XXIX. Sharpen Your Weapons

We’ll be ready to take advantage of the situation while everyone around us is panicking and losing their shit.

Oct 19, 2024

lighted crystal uplight chandelier — Photo by Camille Brodard on Unsplash

"Doctors keep their scalpels and other instruments handy for emergencies. Keep your philosophy ready too." — Marcus Aurelius

Below is a story of the The Wild Boar & the Fox as adapted from Aesop’s Fables.

A Wild Boar was sharpening his tusks busily against the stump of a tree, when a Fox happened by.
Now the Fox was always looking for a chance to make fun of his neighbors.
So he made a great show of looking anxiously about, as if in fear of some hidden enemy.
But the Boar kept right on with his work.
"Why are you doing that?" asked the Fox at last with a grin.
"There isn't any danger that I can see."
"True enough," replied the Boar, "but when danger does come there will not be time for such work as this.
My weapons will have to be ready for use then, or I shall suffer for it."

Sometimes we humans are a funny bunch.

We fear looking into what may happen in the future because it might mean more work for us today.

We'd prefer to rest and enjoy the little motion we have going on. It feels safe.

We tell ourselves we'll cross a bridge when we get there.

While those thoughts are good for the events that don't depend on us and which only distract us from dealing with current problems, we can't deal with everything in that manner.

Living in avoidance gives us false confidence because reality doesn't give a fuck about our sentiments.

"The universe is change." — Marcus Aurelius

Life will surprise us with a jab, then an uppercut and we're done for if we aren't ready.

Xenophon wrote in his Memorabilia that,

"You may plant a field well; but you know not who shall gather the fruits.
You may build a house well; but you know not who shall dwell in it.
Able to command, you cannot know whether it is profitable to command.
Versed in statecraft, you know not whether it is profitable to guide the state.
Though, for your delight, you marry a pretty woman, you cannot tell whether she will bring you sorrow.
Though you form a party among men mighty in the state, you know not whether they will cause you to be driven from the state."

It's how COVID-19 came and swept off many businesses because people weren't prepared.

It's how the development of AGI will render some skills and businesses redundant.

Elon Musk is already disrupting the taxi industry with his self-driving vehicles.

But, as Seneca said,

"The spirit must be trained to a realization and an acceptance of its lot.
It must come to see that there is nothing fortune will shrink from, that she wields the same authority over emperor and empire alike and the same power over cities as over men.
There's no ground for resentment in all this.
We've entered into a world in which these are the terms life is lived on — if you're satisfied with that, submit to them, if you're not, get out, whatever way you please."

Earth is older than us and we'll be wise to follow its dictates voluntarily for only those ready to adapt float.

Only those whose allegiance is to the timeless values thrive in chaos.

Robert Greene’s warning remains poignant,

"Eventually, the time that was not spent on learning skills will catch up with you, and the fall will be painful."

It's better if we take stock of our bodies, mind and spirit, relationships, finances, businesses — see the delicate stability of each in the environment we're in right now and where we’re headed, then sharpen our weapons in preparation for the worst to give us the confidence that we'll land on our feet.

Plutarch says,

“Just as in fair weather, then, one ought to prepare for the storm, so also in youth one should store up discipline and self-restraint as a provision for old age.”

When we prepare, we won't suffer much when our good fortune changes.

We’ll be ready to take advantage of the situation while everyone around us is panicking and losing their shit.