In his 1841 essay ‘Friendship’, R. W. Emerson looks at two basic elements that go into the composition of true friendship. With quotes from the essay.
Tag: character
Our Emotions Are Ours to Control
When emotions take over, they tend to make us slightly pitiful around the edges. We need to develop a parent to control the toddler. Quotes from Wilde, Nietzsche & more.
Does ‘Leisure Time’ Make Us Unhappy?
‘Leisure time’ is a relatively new idea, and what it involves has changed dramatically. Does ‘leisure’ suit you? Quotes from H. Smith, H. Arendt & more.
What to Do with Exhaustion
What should we do in times of exhaustion? Perhaps ‘nothing’, is not the right answer. With quotes from F. Scott Fitzgerald, Joseph Addison & Charles Mackay.
Epictetus on Resolution-a Virtue or an Illness?
In The Discourses, Epictetus discusses the two potential sides to resolution; a virtue or an illness. Are we willing to change our minds to be closer to the truth?
New Year, New King
A New Year in ancient Babylon. The particulars of the ceremonial pomp may be different, but the idea of a new year is the same. A look at the humbling of the king and what the coming of a new year means for us today. With quotes from Hal Borland, T. S. Eliot & more.
Seneca on the Fallacy of Travel
In Letter XXVIII of ‘Letters from a Stoic’, Seneca discusses the fallacy surrounding travel; what it achieves, and what it simply can’t. “A change of character, not a change of air, is what you need.”
The Glow of Enthusiasm
Fatalism is a dead-end road and enthusiasm isn’t something we can ever afford to abandon. With quotes from Bishop Doane, R.W Emerson, D. Carnegie & F. Guizot.
The Philosopher King
Marcus Aurelius was once the most powerful man on earth- a Roman Emperor. ‘Meditations’ reveals ‘The Philosopher’; a king concerned with being a good man. Including quotes from Meditations.
A Tale of Temperance
In recent history, the virtue of temperance has been associated with strict asceticism. A joyless lifestyle, filled with self-deprivation and suppression. But temperance was never meant to be an extreme. When we look further back in time, we find its essence and purpose. Quotes from Aristotle, Aquinas, Seneca & more.