1003. When we should decline a benefit to help a friend

1003. When we should decline a benefit to help a friend

Author: Massimo Pigliucci February 22, 2022 Duration: 2:38

Someone may be a worthy person for me to receive a benefit from, but it will hurt them to give it. For this reason I will not receive it, because they are ready to help me to their own prejudice, or even danger.


In a world that often feels chaotic and demanding, the ancient philosophy of Stoicism offers a surprisingly practical framework for living with clarity and purpose. Stoic Meditations is a series of thoughtful, standalone episodes where professor and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci draws directly from the source material of thinkers like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus. Each session focuses on a specific passage or idea, unpacking its meaning and, more importantly, its direct application to the challenges of modern life. You’ll hear Pigliucci’s calm and considered voice guiding you through these reflections, not as abstract history lessons, but as immediate tools for managing anxiety, making ethical decisions, and cultivating resilience. This isn't about academic lectures; it's about turning timeless wisdom into personal practice. The episodes are deliberately concise, designed to be absorbed during a quiet moment of your day, providing a grounded perspective that lingers long after the audio ends. For anyone curious about philosophy that is meant to be lived, not just studied, this podcast serves as both an accessible introduction and a deep, recurring resource. The production, with its original music, supports a contemplative atmosphere, making each meditation a genuine pause for reflection. Tune in to find a steady, reasoned companion for navigating complexity, one ancient insight at a time.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Stoic Meditations
Podcast Episodes
1024. Some things are worth much more than the asking price [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:06
Some things are of greater value than the price which we pay for them. You buy of a physician life and good health, the value of which cannot be estimated in money; from a teacher you buy the education of a gentleman and…
1023. You don't own anything [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:00
That which you esteem so highly, that by which you think that you are made rich and powerful, owns but the shabby title of “house” or “money;” but when you have given it away, it becomes a benefit.
1022. Ungrateful politicians [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32
Seneca discusses the widespread ingratitude of politicians toward their country and fellow citizens. Which raises the obvious question: why is it so difficult to find virtuous politicians?
1021. Sick stomach, sick mind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:50
Just as the stomach, when disordered by disease, turns every kind of sustenance into a source of pain, so whatever you entrust to an ill-regulated mind becomes to it a burden, an annoyance, and a source of misery.
1019. Diogenes and Alexander [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14
Diogenes was far more powerful, far richer even than Alexander, who then possessed everything; for there was more that Diogenes could refuse to receive than that Alexander was able to give.
1018. The reserve clause [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:35
The wise person begins everything with the saving clause, “If nothing shall occur to the contrary.”
1017. Seneca, the Skeptic? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32
We proceed in the way in which reason, not absolute truth, directs us.
1015. The two fundamental human strengths [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:41
While all other animals have sufficient strength to protect themselves, man is covered by a soft skin, has no powerful teeth or claws with which to terrify other creatures, but weak and naked by himself is made strong by…