Yes, there’s an election tomorrow, and yes, it’ll be contentious. So, on that cheery note, who'd like a quick tour of Stoic philosophy?! "Oh no," I hear you cry, but wait a minute! This might be useful;
If you haven’t voted yet, please do. And if you’re undecided, consider this: in Meditations Book 1, Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and Roman Emperor, reflects on the qualities he admired most in his adoptive father and predecessor as Emperor, Antoninus Pius. Antoninus, who gets by far the longest mention in Meditations, was Marcus’ model for the ideal leader. In Book 6, Marcus explains why he felt that way;
"...his energy for all that was done according to reason, his constant equability, his piety, his serene expression, his gentleness, his lack of conceit, his drive to take a firm grip of affairs. How he would never put anything at all aside without first looking closely into it and understanding it clearly; how he would tolerate those who unfairly blamed him without returning the blame; how he was never rushed in anything. He would not listen to malicious gossip; he was an accurate judge of men's character and actions; slow to criticize, immune to rumor and suspicion, devoid of pretense. How he was content with little by way of house, bed, dress, food, servants; his love of work and his stamina.
...constant and fair in his friendships, tolerant of frank opposition of his own views, and delighted to be shown a better way."
Throughout his reign, Marcus faced constant plague, war, assassination plots, and the daily challenges of leading the world’s most powerful empire. Sound familiar? His takeaway: be like Antoninus. Practice virtue, and don’t let hard times make you a hard person. So, if you’re looking for last-minute inspiration, why not consider what Marcus saw as essential traits for those who sat in the Oval Office of the ancient world?
Marcus was the last of what historians call the “good emperors.” After him came Commodus (yes, the one played by Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator), who was proud, cruel and had few redeeming qualities. In fact, Commodus regarded himself as "separate and god-like." Under him, the empire fell sharply - a decline that historian Cassius Dio described as the collapse from a “kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust.” Commodus eventually met his end strangled in his bath by his own wrestling partner. In a time before opinion polls, that's a low approval score.
History reminds us that leadership matters. No one can tell you who to vote for, and that’s what makes democracy so powerful. But if you’re voting tomorrow, look to history, look to personal virtue - and vote wisely.
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