“What is the fruit of these teachings? Only the most beautiful and proper harvest of the truly educated — tranquility, fearlessness, and freedom. We should not trust the masses who say only the free can be educated, but rather the lovers of wisdom who say that only the educated are free.”
EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.1.21-23a
Why are you reading The Daily Stoic book (or thinking about reading it, anyway)? And why are you reading this article, on this particular website? It’s not to kill time, it’s not just for fun — you’re looking to learn, because you know intuitively that self-education sets you free.
Absorbing wisdom from the minds of the great stoic philosophers who have gone before is how you learn how to live. It’s how you gain your liberation. But remember that this is not a game, and it’s not to win friends and influence people — this is serious business, because the study of stoicism is a blueprint for life.
Watching TV, eating aimlessly, playing around on your phone — these are all time-wasters. They lock you down, lock you in one place, and remove your options. Self-education on the other hand is the key to your new life, your new freedom. Get out there and educate yourself.
