Common Sense Ethics - Growing In Goodness

5 Ways to Counterbalance an Ugly and Barren Cultural Landscape

1/20/2023

In 1962, French philosopher René Guénon suggested that we live in "degenerate times", at the end of a long age during which important spiritual truths have been forgotten, ancient centers of wisdom have been destroyed and the guardians of that wisdom dispersed.

In my opinion, many modern people are hurting from a lack of beauty, meaning and wisdom in their lives. I myself sometimes get stuck in the cultural doldrums and begin to forget what is important. Beautiful things lift the spirit. Meaning gives our lives true purpose. Wisdom helps us to live well.

Our current situation is not always helped by popular culture, which with some exceptions, isn't particularly beautiful, meaningful or wise. If we want independence from the toxic values of popular culture, there are things we can do to counterbalance those toxic values. Here are 5 suggestions for counterbalancing today's barren cultural landscape:

New Video: Why Free Speech Is Misunderstood

12/9/2022

This month's video explains why free speech is often misunderstood: because people confuse defending someone's civil right to free speech with agreeing with what they say.

Just because you defend someone’s right to speak freely does not mean you agree with the content of their speech. You could vigorously disagree with what they are saying but still defend their right to say it. This video explains why, in a non-partisan way as always.

I also cover:

A brief history of free speech/parrhesia which dates back to ancient Greece
The rationale for free speech in the modern context, why it's so important for liberal democracy, and what happens when we loose this right
Why anyone working for social justice who doesn't support free speech is hurting their own cause

My Stoicon 2022 Panel Discussion - New Books About Stoicism

11/14/2022

Last month I participated in a panel discussion during Stoicon 2022, moderated by Harald Kavli, which focused on recent books about Stoicism and their authors or editors. Please enjoy the video!

The panelists included: Karen Duffy/Duff Lambros, Donald Robertson, Kevin Vost, me (Leah Goldrick), David Fideler, and Nancy Sherman.

The discussion touched on our just-released book Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4, that I co-edited and contributed to. There was also a long discussion about the life of Stoic philosopher Seneca, featured in David Fideler's new book Breakfast with Seneca.

Modern Stoicism is a non-profit limited company, registered in the UK, run by a multidisciplinary team of volunteers. Its aims are to research and publish information on the application of Stoic philosophy to modern living for the benefit of the general public.

*Post contains Amazon Associate links. I may earn a small commission from any purchases.

Announcing Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4!

10/14/2022

I am very excited to announce the launch of Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4, on Friday October 21, 2022. The paperback and eBook are available on Amazon. I am both a contributing author and the co-editor, along with Greg Sadler, the editor of the Stoicism Today blog. Volume 4 follows our publication of Volume 3 in 2021.

I'll be talking about the book at the upcoming Stoicon 2022, on October 29, during the panel for discussion for authors of new books about Stoicism. Please sign up for Stoicon 2022 here. Registration is free.

I am thrilled to have been part of another project that will further the study of Stoicism and the practical application of philosophy. This volume was underwritten by the generosity of a patron of philosophy and Stoicism, who would prefer to remain anonymous. Profits from sales of this book will go to supporting the ongoing work of the Modern Stoicism organization.

In recent years, the ancient philosophy of Stoicism has made a terrific impression on modern minds. This short, accessible volume represents some of the best writing available on modern Stoicism from the popular Stoicism Today blog. Books of essays have something for everyone, and this volume is no exception - from using Stoic philosophy to escape time or to change your ultimate view of reality, to facing pain and death, to dealing with difficult modern problems like demanding coworkers, being a “loser,” drudgery and bullying, this philosophy for hard times surely shines in many situations.

Other contributions describing the ancient Stoic philosophers’ experiences of exile, facing hard truths, or laying down burdens to experience true joy, inspire us to virtue and invite us to become more courageous. Still more authors explore how to practice Stoicism when it doesn’t come easily, Stoic ideas applied to our roles and family relationships, Stoicism and mindfulness, moderation with food and eating, Stoicism and Internet memes, and Stoic 18th century monarchs. Another meaningful section of the book deals with Stoic philosophy as it relates to emotions, therapy, anger management, trauma and mental health.

There are also some controversies that the Stoic community debated revolving around Jordan Peterson, as well as the problem of whether people commit evil acts from ignorance or malice. Finally, a multi-author symposium deals with whether Stoic philosophy is equally useful to both men and women. No matter where your interests lie, this fourth, curated volume in the Stoicism Today series is certain to appeal.

The Top 5 Personality Traits Necessary for Resisting Social Pressure, And How You Can Develop Them

9/23/2022

In the 1950s psychologist Solomon Asche conducted a famous social science conformity experiment. While there are some variables, Asche concluded at roughly 3 out of every 4 people will conform to social pressure in a given situation.

