II: Enchiridion of Epictetus

Direct Quote

Remember that desire contains in it the hope of obtaining that which you desire, and the hope in aversion is that you will not fall into that which you attempt to avoid: and he who fails in his desire is unfortunate, and he who falls into that which he would avoid is unhappy. If then you attempt to avoid only the things contrary to nature that are within your power, you will not be involved in any of the things which you would avoid. But if you attempt to avoid disease or death or poverty, you will be unhappy.

Take away then aversion from all things which are not in our power, and transfer it to the things contrary to nature which are in our power. But destroy desire completely for the present. For if you desire anything which is not in our power, you must be unfortunate: but of the things in our power, and which it would be good to desire, nothing yet is before you. But employ only the power of moving towards an object and retiring from it, and these powers indeed only slightly and with exceptions and with remission.

Modern Understanding

Essentially, Limit your desire, regardless of if it’s the desire for or against something. If you want only what you can get, and avoid only what you can avoid, then you will be happy. Otherwise, you will be a slave to the outside world.

Interpretation

This is a similar repeat of control of desire from Chapter I; you can not want that which you can not get, because if you do, it will lead to suffering. You have a choice to control your desires. This makes some sense, especially if you think about desiring what you can get. If you don’t have a specific brand of chocolate available to you, you’ll feel as though your desire goes unfulfilled, leaving a feeling of a slow-burning poison within you. However, if you generalize that desire to, say, something sweet, you’ll be able to fulfil your desire and will be content.

This idea is similar to thinking practically; not falling for the trap of idealism. Staying within your limits, to the best of your abilities, will keep you satiated. For instance, don’t hope to be with one specific person. Hope for a fulfilling relationship instead, as you have much more control over that. Even Nikola Tesla was able to create a pseudo-relationship with a pigeon, and he was happy! The idea is, again, to control what you can and leave the rest to fate.

Historical Relevance

Emperor Julius Ceaser is the classic example of a leader with too much ambition, who desired too much, which led to his downfall. He stretched the limits of what was acceptable too far, which led to his assassination. Had he placated the senate, and gave up some desire for power, it’s possible that he would have lived longer, and accomplished more of what he hoped to do in the long run.

Quote

“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.”

-Nelson Mandela

Life Example

The desire for more is basically what makes us human. We’re never satisfied for long, but in a world of abundance, especially in the first world, this can lead to a comedic level of greed. I know that I and those I know have been victims of that when we were younger. Comparing to others always led to us wanting more, and to be better than others. However, is this something that you can control? Well, of course not!

I truly believe a simple life makes us most happy. Most people tend to be happiest when with family. Ironically, we do so much for them, yet this drives us away from them. So many people desire more time with their family but are unable to achieve it. It reminds me of a story of a fisherman and businessman. The businessman tells the fisherman to start selling his fish, so that one day he may retire. The fisherman asks what the businessman would do in retirement, to which he responds that he would fish and relax. The irony is that this is exactly what the fisherman is doing right now!

Implementation

A few ways to implement a desire for less include recognizing that we are not slaves to our desires. You can choose to act or ignore desires. Once you truly recognize that power that you have, you’ll realize that you can simply choose not to want more. This doesn’t mean give up on your ambition, in fact, it means quite the contrary. Focus on what you can control, desire that which you can achieve, and work as hard you can for what matters to you.

Enjoying simple things is another thing that is often prescribed, but rarely understood. Enjoying the simple things means, again, taking a step back and appreciating what you have. Be grateful. For the food that you eat. For the company you keep. Or for the clothes on your back, or your health. These simple things are taken for granted but are something we rarely appreciate. If you have your youth and health, all the old rich men would gladly pay billions to live life again in your shoes, don’t forget that.

Finally, avoiding those who pressure, specifically those who keep up with the Joneses. Getting trapped in a circle of one up-ing your neighbour is a never-ending battle. Just avoid those who desire nothing more than material pleasures, since you’ll soon adopt their personalities and will be trapped in a circle of never-ending desire.

Thank you.

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