【每日斯多葛】11月13日

November 13th

NEVER COMPLAIN, NEVER EXPLAIN

“Don’t allow yourself to be heard any longer griping about public life, not even with your own ears!”

—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.9

Not only do even the most fortunate of us complain, it often seems like the more fortunate we are, the more time we have to do so. Marcus Aurelius was a reluctant chief executive—just as you might be a reluctant accountant, kid’s soccer coach, or lawyer. Or perhaps you generally like your job, but you could do without a few of its attendant responsibilities. Where does that thinking get you? Nowhere, other than in a negative state of mind.

It calls to mind a motto of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli: “Never complain, never explain.” He said this because, like Marcus, he knew that the burdens of responsibility were immense. It’s so easy to complain about this or that, or to try to make excuses and justifications for the things you’ve done. But that doesn’t accomplish anything—and it never lightens the load.

11月13日 

不抱怨，不辩解

“不要再让任何人听见你抱怨公务生活，甚至连你自己也不应该听见这样的抱怨！”

——马可·奥勒留，《沉思录》，8.9

即使是我们当中最幸运的人，也免不了抱怨。而且，似乎越是幸运的人，就越有闲暇去抱怨。马可·奥勒留是一位并不情愿承担最高统治职责的皇帝。这与你或许并不情愿从事会计工作、不情愿担任孩子足球队的教练，或不情愿做一名律师，并没有什么本质区别。也许你总体上喜欢自己的工作，却希望能够摆脱其中某些附带的责任。但这样的想法究竟能带给你什么呢？除了让自己陷入消极的心境之外，什么也得不到。

这不禁令人想起英国首相本杰明·迪斯雷利的一句格言：“不抱怨，不辩解。”迪斯雷利之所以这样说，是因为他和马可·奥勒留一样，深知肩负责任所带来的重担有多么沉重。抱怨这件事、埋怨那个人，或者为自己做过的事情寻找借口、作出辩解，实在是太容易了。但这样做并不能解决任何问题，也永远不会减轻你肩上的负担。