The Daily Stoic - Freedom Isn't Free

Episode Date: July 4, 2019

The fact that America exists is the ultimate argument that Stoicism is not apathy and that philosophy is not mere theory. Because without Stoicism, it’s possible there would have been no revolution, no Constitution, no Bill of Rights and no Fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson kept a copy of Seneca on his nightstand. George Washington staged a reproduction of a play about Cato at Valley Forge in the winter of ‘77/’78 to inspire the troops (having first read the Stoics as a teenager). Patrick Henry cribbed lines from that same play which we now credit to him: “Give me Liberty or give me death!” John Adams, Ben Franklin—almost all the founders were well-versed in the works of the Stoics. It’s partly what gave them the courage to found a new nation against such incredible odds, and it’s partly what set up the principles that formed that nation and changed the world. At the core of the American experiment was liberty. At the core of Stoicism we have not only a love of freedom, but the counterbalancing virtues to that freedom: Justice. Duty. Self-Control. Honor. Selflessness. These are the traits that were required not only in those dark days of revolution, as bloody footprints from starving soldiers marked the snows in New Jersey and New York, but also the traits needed equally now in moments of prosperity and plenty, division and distraction.So today, while you’re grilling and relaxing with friends, remember that the comfort you enjoy now grew out of a philosophy that was made to embrace discomfort and to do the right thing, whatever the costs. Remember that the American victory over the British came first because a group of American Stoics first found victory over themselves. Because for all their Stoic resignation, these men and women also deeply believed in their own agency and their own power. Seneca said, “Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” The Founding Fathers built a country on that very foundation. They employed the Stoic virtues like a hammer and chisel, like saw and nail, to master their passions, divisions, tempers, interests and strive to be something better—something more—than they were remotely capable of being in the years of their colonial youth.That wasn’t easy. It wasn’t free. But they embraced the challenge and challenge us, today, to do the same. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoke podcast early and add free on Amazon music. Download the app today. Welcome to the Daily Stoke. For each day, we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2000 year old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoic.com. Freedom isn't free. The fact that America exists is the ultimate argument

that stoicism is not apathy and that philosophy is not mere theory. Because without stoicism, it's possible there would be no revolution, no constitution, no Bill of Rights, and no Fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson kept a copy of Sennaka on his nightstand. George Washington staged a reproduction of a play about Cato at Valley Forge in the winter of 77 and 78 to inspire the troops, having first read The Stoics himself as a teenager. Patrick Henry cribbed lines from that same play

that we now credit to him. Give me liberty or give me death, he said. John Adams, Ben Franklin, all the founders were well versed in the works of the Stoics. It partly gave them the courage to found a new nation against such incredible odds. It's partly what set up the principles that formed that nation and changed the world. At the core of the American experiment was liberty.

At the core of stoicism, we have not only a love of freedom, but the counterbalancing virtues to that freedom, justice, duty, self-control, honor, selflessness. These are the traits that are required not only in those dark days of revolution, as bloody footprints from starving soldiers marked the snows in New Jersey in New York, but also the traits needed equally now in moments of prosperity and plenty division and distraction. So today while you're grilling and relaxing with friends, remember that the comfort you enjoy now grew out of a philosophy that was made to embrace discomfort and to do the right thing, whatever the cost. Remember that the American victory over the British came first because a group of American stoics first found victory over themselves. Because for all their stoic resignation, these men and women also deeply believed in their own agency and their own power.

Sennaka said, most powerful is he who has himself in his own power. The founding fathers built a country on that very foundation. They employed the Stoic virtues like a hammer and a chisel, like a saw and a nail to master their passions, divisions, tempers, interests, and strive to be something better, something more than they were remotely capable of being in the years of their colonial youth. That wasn't easy, it wasn't free. But they embraced the challenge and challenged us today to do the same. Also, there are only a few more days to join the Daily Stoke Freedom Challenge.

We are running right now. It's gonna start on July 8th. You have to sign up by July 7th, 11.59 PM. You can do it at dailystoke.com slash challenge. It's going to be awesome. It's 21 days that at the end of you will be better. You will be more free. Hopefully you'll be more virtuous.

I think it's going to be awesome. I really encourage you to check it out. Go to dailystoke.com slash challenge. Hey, Prime Members! You can listen to the Daily Stoic Early and Add Free on Amazon Music, download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen early and add free with Wondery Plus in Apple podcasts. and Apple podcasts.