Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius, and his Meditations
Intro
Born in A.D. 121, Marcus Aurelius served as emperor of the Roman Empire from A.D. 161 until his death in A.D. 180. And according to CNN, the Stoic wisdom found in his Meditations is the very thing people need “to survive the anxiety of the 2024 election.”[1]
I’ll get to that, but first some context.
Background
First, Marcus Aurelius was NOT played by Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, nor did he have a British accent. That would be actor Richard Harris, who was actually Irish. Crowe, of course, played Maximus, and yes we were entertained.[2] Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix) did succeed Aurelius in A.D. 180, but probably didn’t kill his father.
Second, according to Gregory Hays, Marcus Aurelius most certainly did not call his writing “Meditations.” In fact, Aurelius likely had NO name for his book at all, yet here we are with a title.[3]
Third, the prevailing Star Wars – like force in the air was Stoicism’s logos.[4] Stoicism was the philosophical framework through which Aurelius would have seen his world. I imagine most Christians would recognize John’s use of Stoic language from the Greco-Roman zeitgeist in John 1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) “The Word” in the Greek is logos (λόγος). “And the Word (logos) became flesh and dwelt among us…”[5] John’s use of the term would have connected well with his audience within a Greco-Roman culture.
Fourth, Aurelius did not embrace the way of Jesus. He did, however, govern himself in Stoic fashion before the Greco-Roman pantheon, the mythological gods of the Roman empire.
Fifth, Meditations does seek to answer the questions “Why are we here?” and “How should we live our lives?”[6] And for those anxious about today’s political landscape, “How can we protect ourselves against the stresses and pressures of daily life?”[7] For Aurelius the answer in part is to “stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you…”[8]
I will now discuss some leadership learnings from Meditations, connect these learnings to other authors, and highlight divergence.
The leaders we need now
Annabel Beerel taught us in Rethinking Leadership that healthy “(l)eadership in radically uncertain times requires someone who strives for wholeness, who is grounded and authentic, and who is deeply engaged with life.”[9] In our current moment, seemingly every week, a new leader falls, another organization collapses, or…a presidential candidate goes on the attack. Tension is everywhere. These are anxious times. Oh, how we need healthy, grounded, engaged but differentiated leaders.
For those who want to integrate a differentiated approach to daily life, Marcus Aurelius and his Meditations delivers.
For Aurelius, what one needs to do is stay connected to the logos (and in his case the gods of the pantheon), recognize life’s finitude, and not get swept up in the anxiety encircling you. Meditations presents modern-day leaders with a call to a “calm – insert ‘Stoic’ – is contagious” posture, able to tackle normality and chaos at the same time.
A non-anxious Stoic’s guide to the Emperor’s galaxy
Edwin Friedman and Marcus Aurelius probably would have been friends. Where Friedman wants his readers to have “(s)tamina in the face of sabotage,”[10] Aurelius reminds himself to anticipate it. To embrace the day’s inevitable hijackers, right from the get-go. “When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly.”[11]
Where Friendman wants his readers in Failure of Nerve to understand both themselves and the effect they have on those they lead, Aurelius wants that and more. He wants the leader to submit to the will of logos, like Obi-Wan wanted Luke to embrace the force. To unite with it. To recognize everything is connected.
A reminder that life is brief
Like the author (Qoheleth) of Ecclesiastes, reminding his readers of life’s brevity, Aurelius writes, “Our lifetime is so brief. And to live it out in these circumstances, among these people, in this body? Nothing to get excited about. Consider the abyss of time past, the infinite future. Three days of life or three generations: what’s the difference?”[12]
Yet, there is a gulf between the two authors. Regarding an ethical path for human life (and leaders!), Aurelius concludes, “Then what can guide us? Only philosophy.”[13] The author of Ecclessiastes takes a different route: “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” He concludes, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”[14]
Connectedness to the “Other”
We read about connectedness to an “Other” in Simon Walker’s Leading with Nothing to Lose. For Walker, a healthy leader is keenly aware of the temptation to locate one’s identity “through his service to other people, who then reward him with approval.”[15] Aurelius, too, is aware of the temptation to stake one’s reputation on “(t)he emptiness of…those applauding hands.”[16] But what is the “other” for Aurelius? For this emperor, that “other” is the logos. In Book 4, section 14, Aurelius writes, “You have functioned as a part of something; you will vanish into what produced you…(t)o the logos from which all things spring.”[17]
Logos was the metaphysical force that governed the world. As a Stoic, this is how Aurelius made sense of his reality. The logos, mentioned throughout Meditations, is Aurelius’s foundation. It formed his identity.
Having read Walker and having heard him in person at Oxford, we know that It is in Jesus that Simon Walker’s undefended leader finds ultimate security.[18]
Conclusion
No doubt the “philosopher king” wrote with a conscience aware of God’s law.[19]Yet the source of hope for Aurelius diverges from the hope found in Walker’s “Other” or Qoheleth’s faith in the God who created and sustains the world.
At the end of the day, there are some major nuggets in Meditations for those who strive to be well-differentiated leaders.
[1] See https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/22/us/stoic-philosophers-election-anxiety-cec/index.html.
[2] “Are you not entertained?” clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtyjY6VjF9Q.
[3] See Gregory Harris’s Introduction in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, xxxvi.
[4] “Of the doctrines central to the Stoic worldview, perhaps the most important is the unwavering conviction that the world is organized in a rational way. More specifically, it is controlled and directed by an all-pervading force that the Stoics designated by the term logos.” – Gregory Hays. See Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, xx.
[5] See John 1:1-14.
[6] See Gregory Harris’s Introducction to Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, xxvi.
