#1823 Preferred Indifferents

In our last +1, 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 Oura 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 (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 +1, 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 +1.

💎 💎 💎

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 indifferents.”

It’s such an important part of Stoicism that I’m surprised we haven’t chatted about it in a +1 yet.

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 win. Wouldn’t have had it without your thoughtfulness. 😉 🤓

Now…

Ward Farnsworth talks about preferred indifferents 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 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, 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 that.

And...

We can have what they describe as “preferred indifferents.”

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 (echo!) is to live with virtue.

RIGHT NOW.

Ward quotes Seneca to make the point: “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: “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.”)

We also talk about this in our Notes on How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.

Here’s how Donald Robertson puts it: “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.”

That’s Today’s +1.

The next time life gives you a little something you’d PREFER not to have…

Remember the Stoic ideal of preferred INDIFFERENTS 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 Areté.

TODAY.

P.S. 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 these ancient Greek and stoic philosophers proud.