Brian Johnson explains the Stoic idea of preferred indifference: you can prefer health and wealth, but virtue is the only thing that actually matters. He uses his own illness as an example and cites Seneca and Donald Robertson to show how to want things without being crushed when you don't get them.
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic one. In our last one we talked about the heroic Stoic gods. Wonderfully clever sense of humor. As you may recall, they noticed just how fired up I was about my bubble wrap domination of my protocol. That led to some decent aura readiness scores and they decided to give me an excessive penalty celebration in the form of getting hammered with a nice little flu bug that immediately brought my readiness to an all time low of 37, which gave me a wonderful opportunity to practice my philosophy while cultivating some humility and remembering just how precious our life and health is. Now, as I was writing that one, I had to search my Mac to find that Epictetus quote I referenced. In the process, I found a bunch of other Stoic wisdom gems. I'll share a handful of those in our next one. For now, I want to talk about another important Stoic practice I like to engage in when the circumstances in life aren't quite what I'd prefer. It's called Preferred Indifference. It's such an important part of Stoicism that I'm surprised we haven't chatted about it in a one. And before we go there, quick shout out of gratitude to the heroic gods for giving us the catalyst to share this wisdom. Antifragile alchemy for the wind wouldn't have had it without your thoughtfulness, Heroic Gods. Now we Ward Farnsworth talks about preferred indifference in his great book the Practicing Stoic. Here's how he puts it. What is the difference between a preferred indifferent and the desires that Stoics regard as hazardous? Detachment, an attachment to an external causes one's happiness and equilibrium to depend on it. The Stoic tries to avoid that position under all circumstances, but money, if held without attachment, is unobjectionable, for the money isn't the problem. The point is the health of the mind. He continues by saying the word detachment risks creating the wrong impression, since it can connote a lack of real interest in whatever is the subject of it. That isn't the idea. Detachment refers more to the way in which something is held it, and to whether the mind has been given over to it in an excessive way. The detachment of the Stoic thus can be viewed as a kind of moderation, that is, moderation in one's relationship to externals. A good way to test such a relationship and to know whether you have an attachment to a thing or just a preference about it, is to consider how well you would handle its loss. Now, in our note on his book, right before this idea, we talk about the fact that the only thing the Stoic who is aspiring to be an ideal sage or wise person ultimately cares about is virtue. They are indifferent to anything outside them, and we can have what they describe as preferred indifference. Of course, we'd prefer to have wealth and health rather than poverty and sickness, but we'd be wise to make sure we don't get too attached to those things as we remember our ultimate aim and game, which eco is to live with virtue. Right now. Now, Ward quotes Seneca to make the point. He tells us, as a favorable wind sweeping him on gladdens the sailor, as a bright day and a sunny spot in the midst of winter and cold give cheer. Just so riches have their influence on the wise man and bring him joy. And besides, who among wise men, I mean those of our school, deny that even those things we call indifferent do have some inherent value and that some are more desirable than others? To some of them we accord a little honor. To others much so make no mistake, riches are among the ones more desirable. Important note, Ward also tells us, and I quote him again, Stoics view wealth not as an absolute state, but as a favorable relationship between what one has and what one wants. Most people devote themselves to enlarging the first when they would do better to reduce the second. Now, we also talk about this in our notes on how to think like a Roman Emperor. Here's how Donald Robertson puts it. He tells us, and I quote, marcus makes it clear that his internal goal is to live with virtue, particularly wisdom and justice. But his external aim, his preferred outcome, is the common welfare of mankind, not just of Roman subjects. Incidentally, although the outcome is ultimately indifferent to Stoics, it's precisely the action of pursuing the common good that constitutes the virtue of justice. And that's today's one. The next time life gives you a little something you'd prefer not to have, remember the Stoic ideal of preferred indifference as you focus on the only thing you ultimately care about, which is. Drumroll, please. Choosing your best response to whatever happens and living with Arete Today, little PS Here, Donald Robertson will be joining us in Athens for our Athens Heroic Workshop Instructor Training and Activation Experience. He's going to give us a tour of Plato's academy and do some other really cool stuff. I'm excited about it. I might be growing my beard out for Athens. Gotta make those ancient Greek and Stoic philosophers proud.
