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In this episode, we take on one of Epictetus’ most uncomfortable claims: you’re not disturbed by events, only by the opinions you bring to them.

We unpack his three-tiered model of the mind (the untrained blames others, the novice blames himself, the wise blame no one) and follow the story of the Roman visitor who wants Epictetus to predict his future, only to be told that his fate depends entirely on the quality of his opinions.

From the “seller of vegetables” roast to the danger of untested beliefs, we explore why every action—from where you work to why you play tennis—flows from the narratives you’ve never examined. Along the way, we perform an “opinion audit,” question the stories we tell about ourselves, and connect Stoic diagnosis to modern cognitive biases.

By the end, you’ll see why Marcus says nothing fuels spiritual growth more than analyzing your impressions—and why the hardest thing to test in life is the certainty you already feel.

And we also dive into the darkly charming world of Insane Clown Posse...

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In this episode of Modern Meditations, Bruce and Justin turn a weekend of budget hotels, dollar rental cars, $12 orange juice, and marathon gels into a masterclass on Stoic expectations. Drawing on Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and M. Scott Peck, they explore how life’s annoyances, whether waiting in line, traffic tailgaters, or bitter cucumbers, become easier to bear when you anticipate difficulty instead of assuming bliss is normal.

From the rugby coach’s snake parable to the Roman baths, the conversation blends humor and philosophy to show that while life is full of paper cuts, virtue lies in choosing tranquility over irritation.

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What’s the difference between loving deeply and clinging desperately? Epictetus thought the line was thinner than we like to admit. In Enchiridion Chapter 3, he reminds us that every embrace is an embrace of a mortal, every favorite cup is already broken, and every attachment comes with an expiration date stamped by nature. Sounds grim? Not really. It’s actually a roadmap for how not to be crushed when life does what life always does: end, change, and surprise.

In this episode, we talk Bigger vs. Badder—how Stoicism flips the script on what “strong” really means. We look at Anaxagoras’ deadpan reaction to his son’s death, Seneca’s hauntingly calm reminders, and even a 1958 love letter from John Steinbeck that could pass for Stoic counsel. Along the way, we wrestle with what it means to love in a way that frees us rather than chains us, and why negative visualization might be the most underrated gratitude practice out there.

Of course, it’s not all heavy philosophy. Bruce tries out some Gen Alpha slang on Justin, and we test our own fragile-cup theory on the kinds of attachments we carry every day. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold on without holding too tightor how to lose without falling apart this one’s for you.