Are you a lion or a kitten? Did stoicism get it right? Should we be living as the stoics believed, existing more in the present and focusing on what’s within us and less on what’s outside? Are the virtues we possess such as strength and courage and temperament the key to true peace, versus reaching for health, wealth, or reputation?
Join Author Robert Falkenberg for a dive into some of Ernest Hemingway’s life in this discussion of stoicism. Was Hemingway a stoic, or did he just channel stoicism through Santiago, his protagonist in The Old Man and the Sea? Has a belief system that has been around for thousands of years, practiced by Marcus Aurelius and other greats, provide a solid look at how to navigate life?
We’ll also examine the tragedy of the Hemingway family genes that may have been a reason for his premature death.
Have you always wondered where the word “stoic” derives? What makes a person stoic in the face of bad news or pain or sadness? How does it help one to live in the present, to focus on the now, and learn to be comfortable alone? Jump back into time with Robert Falkenberg to look at the tenets of stoicism and their ideas for living a virtuous life. He relates his own experience on his first solo mountain backpacking trip to the idea of testing oneself.
Does The Old Man and the Sea provide a glimpse into Hemingway’s psyche when he penned the novella? Was Hemingway practicing or avoiding stoicism? Did biology do him in? Or was it a choice he made with a clear head?
Listen in Apple Podcasts or here on the player! About 45 minutes total run time.
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