It’s 7 PM… time for the weekly seven!
Stoicism and Jesus
There is a growing interest in the two thousand year old philosophy of stoicism. While the principles of Stoicism are being popularized with the likes of Ryan Holiday at The Daily Stoic, I found this article helpful in poking holes in where Stoicism is lacking. I’d also like to suggest Jesus the Great Philosopher has a more robust offering for modern life.
The Science of Gratitude
Those living in the States have just celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. I wrote a little something about gratitude, science, and the Good Life. “We do not place special value on the possession of a virtue until we notice its total absence in our opponent.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
Life Worth Living
Yale does an undergraduate course asking big philosophical questions. Most college students enter the college years not asking: what makes for a good life? They are more concerned with making money and getting a good job. The professors who teach the course produced a book using some of the materials. I wrote a piece inspired by the book. This is part of a new project I’m cooking up called Daily Wisdom. You can sign up for both newsletters on my Substack, one, or none.
Death and Comedy
Mike Birbiglia in his latest comedy special “The Old Man and the Pool” meditates on getting older and death. I appreciate the way he weaves humor and death into his special. Comedy is the perfect medium to bring truth through the back door. Birbiglia is a brilliant and thoughtful comedian, not afraid to say the hard things.
JFK
Okay, moment of truth. I found myself down the rabbit hole of JFK assassination conspiracies, here, and here. This was all with good intentions after watching a fascinating series on the History Channel about his life. I had been doing some reading about the physicians in the room on the day JFK died. I’m having a hard time believing there was only one shooter on that day in 1963. Come to your own conclusions. But I also think JFK with all his faults, is the kind of leader we need in our country today. A man of courage and compassion.
On The Pods
I had a fantastic conversation with Dr. Ardeshir Mehran around emotional health. Dr. Mehran wrote a book on depression you might find valuable, too. He has some fresh insights into dealing with the melancholy of the soul.
Sealand
One family inhabits the world’s smallest nation. A fascinating story about political defiance by a rogue royal family.
Thanks for reading!
-Ryan