2023-03

You Are Not Your Lowest Point

Philosophy

You are not your lowest point. At any time, you can choose to change the path you’re on. Even right this second if you wish. You can’t change the past, but by the same token the past can’t dictate your next action. You do. Make it a good one.
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Abstinence is Not the Only Form of Self-Control

Philosophy

When it comes to the Stoic virtue of Self-Control, our minds often turn to its most harsh form. Abstain from this. Cut off that. Completely avoid this. Abandon that. Often this advice has its merits. However, for those of us just starting on the Stoic journey, or who are working our way back from very ingrained habits, it’s worth remembering that scaling is also a valid approach to self-control. Instead of binging on a whole pizza, take it down to half, or just a slice or two.
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How My Stoic Practice Paid Off

Philosophy

I find that Stoicism is a great philosophy for times of crisis. If you’re under pressure, dealing with a lot of expectations from a lot of people, or generally just having a rough go of things, I find the tenets and practices of Stoicism to be empowering, practical, and very useful in moving your life to a better place. That said, many adopt Stoicism in good times, including me. So I wanted to tell the story of how my Stoic practice really helped in a recent time of crisis, in case others could benefit from it.
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2020-08

The Power of "You Are Here"

Philosophy

One of the things I like about Stoicism is that it encourages thinking up new, shorter, pithier phrases for key ideas. More wisdom per word is the name of the game. For example (not all from Stoic writers): What we desire makes us vulnerable Ego is the enemy What if I had no opinion about this? You are the sum of your actions. Choose wisely. There’s one I picked up from a non-Stoic text I’d like to share today: You Are Here.
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2020-07

Can Humanity Change?

Philosophy

One of the teachings of Stoicism is that humanity doesn’t fundamentally change. The drama and squabbles we see today are fundamentally the same drama and squabbles we see from ancient times. People were kind and people were petty. People focused on acquiring good and gaining status. People shirked those things to try and find meaning. People loved their families and hated their memories. It’s a lesson I struggle with somewhat
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2020-06

One of the Nice Things About Stoicism

Philosophy

I’ve been reading more and more about stoicism lately, and one thing that I really like about it is that you can explain, as well as recall, the basics in about 30 seconds. The four virtues are easy to rattle off, and some of the key lessons boil down to just a couple of phrases (there are some things you can control, and some you can’t).
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2019-08

Selling Skepticism Like It's Your Job at DragonCon's 2019's Skeptrack

Philosophy | Productivity

My DragonCon 2019 talk about applying Sales techniques to convincing people to live more skeptically
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