[7] See Gregory Harris’s Introducction to Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, xxvi.
[8] Book 2, section 5, in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, 18.
[9] Annabel Beerel. Rethinking Leadership: A Critique of Contemporary Theories. New York: Routledge, 2021, 386.
[10] Edward H. Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix. Revised edition. New York: Church Publishing, 2017, 201.
[11] Book 2, section 1, in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, 17.
[12] Book 4, section 50, in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, 49.
[13] Book 2, section 17, in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, 21-22.
[14] See Ecclesiastes 12:12 and 13, ESV.
[15] Simon P. Walker, Leading out of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership, Carlisle, CA: Piquant Editions Ltd, 2007), Kindle Version, 30.
[16] Book 4, section 3, in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, 38.
[17] Book 4, section 14, in Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A New Translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays. New York: The Modern Library, 2003, 40.
[18] “The undefended leader is the one whose needs are met through an unconditional attachment to an Other, in which she finds identity, belonging and affection.” Simon P. Walker, Leading with Nothing to Lose: Training in the Exercise of Power, Carlisle, CA: Piquant Editions Ltd, 2007), Kindle Version, location 2392 of 2753.
[19] See Romans 2:14-15.
About the Author
Travis Vaughn
9 responses to “Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius, and his Meditations”
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Travis,
Thanks for introducing me to Meditations. I am reading Call sign Chaos, Learning to Leady by General Jim Mattis.
Gen Mattis, was the Secretary of Defense, under President Trump. He resigned halfway through the term because of his disagreement with how defense policy was being pursued (he was pro NATO, Trump not so much). His book describes direct leadership, executive leadership and strategic leadership.
I bring this up because we do look to the writings of past leaders to gain insight and perspective.
Trying not to reinvent the wheel, we seek to build upon the valuable lessons learned by leaders that came before us.
Again, thanks for introducing me to Meditations.
Shalom…
I’ve not heard of Call sign Chaos, but the discussion around executive leadership, direct leadership, and strategic leadership makes me want to pick it up right away (though it will have to wait until after the doctorate is over). Are you reading that just for fun? Or as something you picked up related to your research? I Two weekends ago, my brother-in-law [like you, he also served in the armed forces (Air Force)] suggested a book by S.C. Gwynne — Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanche Tribe. I coudn’t put it down! But it was long and so I determined it was going to have to wait until doctoral work is done. I applaud you that you are able to read Gen Mattis’s book in the midst of everything – ha!
Hi Travis,
Call Sign Chaos has been on my to do list for a while. While I was teaching at Dallas Baptist University, General Gattis came to speak and I bought the book. At the time, everyone was trying to get him to speak about his interaction with Trump, but the gentleman he is, he declined to be specific.
I will wonder back to the book as time allows.
Shalom…
I really like how you framed Meditations around the Stoic idea of the logos and connected it to modern leadership, while I focused more on Aurelius’ call to personal accountability and humility in leadership. Your comparison to Ecclesiastes and use of modern thinkers like Friedman added a fresh layer I hadn’t considered!
In my opinion, I think Friedman’s Failure of Nerve was a great complement to Meditations. It’s almost as if Friedman’s work was sitting next to the emperor’s journal or on his nightstand (if Caesars had such things). Especially in Book 2, section 1. Anticipating the craziness of who one will encounter in any given day seems to be a great way to begin a path toward having “stamina in the face of Sabotage.”
Having a little bit of stoicism is probably helpful in a year of political (or insert whatever category) chaos, but that will only get someone so far. That’s where I went with a key way Meditations diverged from someone like the author of Ecclesiastes.
I’m with Mathieu, in saying that I too liked how you framed “Meditations.” Each of us took a different approach to the same book, which is a testament to it’s staying power, and ability to shape so many ways of thinking, for so many years!
For a moment, I thought you and I were gonna write the EXACT same blog post – we can a number of similar reference points, but ultimately we diverted paths. Whew…good thing, or someone may have thought we were looking over each others shoulders! 🙂
Ha! We both referenced Gladiator (and truthfully, I’m not optimistic about the sequel. I mean, should a Gladiator 2 even exist? Oh well, I’m sure I’ll see it). I was curious to read the historical take on whether or not there was any truth to Commodus killing his father. Seems like that was historical fiction. And like you stated, there seems to be a lot of unknowns when it comes to Marcus Aurelius and the persecution of Christians. Historians seem to place him among the “good” emperors, whereas his son was — true to the movie — lacking in morals.
I’m guessing you, Mathieu, and me won’t be the only ones who read the book for their blogpost. My guess is that we’ll have at least one or two more. It’s a great book!
Travis,
You have done your job well! I am intrigued enough to read Mediations once the doctorate is finished. Thank you for giving insight into how an Emperor viewed the world he was leading and how it correlates to today’s leadership paradigms. Comparing Aurelius and the author of Ecclesiastes gave understanding to how similar and yet different their views of their own humanity were. Similar in that they both saw the frailty of life and different in their source of hope.
Once again, an excellent post, Travis!
Thanks Travis…I too am somewhat apprehensive about G2….but the trailer was impressive!
I haven’t read Meditations or much stoic philosophy, so I am wondering if there was anything in your reading that addressed what our relationship to our emotions should be? Or perhaps more precisely, what the relationship between our thoughts and our emotions should be? Should our heads ‘master’ our hearts? Are our emotions an important part of our personhood and leadership or something to be ignored? Does Marcus address any of those items either implicitly or explicitly in Meditations?
Perhaps most important….should there be a Gladiator/Star Wars mash up so that Maximus is fighting a Sith Lord with a lightsaber as they both channel the force/logos?