In this episode, I share a personal story about nearly losing my temper on a train—a moment that reminded me, yet again, how far I am from sagehood and how important continuous attention (prosochē) is in Stoic practice. A long day in London, a rowdy group of teens, and a few minor annoyances were enough to push me near my breaking point. But in reflecting on ... Show More
Oct 8
How Much News Should a Stoic Consume?
In this episode I wrestle with how much news a practicing Stoic should actually consume. I define a “news media diet,” weigh different source types (fellow citizens, establishment outlets, and subject-matter experts), and argue for a role-driven, locality-first approach that resp ... Show More
20m 55s
Mar 2020
SPECIAL EPISODE! How To Fail: Alain De Botton on embracing vulnerability in the age of Coronavirus
In the second of two special episodes, the renowned philosopher Alain de Botton, returns to How To Fail With Elizabeth Day to talk about how to be human and how to stay (relatively) sane in the grip of a global pandemic. We talk about the fact that, right now, it's rational to be ... Show More
1 h
Apr 2025
How To Get Through Life's Most Difficult Situations
If it happened, then it was meant to happen.
The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche would describe his formula for human greatness as amor fati—a love of fate. “That one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backwards, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what ... Show More
14m 6s
Mar 2025
It’s Given Us More Of Ourselves | (Dis)integration
Adversity costs us, sure, but it also gives us more of ourselves. It unlocks something in us that was not reachable in ordinary circumstances, that we didn’t know was there.
🪙 Get your own Amor fati medallion, as a reminder to treat each and every moment—no matter how challengin ... Show More
10m 27s