Many of us are inclined to follow the majority or yield to social pressure because of our evolutionary biology. When our ancestors lived in tribes, we learned various skills by watching others and there were significant risks to our survival for being ostracized from the group. While there are fewer risks to our survival for not conforming with the majority today, there are still risks of being ostracized socially when we disagree. There are also psychological factors at work. People conform because they want to be right, because they want to be liked, or at the very least, because they don't want to seem eccentric or strange.

The ability to resist social pressure is quite important, because it determines what we will do in many contexts and how much backbone we have. While there may be some social drawbacks to resisting peer pressure, there are many benefits as well, such as not always seeking other's approval, thinking more openly, standing up for yourself in situations that matter, living a more authentic life, avoiding potential harm, and perhaps having more opportunities or career success.

Some people naturally have personality traits that make them more resistant to social pressure, but anyone can develop these traits with practice. Here, I'll discuss the stop 5 traits of peer pressure resistant people and how you can develop these traits:

How to Win a Debate: 5 Pieces of Advice According to Cicero

8/23/2022

Greetings readers! It's time for this year's iteration of the popular According to Cicero series. This month's post details Cicero's thoughts on winning an argument. Cicero himself was one of Rome’s most gifted orators, and like other educated Romans, he was skilled at rhetoric in a society in which verbal persuasion was especially critical to daily life.

If you want to learn more about Cicero's advice on debating, I suggest How To Win An Argument - a collection of Cicero’s writing on argumentation and oratory. The book details his advice on persuasive speaking, building arguments, convincing audiences, and winning debates. The book, while recommended, is only a selection of Cicero’s writing, so I also suggest the original texts.

This post succinctly highlights 5 of Cicero's most important pieces of advice on debate and rhetoric:

3 Great Children's Books About Ancient Greek and Roman Virtues

7/16/2022

As a parent, children's librarian, and writer interested in Classical philosophy, I'm excited to share this month's post, which brings together all three of these areas.

While there are many fabulous fiction and non-fiction children's books about Classical antiquity, most focus on mythology or history. Those subjects are excellent in their own right, as knowledge of history and myth help us put things in historical context and allow us to dream.

However, with this list, I am especially focused on children's book that teach Classical virtues like courage, justice, moderation, and wisdom, and which illustrate how we can aspire to become a person of character. These 3 books help kids learn about important Greek and Roman virtues:

What Can Philosophers Tell Us About Mental Health Challenges and Stigmatization?

6/1/2022

This month's excellent guest post is contributed by Heidi Bitsoli, a writer and editor for Sunshine Behavioral Health. We hope this original post will bring awareness to mental health challenges and the stigmatization sometimes faced by people experiencing them:

The debate as to whether mental disorders are biological diseases or whether they are merely deviations from social norms is not new. Plato takes on this question in the Phaedrus, a dialog dating back to ancient Greece.

In 2013, C.D. Herrera pointed out that philosophical discourse about mental illness started with the Greeks: “Meaningful talk about inclusion and justice has, since Plato and Aristotle, included observation and speculation which have been directed towards answering questions of what we should do when people reason differently, when they manage emotions differently, and when they resist attempts to bring them into line.”

Book Review: On Tyranny By Timothy Snyder (A Hard Pass)

5/1/2022

The Verdict: So close, yet so far. Sadly, On Tyranny is hackneyed partisanism under the guise of a serious work, and not really worthwhile reading for non-partisans and anti-authoritarians who can look at recent events with some degree of objectivity.

Full Review: I really wanted to like On Tyranny, since the subject matter is so important, but the author makes the concept of tyranny almost laughable via his gross misjudgment of contemporary events, which undermines the entire work.

It's a shame, because there are some real gems in this book. Consider the following: "We certainly face, as did the ancient Greeks, the problem of oligarchy - ever more threatening as globalization increases differences in wealth."

War Is A Racket: A Few Profit, the Many Pay

4/1/2022

In the 1930s, a retired Marine Corps General made a speaking tour of America. His message? War is racket. This was unusual enough that it created quite a stir at the time, and General Smedley Butler's message is so important and revealing that it is still often discussed, especially among anti-war and critical thinkers, almost 100 years later.

Smedley Butler was one of the most decorated generals in American history, having served during the Mexican Revolution and World War I. He won 15 medals, including five for heroism, and the Medal of Honor twice. Butler's moral courage was a match for his physical courage. When he retired from the military, he took the unusual step of pointing out that war is a racketeering scheme in his 1935 book, War is a Racket. What did he mean by this?

I have been planning to write this post for for several years, but it seems especially timely now with the war in Ukraine happening. In what follows, I will break down Butler's message and explain why it is the key to understanding the deeper reasons (with rare exceptions) that nations go to war, along with the true costs of war to regular people.