There comes a time in every modern philosopher’s life when they must look deep into the void – and realise the void is their feed, and it’s trying to sell them skin cream and outrage.
The ancient Romans had their gladiator games and gossip in the baths. We have Facebook feeds and Instagram threads that start with “Unpopular opinion, but…” and end with bloodshed.
If Marcus Aurelius1 lived today, he wouldn’t be a podcaster. He’d be a blogger with a private Tumblr and a locked Notes app. He’d stay away from toxic X. Definitely no TikTok. He was way too introspective for TikTok.
🏛️ 1. The Scroll of Infinite Distraction
“You are not compelled to form any opinion about this matter before you, nor to disturb your peace of mind at all.”
Meditations, Book 6.52
Translation? You don’t have to click on that post. You don’t have to fight in the comments. You are allowed to keep scrolling.
The algorithm whispers that you must stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay inflamed. But Stoicism says: you can just… not.
Do not let your soul become a trending topic. It’s not worth it.
📱 2. You Are Not Your Engagement Metrics
“Ambition means tying your well-being to what other people say or do… Sanity means tying it to your own actions.”
Meditations, Book 6.48
Instagram doesn’t care about your virtue. Twitter doesn’t reward reflection. TikTok wants your eyeballs. The Stoics want your soul.
When Marcus wrote that, he wasn’t thinking about dopamine hits from notifications – but tell me it doesn’t apply.
If your self-worth goes up and down with your analytics dashboard, the algorithm owns you. It is your master. And it is a terrible boss.
✍️ 3. Post with Intention, Not for Reaction
“Say nothing untrue, do nothing unjust.”
Meditations, Book 8.5
You don’t have to go viral. You don’t even have to be interesting. You just have to be honest.
Stoic posting isn’t about performative perfection or polishing your brand. It’s about clarity. Dignity. Not tweeting through the breakdown unless it helps you process (and you won’t regret it tomorrow).
If the post’s coming from anxiety, maybe it should go in the drafts.
If it’s coming from virtue – even messy, furious, healing virtue – post away.
🧹 4. Block and Bless
“When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly.”
Meditations, Book 2.1
Modern version: You will log on and people will be annoying as hell. Prepare yourself.
They will subtweet you. They will misread you. They will “just ask questions” in bad faith.
Marcus didn’t have a block button — but you do.
Use it like a Stoic sword: firmly, and without unnecessary drama.
🌿 5. Log Off Before You Lose Yourself
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
Meditations, Book 6.28
You don’t have to die on this hill. You don’t have to explain yourself to a bunch of pixels. You are allowed to go outside. Pet a dog. Read some Latin. Bake bread. Have a nap.
The algorithm is not your master.
You are not here to optimise your reach. You are here to live a life you don’t hate. And maybe blog about it.
Like Marcus did.
🕰️ 6. The Procrastination Wake-Up Call
“Think of your many years of procrastination; how the gods have repeatedly granted you further periods of grace, of which you have taken no advantage. It is time now to realise the nature of the universe to which you belong… Use it, then, to advance your enlightenment; or it will be gone, and never in your power again.”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
This is the procrastinator’s punch in the face. Marcus isn’t judging you — well, okay, maybe a little — but mainly he’s reminding you that you’ve been given time. Not endless time. But enough.
So write the blog post. Share the messy draft. Start the project you keep putting off until your inbox is empty and the moon is in the right house.
Perfection is the enemy. The algorithm is the distraction. The moment is the gift.
Marcus is basically yelling across 2,000 years: You’ve been granted one more day. Don’t waste it.
And honestly? He’s right.
🏁 Final thought:
“Waste no more time arguing what a good person should be. Be one.”
Meditations, Book 10.16
Waste no more time wondering what a good post should be. Just write it. And then log off. Your virtue is the content.
- Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) was Roman Emperor, reluctant philosopher-king, and author of Meditations – basically his personal therapy journal written during wars, plagues, and Really Bad Days. He was a Stoic, which meant trying not to scream when the world fell apart. People still quote him on the internet because he wrote like he was subtweeting the universe. Somehow, 2,000 years later, he’s still uncomfortably relevant. ↩︎
Eunuchorn 
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