Practical Stoicism

• Stoic Role Ethics and The Limits of Health Worship

  This episode clears up confusion around Stoic indifferents, especially when it comes to fitness and health. I revisit last week’s topic of context and explain why outcomes—like physical strength or general health—have nothing to do with Virtue. Drawing on Epictetus’ concept of the hegemonikon, I explore how only our choices fall within the domain of moral responsibility. I also address the common misconception that Stoics should always pursue fitness and strength, showing that what is appropriate must be determined by context and our various roles. Finally, I simplify the concept of the Stoic God as the rational, ordering quality of the Universe that makes life possible and worth aligning with. “We do not choose the outcomes of our choices, thus outcomes of choices reflect nothing of our Virtue – because we did not AND CANNOT choose them.” Join the Practical Stoicism community, the Society of Stoics, at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Join today at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Buy my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read source material: https://stoicismpod.com/far Subscribe on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Follow me on Bluesky: https://stoicismpod.com/bluesky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  29:08
• Context is Everything (Meditations 3.15)

  In today’s episode, I take a close look at Meditations 3.15, which reads: “They have not learnt to know the manifold significance of theft, of sowing, of buying, resting, seeing what ought to be done. This depends not on the bodily eye but on another kind of vision.” Marcus is pointing us toward a crucial insight: context matters deeply. Nothing, not even theft or sowing, is always straightforwardly good or bad. I explore how Stoicism teaches us to see beyond the surface of actions and recognize that judgment requires more than a quick glance — it requires deeper vision. Through everyday examples like stealing food in desperate circumstances, or working late to avoid home responsibilities, I show how the same action can shift moral weight depending on the context. I also reflect personally, sharing my own journey as a new father and how my choices about health and fitness must now serve not just me, but my son and my role as a parent. Stoic practice calls for this kind of honest evaluation of our choices, moment by moment. Finally, I encourage you to examine your own judgments of yourself and others — are they fair, are they just, or are they lazy? Each day offers a new chance to try harder, to see more clearly, and to act more justly. MEDITATION “They have not learnt to know the manifold significance of theft, of sowing, of buying, resting, seeing what ought to be done. This depends not on the bodily eye but on another kind of vision.” — Meditations 3.15 THREE TAKEAWAYS — Context shapes moral judgment far more than surface appearances. — Actions like theft or work can be preferred, dispreferred, or neutral depending on the situation. — Daily, honest self-reflection helps us stay aligned with the Stoic pursuit of Virtue. LINKS Go ad-free: https://stoicismpod.com/members Order my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Source Text: https://stoicismpod.com/far Follow me on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/tannerocampbell.bsky.social Follow me on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Stoicism QOTD App: https://qotd.tannercampbell.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  27:11
• When Rest & Relaxation Become Vice (Mediation 3.14)

  This week, I take a closer look at Meditations 3.14, where Marcus Aurelius encourages us not to “wander from our path any longer.” It’s a meditation you’ve probably heard before, and while some translations simplify it to “put away your books,” I find that framing a little misleading. Books, much like hobbies or relaxation activities, have their place. They support our well-being and our pursuit of Virtue—when used in the right way. In this episode, I unpack what Marcus really means. I talk about how there’s a responsible way to interpret the advice against distraction. It’s not about abandoning things that bring us joy or rest; it’s about being mindful of whether those things serve our ultimate goal of becoming better human beings. I use the example of video games to illustrate this balance. Rest is essential, and enjoyment isn’t the enemy, but when indulgence turns into avoidance, we drift away from our pursuit of Virtue. I also explore the differences in translation between Long and Fark, and why I prefer Fark’s version here. Fark highlights that it’s not the activity itself that’s the issue—it’s the pursuit of recognition, fame, or self-indulgent goals that pull us off course. The bottom line is this: hobbies and relaxation are fine, even necessary, but they must never contend with our pursuit of Virtue. When they do, they stop being harmless and become our greatest vices. Meditation referenced: “Do not wander from your path any longer, for you are not likely to read your note-books or your deeds of ancient Rome and Greece or your extracts from their writings, which you laid up against old age. Hasten then to the goal, lay idle hopes aside, and come to your own help, if you care at all for yourself, while still you may.” — Meditations 3.14 Join the Practical Stoicism community, the Society of Stoics, at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Join today at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Buy my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read source material: https://stoicismpod.com/far Subscribe on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Follow me on Bluesky: https://stoicismpod.com/bluesky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  13:58
• Are You Ready to Act Justly? (Meditations 3.13)

  In this episode, I explore Meditations 3.13, where Marcus Aurelius reminds us to keep the principles of Stoicism as close at hand as a doctor keeps their instruments. Our “scalpel” is our rational faculty—our ability to discern what is right and act justly, even when it's hard. When we stay ready in this way, we fulfill our role as rational agents within the whole of Nature. We also dig into what it means to be part of a rational and interconnected universe. Marcus urges us to treat others justly not because they always deserve it, but because we’re bound to one another by a shared nature. Their ignorance could have been ours. Their path could have been ours. Recognizing this calls us to act with understanding and compassion, grounded always in reason. MEDITATIONS 3.13 "As doctors have their instruments and scalpels always at hand to meet sudden demands for treatment, so do you have your doctrines ready in order to recognize the divine and human... you will not do any act well which concerns man without referring it to the divine; and the same is true of your conduct to God." THREE TAKEAWAYS — Keep your principles close: Stoic doctrines should be ready to apply, not left to theory. — We are all connected: Wrongdoing stems from ignorance, and that demands compassion. — Acting rationally is our duty: It’s how we honor our place within the whole of Nature. Join The Society of Stoics at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Go ad-free: https://stoicismpod.com/members Order my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read Meditations source text: https://stoicismpod.com/far Follow me on Bluesky: https://stoicismpod.com/bluesky Follow me on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Stoicism QOTD App: https://qotd.tannercampbell.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  13:38
• Is Inner Peace the Goal of Stoicism? (Meditation 3.12)

  In this episode, I walk through Meditations 3.12, where Marcus Aurelius claims that if we pursue Virtue with sincerity and without distraction, we will live “the blessed life.” But what does that really mean in Stoic terms? We examine what “blessed” refers to (spoiler: it’s Eudaimonia, or inner peace) and ask whether the Stoics pursued Virtue for its own sake or for the sake of that peace. I argue that Virtue leads to inner peace by removing destructive emotions like anger, fear, shame, and grief—what the Stoics called the pathē. When we understand Nature and act in accordance with it, those emotions lose their hold on us. But that inner peace isn’t the goal of Stoicism—it’s a byproduct of doing the work of moral development for its own sake. That work is the point. MEDITATIONS 3.12 “If you complete the present work, following the rule of right, earnestly, with all your might, with kindness, and admit no side issue, but preserve your own divinity pure and erect, as if you have this moment to restore it; if you make this secure, expecting nothing and avoiding nothing, but content with present action in accord with Nature and with heroic truth in what you mean and say, you will live the blessed life. Now there is no one who is able to prevent this.” THREE TAKEAWAYS — Virtue leads to inner peace: By eliminating destructive emotions through rational understanding, we create a calm mind and a steady heart. — The pursuit of Goodness should be its own reward: Stoicism teaches us to seek Virtue not as a means to peace, but as the end in itself. — Eudaimonia is a byproduct, not the goal: Inner peace naturally follows from living rightly, but it’s not what we should be aiming at directly. Join The Society of Stoics at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Get on the list: https://stoicismpod.com/list Go ad-free: https://stoicismpod.com/members Order my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read Meditations source text: https://stoicismpod.com/far Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tannerocampbell.bsky.social Follow me on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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