(restating the premise for the third and last time: At the end of a long evening a long time ago a wise friend commented that neither one of us would ever write a great book, but we could be great readers. I’ve held onto that idea for 25+ years and then the pandemic added a new twist: more time walking and running has led to more time listening to podcasts (and a couple audio books) and, just like I like to do with books, I want to share….my reactions, impressions, thoughts, where the podcast takes me. So hopefully this is the start of a series on podcasts I’ve listened to, including what, why you should listen, and what might come next. )
The Happiness Lab: Happiness Lessons of the Ancients: Aristotle
Yella: two professors explain Aristotle’s teachings in the context of pursuing happiness.
Go on: starting with the premise that the ancients talked and wrote about happiness and living a meaningful life, two wicked smart professors (of what, I’m not sure) dive into Aristotle and what he said about happiness and how to pursue it. Two big ideas that stood out for me: 1) moderation in all things, or balance, requires thinking about where you are on the spectrum of some value or characteristic and how you can take small steps to where you want to be. Every small step is closer and the closer you are to balance, or moderation, the happy you are; and 2) friendships exist on three levels, with the deepest being a ‘second self,’ that is a person who helps you move towards happiness, towards balance and moderation, because they know you well enough to know where you are on the spectrum of those virtues or characteristics you want to change most and they’re able to help.
Easier to listen to and far more engaging then my description above. And no need for a deep understanding of Aristotle as the host and guest bring everything around to today’s world.
To the end? Its less than 30 minutes, so, yeah, its more than worth the time. The other episodes in the series are worth it, too, but maybe only if you’re already keen on ancient philosphy.
So who? Anyone who isn’t perfect. Or at least isn’t perfectly happy. I don’t listen to self-help podcasts but this one struck a chord.
East Luray Liars 