Anyone who refuses to fight must accept being a slave.
Slave owners didn't so much maintain control of their slaves with whips and chains as with indoctrinating them to believe that they were too mentally inferior to be able to handle the responsibilities of freedom.
100%, and I think that is partly what Epictetus was talking about in 4.9.16. The beauty of where we're at is that people are waking up to it and fighting back.
I have been trying to think of a way to bring a practical educational version of this philosophy into being: I have sons, so I intend to do this at home anyway, but I mean in wider society. Especially now that institutions like the Scouts, both in UK and USA, have turned quite a considerable way off the straight and narrow path you describe.
Thank you, Greg. It is a difficult spot we're in. So many people are doing what you're now doing - taking care of mentorship at home. As for what society can do, I hope some more entrepreneurial souls will once again create some institutions that stay true to a noble vision of men and women.
The campaign against “toxic masculinity” combined with DEI exhibits itself in low recruitment levels in our armed forces and almost resulted in the death of our former president.
They pretend violence and masculinity are "toxic" and "unnecessary" because they are fearful of having to live up to these tasks.
I go back and forth on mandatory military service, but at the very least combat sports and some sort of airsoft/paintball/small unit tactics training should be a compulsory part of the curriculum in schools.
That is an interesting take on being fearful of living up to the ideals. Those I have spoken to genuinely seem to think violence will just vanish we if lay down arms. History says otherwise.
I'm skeptical of that position; I've known many fearful men who offer some sort of justification that serves to cover up their fear, providing some sort of rationale: "It's not that I'm afraid, it's that the whole deal is totally unnecessary."
I wasn't in the military, but I trained at a very competitive Muay Thai gym for several years and I've observed that actually experiencing violence is a separator of men: there are those who embrace it and those who avoid it. The latter never admit that they avoid it, they just stop showing up after they happen into hard sparring for the first time. If anyone ever sees them again, the story is always the same: they've got some sort of excuse as to why they can't make it anymore and stopped coming in.
I think it'd go a long way for society not only to acknowledge that violence is a part of human life, but also to acknowledge that *violence is fun*. Folks sometimes get pissed off about that statement, but it's true, from striking and grappling to war itself. I have a good friend who was a company medic in the 82nd, and for all the horror he's seen he still sometimes gets giddy talking about firefights or watching war clips. In nursing school he got into an argument with a professor who claimed that erections aren't possible in fight/flight conditions; "No, I've seen dudes get boners in the middle of firefights."
I think if we were more honest about the fact that violence is fun and exciting despite the risks and, in war, the horrors that accompany it, it'd go a long way in both helping men live up to their duty to fight when necessary and accept and come to terms with the repercussions.
“Please God we say, relieve me of my anxiety. Listen, you have hands; God gave them to you himself. You might as well get on your knees and pray that your nose won’t run. A better idea would be to wipe your nose and forgo the prayer. The point is, isn’t there any thing God gave you for your present problem? You have the gifts of courage, fortitude and endurance. With hands like these do you still need somebody to help wipe your nose?” (Discourses II.16)”
My dear fellow Stoics…..As much as you are able, turn away from the perceived necessities of modern man. Make fire, grow food, procreate, raise animals, repurpose the cast-offs of others, play music,sing and dance. Love.
We can all do this wherever we live. One step at a time will lead you to self-sufficiency. There is no more effective creator of anomie the idleness of being. Do. Then Be.
What do the creators of the broken man say? “We are sowing the broken man into the soil of our culture to end violence and aggression, not command and usefulness.”
I took this as quite the opposite. They are meant to sow aggression and violence. It is an assumption to think the broadcasting channels benevolent in nature. Think about the sheer number of heads they broadcast to. This isn't God, whom by the way has a silent way of influencing. Choice. This is man of the kind type. Brash and loud. Their target is always profit. Be it monetary, fame or power. The broken man has been seen for decades in the screen. The recent decade I consider it a clown show, stuck at the highest level of assault, as in despair.
Judging by the level of interest, clicks and views, I'd say this business is solid. And I'd ad, why should the consequence be expected different?! It is well merited!
For the real man you mention, I look close by. No screens needed. I see the father, the brother, the husband, the son. Is there anything they have in common? How well does this gender gets along with its own kind? Is there anything we as a collective community suffer from due to their choices? I mean patterns. This is the real man. Ignore the manufactured one. Let's not get into what the woman suffers from the screens. The image they build for this gender.
My mind goes to the beginning of time often. Death entered creation through deceit, it is a sin to be deceived is written in Holy Scripture. Compliments of the female gender. Yet Adam partook of the same fruit Without Questioning It. Violating such the same command. All parties were guilty and condemned. Choice accepted death. Choice needs to accept another death we didn't suffer for reconciliation. If we rely our beliefs into channels of profit we will get the fruit of that profit. Woke or reverse woke. Think it. Talk it. I profit from that. Good thing the middle man cares not of the content or else my freedom of speech would be in jeopardy.
My favorite of Thomas Cole is the Consummation of the Empire. Civilizations rise and fall. I think we are near one.
I enjoyed this, thank you for sharing. Everything by Thomas Cole is epic, and the Empire series most of all. I hope your belief we are near a fall is incorrect, but should it happen, it would be nothing new to history. All we can do it fight to prevent it from tipping.
Anyone who refuses to fight must accept being a slave.
Slave owners didn't so much maintain control of their slaves with whips and chains as with indoctrinating them to believe that they were too mentally inferior to be able to handle the responsibilities of freedom.
