Book Summary:
From stoicism to cognitive behavioural therapy, the moral value of role models and what epicureans can teach us. This book is a look at the ancient wisdom behind the modern concept of well being.
Related Book Summaries:
Meditations – Marcus Aurelius – Book Summary
Zen Mind, Beginners Mind – Shunryu Suzuki – Book Summary
A Guide to the Good Life – William B. Irvine – Book Summary
Quotes:
Men are disturbed not by things but by their opinion of them.
Maxims were like neural shortcuts, like icons on a desktop that instantly connect you to a body of information.
Book Summary Notes:
- The goal to lead a happy successful life has been around for centuries. Roman and Greek philosophers devoted their lives to trying to find the answer.
- Ancient philosophy and the modern science of happiness share many similarities. An example of this would be cognitive behavioural therapy and ancient stoic philosophy.
- These links inspired the development of the ABC model of CBT.
- First we experience an Activating event (A). We then interpret this event through our beliefs (B). Which leads to the emotional consequences (C).
- By changing our beliefs we can change our emotions.
- Reimagining failure not as a fault of character but as a chance to learn can help us embrace our failures and use them as learning experiences.
- The modern theory of positive psychology is inspired by Aristotle’s theory of flourishing. Flourishing is attained by engaging our drive to develop ourselves to the highest level.
- The stoics taught us the art of self control, how to train our minds to better accept reality as it is.
- The stoics central belief was that by concentrating on changing what is in our control and accepting what isn’t we can reduce our frustrations.
- Seneca would go so far as to recommend people remind themselves of defeat, suffering and death. So that when they inevitably come to pass we can be better prepared.
- The epicurean school of thought favoured the ability to savour the moment and enjoy the present. They also favoured the balancing of long and short term pleasures, trying to not sacrifice one for the other.
- Pythagorean’s would use mantra’s or expressions to remind themselves to essentially ‘not sweat the small stuff.’ By remembering that even though today may have contained a negative experience in the grand scheme of things it’s a blip on the radar and is insignificant. They would use short meaningful phrases to bring themselves back to reality.
- CBT uses this same principle to address negative self talk with the same short meaningful phrases.
- Plutarch used the concept of role models to help strengthen moral excellence by providing famous examples for people to emulate. Plutarch’s Lives is the result of this work, a collection of the lives of great people from history and the best that they embodied.
- Aristotle came up with three things we are designed for. Happiness, everything we do is in the pursuit of this. Community, it’s only everyone works toward a goal do we accomplish great things. Rationality, the only thing that sets us apart from the other animals on this world. A fulfilled life then is one where we use our rationality to pursue happiness.
