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A Guide to the Good Life
The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
What's most important to you? What goals are worth pursuing? A Guide to the Good Life (2009) tackles these pivotal questions, guiding the reader through the ancient Stoic philosophy of life and offering advice on how to practice it in a modern world. Focused on the goals of virtue and tranquility, this book shows us how to find joy in our lives.
- Philosophy students
- Those who are seeking to curb their negative emotions
- Anyone wanting a simpler and more tranquil life
William B. Irvine is a professor of philosophy at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He is also the author of On Desire: Why We Want What We Want and A Slap in the Face: Why Insults Hurt – and Why They Shouldn’t.
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A Guide to the Good Life
The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
- Read in 16 minutes
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- Contains 10 key ideas
Synopsis
What's most important to you? What goals are worth pursuing? A Guide to the Good Life (2009) tackles these pivotal questions, guiding the reader through the ancient Stoic philosophy of life and offering advice on how to practice it in a modern world. Focused on the goals of virtue and tranquility, this book shows us how to find joy in our lives.
Key idea 1 of 10
Stoicism is rooted in an ancient Greek philosophy that taught the art of living a good life.
If you were a child in Greece around 300 BC and your parents wanted you to get a top education, rather than sending you off to business school as they might today, they would send you off to become well versed in the study of philosophy. One of the main schools of ancient Greek philosophy, and one that is still well known today, is the Stoic school.
Aside from rhetoric and logic, pupils studying philosophy would be taught a philosophy of life, that is, the art of living a good life. But what did this entail, and why would you need a philosophy of life back then – or even today?
Having a philosophy of life is a lot like having a road map for your life. Philosophy inspires you to reflect on what you really want, so that you are able to articulate and define your goals. For instance, if you decide that your goal is to be more caring and attentive, a philosophy of life will assist you in finding the best approach to reach this goal.
Conversely, failing to set out goals may mean that you live your life in a way that you’ll regret as you get older.
But pinpointing your goals can be tricky and tiresome in the modern world, where thousands of distractions compete for your attention on a daily basis and keep you from reflecting on your life.
Stoicism can help point you in the right direction, however, as it teaches a moderate way of life; it preaches neither absolute asceticism and a hand-to-mouth existence, nor ruthless hedonism. The Stoics endorsed a middle way, the path of moderation.
A Stoic, then, could enjoy a good meal and companionship, as long as he didn’t depend on such pleasures all the time. In our modern, material world, the Stoics would argue that we shouldn’t rely on expendable goods that promise short-lived happiness. Rather, we should find happiness and joy within.
Key ideas in this title
- Stoicism is rooted in an ancient Greek philosophy that taught the art of living a good life.
- The Stoics saw two central goals worth pursuing: virtue and tranquility.
- In order to fight our consumerist insatiability, we must learn to appreciate what we already have.
- Voluntary discomfort is one step toward appreciating the people and things in your life.
- Change your attitude toward things you can't control.
- It’s pointless to get angry about others or seek their approval.
- We should not let wealth corrupt us.
- The Stoics can teach us to deal with grief and old age.
- Becoming a Stoic will change your life – but you shouldn’t rush.
- Final summary
