Steer Clear of These Particular Spots of Soil
In his renowned work, Meditations, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius delves into the various battles he faced, not just as a leader, but also as a human being navigating the complexities of society. Among these battles were struggles against ideologies and cultural norms, such as radicalization, polarization, dehumanization, corporatization, and algorithmization.
Marcus Aurelius' reflections serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing battles every individual encounters in their personal and societal journeys. These battles are not mere abstractions, but tangible forces that can change, corrupt, and influence our values, truth, relationships, and understanding of humanity.
One such force is socialization, the process through which personality is formed through social influences. It shapes our values, truth, relationships, and humanity by embedding the norms, beliefs, and behaviors deemed acceptable within our society or social group. For instance, child-rearing methods impact later adult behavior and attitudes, making our truth relative to our cultural and social environment.
Another influential force is humanism, a worldview that centers values on human reason and welfare. Humanism challenges traditional absolute truths by rejecting arbitrary faith and promoting knowledge based on reason and science. It promotes individual dignity, autonomy, and social consciousness grounded in human needs rather than religious dictates.
Egalitarianism, presented as a denial of traditional authority and roles established by divine creation, is another significant force. It promotes equality and denies hierarchical roles, challenging traditional religious norms and altering relational and moral dynamics.
These 'izations' can be as tempting as a siren's call, offering comfort, clarity, or ease. However, they can cut us off from our values, truth, people, and what truly matters. Extremism should not be allowed to take hold in us.
To resist these forces, Marcus Aurelius emphasizes the importance of thinking for ourselves, clinging to our humanity, maintaining curiosity and open-mindedness, and cultivating kindness and goodness. He encourages us to avoid tribalism and reducing people to items on a spreadsheet.
In current times, these 'izations' are particularly prevalent. Resisting them requires effort, counteracting them, and rising above them. Seeing the good and dignity in others, no matter what is happening in the world or acting on us through our devices, is crucial in resisting these forces.
Marcus Aurelius' struggle against "imperialization" or being changed by the power and fame of his position as a leader serves as an example of the battles every leader and person must face. His Meditations offer timeless wisdom for navigating these complexities, reminding us to be ever vigilant in the fight "to be the person that philosophy tried to make us."
Educating oneself in the principles of self-development and personal growth, as elucidated by Marcus Aurelius in his work Meditations, serves as a means to tackle the ongoing battles every individual encounters in their journey towards understanding humanity. By embracing critical thinking, humility, curiosity, and empathy as tools against the overwhelming forces of socialization, humanism, egalitarianism, and various 'izations', one can resist the temptation to be swayed from their values, truth, relationships, and understanding of humanity.