100%, and I think that is partly what Epictetus was talking about in 4.9.16. The beauty of where we're at is that people are waking up to it and fighting back.
Another great piece, Sam 👏
Many thanks.
I have been trying to think of a way to bring a practical educational version of this philosophy into being: I have sons, so I intend to do this at home anyway, but I mean in wider society. Especially now that institutions like the Scouts, both in UK and USA, have turned quite a considerable way off the straight and narrow path you describe.
Thank you, Greg. It is a difficult spot we're in. So many people are doing what you're now doing - taking care of mentorship at home. As for what society can do, I hope some more entrepreneurial souls will once again create some institutions that stay true to a noble vision of men and women.
The campaign against “toxic masculinity” combined with DEI exhibits itself in low recruitment levels in our armed forces and almost resulted in the death of our former president.
It is madness to watch.
They pretend violence and masculinity are "toxic" and "unnecessary" because they are fearful of having to live up to these tasks.
I go back and forth on mandatory military service, but at the very least combat sports and some sort of airsoft/paintball/small unit tactics training should be a compulsory part of the curriculum in schools.
That is an interesting take on being fearful of living up to the ideals. Those I have spoken to genuinely seem to think violence will just vanish we if lay down arms. History says otherwise.
I'm skeptical of that position; I've known many fearful men who offer some sort of justification that serves to cover up their fear, providing some sort of rationale: "It's not that I'm afraid, it's that the whole deal is totally unnecessary."
I wasn't in the military, but I trained at a very competitive Muay Thai gym for several years and I've observed that actually experiencing violence is a separator of men: there are those who embrace it and those who avoid it. The latter never admit that they avoid it, they just stop showing up after they happen into hard sparring for the first time. If anyone ever sees them again, the story is always the same: they've got some sort of excuse as to why they can't make it anymore and stopped coming in.
I think it'd go a long way for society not only to acknowledge that violence is a part of human life, but also to acknowledge that *violence is fun*. Folks sometimes get pissed off about that statement, but it's true, from striking and grappling to war itself. I have a good friend who was a company medic in the 82nd, and for all the horror he's seen he still sometimes gets giddy talking about firefights or watching war clips. In nursing school he got into an argument with a professor who claimed that erections aren't possible in fight/flight conditions; "No, I've seen dudes get boners in the middle of firefights."
I think if we were more honest about the fact that violence is fun and exciting despite the risks and, in war, the horrors that accompany it, it'd go a long way in both helping men live up to their duty to fight when necessary and accept and come to terms with the repercussions.
Excellent piece! Very insightful! Good times create weak men, weak men create hard times....
Thank you Erik!
From our stoic friend Epictetus:
“Please God we say, relieve me of my anxiety. Listen, you have hands; God gave them to you himself. You might as well get on your knees and pray that your nose won’t run. A better idea would be to wipe your nose and forgo the prayer. The point is, isn’t there any thing God gave you for your present problem? You have the gifts of courage, fortitude and endurance. With hands like these do you still need somebody to help wipe your nose?” (Discourses II.16)”
My dear fellow Stoics…..As much as you are able, turn away from the perceived necessities of modern man. Make fire, grow food, procreate, raise animals, repurpose the cast-offs of others, play music,sing and dance. Love.
We can all do this wherever we live. One step at a time will lead you to self-sufficiency. There is no more effective creator of anomie the idleness of being. Do. Then Be.
Peace.
Beautifully said.
What do the creators of the broken man say? “We are sowing the broken man into the soil of our culture to end violence and aggression, not command and usefulness.”
I took this as quite the opposite. They are meant to sow aggression and violence. It is an assumption to think the broadcasting channels benevolent in nature. Think about the sheer number of heads they broadcast to. This isn't God, whom by the way has a silent way of influencing. Choice. This is man of the kind type. Brash and loud. Their target is always profit. Be it monetary, fame or power. The broken man has been seen for decades in the screen. The recent decade I consider it a clown show, stuck at the highest level of assault, as in despair.
Judging by the level of interest, clicks and views, I'd say this business is solid. And I'd ad, why should the consequence be expected different?! It is well merited!
For the real man you mention, I look close by. No screens needed. I see the father, the brother, the husband, the son. Is there anything they have in common? How well does this gender gets along with its own kind? Is there anything we as a collective community suffer from due to their choices? I mean patterns. This is the real man. Ignore the manufactured one. Let's not get into what the woman suffers from the screens. The image they build for this gender.
My mind goes to the beginning of time often. Death entered creation through deceit, it is a sin to be deceived is written in Holy Scripture. Compliments of the female gender. Yet Adam partook of the same fruit Without Questioning It. Violating such the same command. All parties were guilty and condemned. Choice accepted death. Choice needs to accept another death we didn't suffer for reconciliation. If we rely our beliefs into channels of profit we will get the fruit of that profit. Woke or reverse woke. Think it. Talk it. I profit from that. Good thing the middle man cares not of the content or else my freedom of speech would be in jeopardy.
My favorite of Thomas Cole is the Consummation of the Empire. Civilizations rise and fall. I think we are near one.
I enjoyed this, thank you for sharing. Everything by Thomas Cole is epic, and the Empire series most of all. I hope your belief we are near a fall is incorrect, but should it happen, it would be nothing new to history. All we can do it fight to prevent it from tipping.
Any reason why this advice applies only to the men ? Broken human, maybe ?