Epictetus 1-15

The handbook of Epictetus is an explanation for how life’s events happen. For Epictetus everything is meant to happen and we have no control over anything just as in Slaughter-House Five. The Trafalmadorians way of thinking can be based in this thinking. I like this a lot even though I don’t agree with many of the things it says. "Do not stretch your desire toward it, but wait until it comes to you." (Pg 15) The idea that you have to wait for things to happen and know that it will happen eventually I don’t agree with. You have to fight for the things you want in order to get them, nothing in life is free.

I dislike the idea that everything is already planned and can’t be altered because in my opinion you should mold your future and fight for the things you want. I don’t agree with the idea of not becoming fond of your objects and family because they are just like any other. The writing states that if you don’t get too fond of a ceramic vase, you won’t care if it breaks and if you kiss both your child and your wife you won’t care if one of them dies. Loosing close family members will always hurt no matter who it is and losing such a close member such as a wife or a child would be extremely devastating.

A sentence I thought was very interesting was: “Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.” (1) This makes me think because we are constantly wishing for things to happen the way we want them to and when they don’t happen this way we get disappointed but if we just accepted things the way they are, we would live a less expecting life. Did Epictetus apply all this ideas to his common life?