The Sword of Damocles. "A person who lacks the means, within himself, to live a good and happy life will find any period of his existence wearisome." - Cicero

The Sword of Damocles

The Sword of Damocles is a story I’ve always remembered from my childhood. At first I thought my father shared this with me. But recently I asked him about it and he told me he didn’t. So the mystery of where I heard it is one for the ages. But then an amazing thing happened when I decided to read some of Cicero’s works.

By Benny Voncken, ago
Why we travel. "You're running away in your own company." Seneca.

Why we Travel

Why do we travel and seek out new exotic destinations? Is it to brighten our spirits so that we can be ready to go back to our jobs again? When you look at our society, we can see that the vast majority of people are stuck in the same routine. Read more

By Benny Voncken, ago
How to know yourself. "First say to yourself, what manner of man you want to be; when you have settled this, act upon it in all you do." Epictetus

How to Know Yourself

How to know yourself should have been one of the first reflections. This is foundational for anyone who wants to improve themselves. Unfortunately, many of us don’t think about asking profound questions to understand ourselves better. Most of the time we need an event to shock us into introspection. The Read more

By Benny Voncken, ago
Why we need a Philosophy of Life. What is the need to weep at parts of life? All life is worthy of our tears." Seneca. Person standing on a rock in a mountain range.

Why We Need a Philosophy of Life

Philosophy can help us deal with life because it can be difficult. Let me rephrase that, life is difficult. We all have our issues. Although I don’t have any factual proof, I’m quite sure that a majority of people have problems and struggles. If life is so difficult, how can we navigate these troubled waters?

By Benny Voncken, ago
How to control Anger Through Stoicism. "Not to display anger or other emotions. To be free of passion and yet full of love." Marcus Aurelius

How to Control Anger Through Stoicism

How often do you get angry? And what are the triggers that get you into that emotional state? It is time to address this ugly side of us because it can be seen everywhere and we should avoid it. Anger blinds us to what would be the just and rational action to take. If we wish to live a virtuous and peaceful life, as the Stoics strive to, then we should avoid anger. 

By Benny Voncken, ago
"The world is nothing but change. Our life is only perception." Democritus.

On Change

How we deal with change determines how we can view the world around us. Everything is change. It is the only constant that we have. Let’s examine how this can impact us.

By Benny Voncken, ago
What is privilege? "You are unfortunate in my judgement, for you have never been unfortunate."- Seneca.

What is Privilege?

What is privilege and why is it such a tense subject? Who has this advantage and what does that mean to them? What are your personal responsibilities in all of this? The main objective should be fo create equality of all.

By Benny Voncken, ago
What is Temperance? "If you seek tranquility, do less." - Democritus, frg. B 3, From Marcus aurelius, Meditations, book 4:24

What is Temperance

Living a life of virtue is the chief aim of the Stoics. To do so, we must understand what Virtue is. Here is my take on it. The four virtues in Stoicism are; Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Temperance. To learn control and how to live in moderation, we must examine Temperance.

By Benny Voncken, ago