To Give Without Receiving

Today in class we were discussing how one shouldn’t take advice from others. The only good that this would do you is becoming like the rest of the crowd. It is every person’s unique personality and abilities that make the human race great. Epictetus does not believe in this principle. In fact, he rejects it so much that he wrote a handbook. The main problem I see in things like handbooks, is not that we will all end up the same, but that the person writing it cant apply what he is teaching. As life goes on we receive many different pieces of advice from many different sources. Weather you know it or not, each day we receive advice form the news, movies, radio, teachers, friends and many other things. The important thing is to be able to decide which one to apply in your life and which one to ignore. Some times people have ideas and decide that the world should know about what they are thinking. This is basic principle of writing. Epictetus had some ideas on how to live and the way you should react to different circumstances in life. The point that I am trying to make is that if you suggest something you should be able to do it.

In these final sections of The Handbook of Epictetus I found one of the hardest things to do: “…when someone else’s little slave boy breaks his cup we are to say, “Its one of those things that just happen.” Certainly then, when your own cup is broken you should be just the way you were when the other person’s was broken” (26). We are many times fast to judge others on their decisions when we hold no part in the problem. It is human nature to try to reach the top, and some feel that by lowering others they will stand out. The thing is, when they have the same problem, they would not treat it as they said you should treat it. This fits in perfectly with the topic of advice. You should be permitted to give out advice if you would use it. If a situation comes up where Epictetus has to make a choice like the ones he mentioned in his handbook but treats it differently, he is a liar. You must not pay attention to his teachings and continue on. I am not suggesting that you should not take advice, but that you must be careful whom you take it from.