Be The Best You

Something that I thought about when I was reading Epictetus was I hate it when people try to be something their not. For example many people like to take the best classes in school because their good students, but those students never really identify what their strenghts or weaknesses might be. In my opinion one should choose the classes that they feel fit. I am in accord with Epictetus when he descbribes it in this manner, " How will you be a nobody everywhere, if you need to be a somebody only in the things are up to you--in which it is open to you to be of the greatest worth?" (24) I completely agree with this statement because its absolutely true, I'd rather be important in one or two things than to be another person in all things. Like the saying goes, "You should rather be the head of the rat then the tail of the lion" because its more important to be accomplished in what you love and have passion for than another piece of something bigger. Another example in which we find Epictetus talking about this is, "If it ever happens that you turn outward to want to please another person,certaintly you have lost your plan of life.Be content therefore in everything to be a philosopher" (23) As we read Epictetus we find out that he is actually a believer in free will to those who have the money and the advantages of having those self-indulgant opportunities.

"Wich do you want more, money or a self-respecting and trustworthy friend?"(24)

I think that this question opened up many new ideas that I had not yet thought of before. The entire manual up until now has been a dialogue between Epectitus to another man, and all along they've talked about luxories and talks about slaves and their wife and children, "Did your child die?" one example, "Did your wife die?" second example, "My land was taken" (11). All of these illustrating the frustrations that any rich white man could have had many years ago.