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#368 - Pleasure vs. Purpose: Finding Balance in Modern Life

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Manage episode 485139133 series 2817996
Content provided by Brandon Tumblin. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Brandon Tumblin or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Viktor Frankl once wrote, “Those who cannot find a deep sense of meaning distract themselves with pleasure.” It’s a quote that resonates deeply within the Stoic tradition. The Stoics, much like Frankl, warned against the unmoderated pursuit of indulgence. Pleasure, entertainment, materialism—these things are not inherently wrong, but when used to fill a void of meaning, they become distractions. And distractions, by their nature, pull us away from our true purpose.
Yet, there’s an intriguing inversion of this quote—one that opens the door to deeper reflection. Chris Williamson, host of Modern Wisdom, proposed it: “Those who cannot find a deep sense of pleasure distract themselves with meaning.” At first glance, this seems to oppose Stoic thought. But when we dig deeper, we find that it holds an important truth for those of us on the path of self-improvement.
This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
  continue reading

369 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 485139133 series 2817996
Content provided by Brandon Tumblin. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Brandon Tumblin or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Viktor Frankl once wrote, “Those who cannot find a deep sense of meaning distract themselves with pleasure.” It’s a quote that resonates deeply within the Stoic tradition. The Stoics, much like Frankl, warned against the unmoderated pursuit of indulgence. Pleasure, entertainment, materialism—these things are not inherently wrong, but when used to fill a void of meaning, they become distractions. And distractions, by their nature, pull us away from our true purpose.
Yet, there’s an intriguing inversion of this quote—one that opens the door to deeper reflection. Chris Williamson, host of Modern Wisdom, proposed it: “Those who cannot find a deep sense of pleasure distract themselves with meaning.” At first glance, this seems to oppose Stoic thought. But when we dig deeper, we find that it holds an important truth for those of us on the path of self-improvement.
This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
  continue reading

369 episodes

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