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Practice like a Stoic: 23, Don’t speak about yourself
Combating the narcissism of talking too much
[This series of posts is based on A Handbook for New Stoics — How to Thrive in a World out of Your Control, co-authored by yours truly and Greg Lopez. It is a collection of 52 exercises, which we propose reader try out one per week during a whole year, to actually live like a Stoic. In Europe/UK the book is published by Rider under the title Live Like A Stoic. Below is this week’s prompt and a brief explanation of the pertinent philosophical background. Check the book for details on how to practice the exercise, download the exercise forms from The Experiment’s website, and comment below on how things are going. Greg and/or I will try our best to help out! This week’s exercise is found at pp. 144–145 of the paperback edition.]
“In your conversation avoid frequent and disproportionate mention of your own doings or adventures; for other people do not take the same pleasure in hearing what has happened to you as you take in recounting your adventures.” (Epictetus, Enchiridion, 33.14)
You know the stereotype of the couple who go on vacation and then invite their friends over in order to subject them to an excruciatingly long slideshow featuring every moment of said vacation? Well, that’s when there were slides. Now there is social…
