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Why Marcus Aurelius Would Bomb at Fighting Climate Change
What happens when 2,000-year-old wisdom meets modern crises
Picture this: Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, is chairing today’s UN Climate Conference. His first reaction? Probably: “Focus on what you can control, and accept the rest.” Sounds wise, right?
Here’s the problem: That mindset would drive us straight into climate catastrophe.
I’ve been fascinated by ancient philosophy for years. Stoic principles have personally gotten me through some tough times. But the deeper I dive into modern ethical challenges, the clearer it becomes: We can’t just slap ancient wisdom onto today’s problems and hope it works.
The seductive appeal of simple answers
Why do we reach for 2,000-year-old solutions anyway? The answer is seductively simple: Ancient philosophy offers clear principles in a chaotic world. Stoicism promises serenity, Plato’s theory of forms offers absolute truths, Aristotle’s virtue ethics provides moral clarity.
Tim Cook quotes Steve Jobs, who drew from Zen Buddhism. Elon Musk tweets Stoic maxims. Silicon Valley CEOs swear by Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Millions buy Ryan Holiday’s modern Stoicism guides.
