. They are in the opposition to the message of the words and to being virtuous. Midjourney scraps work of visual artists and these images are imperfect. They have strange, mismatched elements that are not history or structurally accurate. I don't think Marcus would do such a thing. He probably wouldn't do something just because he can and it's cheap. I'm saddened that the visual layer spoils for me the reception of a great message and a great and pleasant narration.
@@grzegorzkomarec337 Interesting view. In my opinion they fit the video perfectly and i love the art style. Yes, searching for artists and paying them for every single image would be more virtuous, but lets be real, that is extremely expensive for background images and if that would be the only option, most video-essays would be filled with crappy stock images. The way i see it is that tools, such as Midjourney make low budget production more possible than ever.
@@MrJuzzi3yes and no. Searching out and paying every artist the AI bases from would be incredibly exhausting. But video essays already use images from the web, stock photos, commission drawings, or even their own artwork for their content
I was browsing the comments to see if anyone brought to people's attention that the images were AI generated. I am glad that you mentioned it. My problem with this video using AI images is not even that he is using AI images, the problem is that he did not state in any part of the video nor in the description that the images are AI generated. It's like selling a beverage and adding synthetic sugar to make it a light beverage but without stating on the tag that it is a light beverage @@grzegorzkomarec337
@@grzegorzkomarec337 it doesn't matter 😭😭
His book is a bit weird to read honestly with him talking about the things in the old days but literally the first chapter talks about what he learns from everyone around him. That is the truly the mark of a great person, learning from everything and everyone.
R.I.P. Dr. Michael Sugrue. I loved his lectures, especially the one on Marcus Aurelius from the clip at the beginning of this video.
Its been 7 years since I read this for the first time and I'm so proud of the man I've become. Its cathartic viewing this, I have some things to work on but my heart and mind are in the right place. Kindness over anything, all credit to Marcus Aurelius.
Giving great power to a man reveals his character. Marcus Aurelius and Cincinnatus were truly great men because they were not corrupted by great power.
I would add Antoninus Pius to the list.
Did you see the Naruto Ninetail beast?
"giving great power ta a man reavels his character" is it you or you raid somewhere
@@geek8700 raided it. I don’t remember where though. 🤔
@@M0rmagil I have heard this as well, as a counter to the phrase: "Great power corrupts". That is the slogan of the rebel, but it seems obvious in retrospect it was always in error. We are confronted from birth by those who have great power over us--our parents. There are certainly parents who misuse their power, but not all do. So the axiom must be amended.
One of the more if not the most soothingly insightful videos Ive ever watched on YT. I've read Meditations a few times but you have conveyed his writings very well. Thank you so much for your time and effort that you put into this.
It's interesting that the last image is of a man alone with his tent. In my childhood I remember discussing dreams for the future with my friends. Some wanted the huge house, some wanted the fast car; I wanted my tent and the land and the woods. Our dreams point our destiny, and it's been a hell of a time reconciling my primal desire with the society that did its best to mold me into its attendant.
I REALLY appreciate the text fonts, graphics and anime style background!! Especially on a late friday afternoon! Keep up the good work!🙌
The images are making me nostalgic for the 90s anime style. I grew up watching it and love the colour scheme, the patterns, and the beautiful figures. I am sure to come back to this video a lot!
Marcus Aurelius wasn’t a pioneer of stoicism. In fact, in the first chapter he lists his teachers, each of them a stoic, and it’s quite a list. The reason why we know Marcus more then others is that only few of the texts have reached us. You can count the works of ancient stoics that you can read with your fingers.
A wealthy Stoic is always my fave, just like Bezos' Stoic nature.
Bezos is an evil tyrant. Not a good man by any means.
Thank you for saying this. Funny how people associate a discovered text with that author somehow being super important. That said 'Meditations' is a great book.
The title of the video is insulting, it's not like he came up with stoicism
You have to admit thought, that while he is not in his life, only remembered as a philosopher, his stature as such is completely different from what you expect and find in the other philosophers of his time. You have the perfect example of how certain ideas and education reached the highest spheres of power. Even if we found the copies of all the books in the library of Alexandria you will always present Marcus Aurelius as an example of Stoicism applied in life.
I can’t explain how much hope in myself this video instilled.. "All men suffer. Not all men pity themselves." -- Marcus Aurelius.
I really needed this tonight. Thank you
Nice text, Nice voice and pronunciation, great lovely background visuals! ❤❤ thanks, I hope there are many discovering this amazing Man.
"Never argue what a good man is. Be one."-Marcus Aurelius. "Never argue what a good man is. Be one."-Marcus Aurelius.
I was unaware that there were two Marcus Aurelius'.....
there werent, you are drunk. go to bed.@@child_of_God316
The second on was kinda just a copy cat, he's say the exact same stuff. A copy-paste, if you will @@child_of_God316
So good he said it twice
I've always wondered why people claim that Marcus Aurelius wrote his meditations without the intent for them to be read by others. It's not as if he lacked the foresight to realize that the diary of a deceased emperor would likely be read by others. While he may not have intended for his writings to be published, I would venture to guess that he understood they would more than likely be read by others after his death. He probably didn't anticipate the extent of their distribution and influence, though.
He was gonna burn them but died.
Understanding that they *may* be read by others, and *intending* them to be read by others is entirely different. He did not write them with the intent that others would read them.
@@notahotshotwe definitely don't have any way to know what he actually thought about his writing's destiny. I believe he wrote as a personal memoir, but to me, sound naive to discard any other hypothesis.
@brandenowens He asked for the document to be destroyed upon his death. Pretty sure that constitutes not writing it for others
@@bluebooper did he? Again, i tend to believe it, but it may well be a construct.
thanks you dude, i really appreciate the value you freely gave me
Awesome video. Thanks for not using ai to read a script like most vids like these use. It says allot that you put so much work into this.
Came across your channel today and must admit that it's probably one of the best channels i have ever come across, especially this video. Being a person of same ideology i felt so contended while hearing and ascertaining the gravity of the subject. Keep excelling.