Danger Exists for the Body & Ego, Not the Self
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“The condition and characteristic of a vulgar person is that he never expects either benefit or hurt from himself, but from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is that he expects all hurt and benefit from himself.” —Lucretius
The real problem is simply this:
I see self, others, things, places, life, etc., as either dangerous or painful to my self, to my being.
The real solution is simply this:
I see only my thinking as either dangerous or painful to my phony self, my ego a.k.a. self-esteem.
Additional Help:
- No one and nothing can make me think I am bad or inferior–therefore, only my thinking can hurt my ego, only my thinking is either dangerous or painful for my ego.
- Yes, self, others, things, places, life, etc., can be either dangerous or painful for my body–but not my being!
- Physical pain can come from others.
- But psychological pain can only come from my own thinking.
- Other people are neither pain nor danger for my being.
- My self is neither pain nor danger for my being.
- My thinking can be pain or danger for my ego, not my being.
Related Quotations
“And above all, that the wrong-doer has done thee no harm, for he has not made thy ruling faculty worse than it was before.” —Marcus Aurelius
“But I, unless I think that what has happened is an evil, am not injured. And it is in my power not to think so.” —Marcus Aurelius
“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” —I Peter 2:20
“It is impossible for you to be harmed by purely verbal or gestural attacks unless you specifically let yourself—or actually make yourself—be harmed.” —Albert Ellis
“It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.” —Seneca
“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.” —Epictetus
“The condition and characteristic of a vulgar person is that he never expects either benefit or hurt from himself, but from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is that he expects all hurt and benefit from himself.” —Lucretius
