THE PHILOSOPHER’S SCHOOL IS A HOSPITAL
“Men, the philosopher’s lecture-hall is a hospital—you shouldn’t walk out of it feeling pleasure, but pain, for you aren’t well when you enter it.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.23.30
Have you ever been to physical therapy or rehab? No matter what the name implies or how many people you see lying about, getting massages, it’s not a fun place to be. It turns out that healing hurts. The trained experts know exactly where to exert pressure and what to subject to stress so that they can strengthen where the patient is weak and help stimulate the areas that have atrophied.
Stoic philosophy is a lot like that. Some observations or exercises will touch one of your pressure points. It’s nothing personal. It’s supposed to hurt. That’s how you’ll develop the will to endure and persevere through life’s many difficulties.
9月2日
哲学家的学堂就是医院
“诸君，哲学家的讲堂就是一所医院——你不该在离开时感到愉悦，而应感到疼痛，因为你踏入这里时，身体本就不健康。”
——爱比克泰德，《语录》，3.23.30
你做过物理治疗或康复训练吗？无论其名称听起来如何，也无论你看到多少人躺在那里接受按摩，那都不是个让人感到惬意的地方。事实证明，疗愈的过程往往伴随着痛楚。受过专业训练的治疗师深知该在何处施加压力、该对何处施加负荷，从而增强患者的薄弱部位，并激活那些已经萎缩的机能。
斯多葛哲学亦是如此。其中的某些观点或练习可能会触及你的痛处。这并非针对个人，而是必然会带来痛感。正是在这种痛感中，你将磨练出坚韧的意志，从而在面对人生重重磨难时能够忍耐并坚持下去。
