Get Your Smart On
Epicurus’ tetrapharmakon, or remedies for being at peace, is comprised of four maxims, as follows:
Epicurus believed that whatever entity created the cosmos, it could not possibly be impressed by anything humans are capable of doing. When you can move mountains, why would you be interested in watching ants build a mound? So we need not worry about God’s judgment because God isn’t lording over humans. He’s just not that into us.
Arguably, destroying the natural world may be our pathetic attempt at getting God’s attention, but nature will just as likely shake us off the planet before we are able to vanquish her.
Humans, you need not fear God, but be vigilant of your own natures.
Look, you can obsess about death if it gives you some sort of strange pleasure. I know that some of us may find fascination there. Otherwise, it is totally pointless to worry about death. If you are dead, it will not matter one wit to you because you will be dead. If alive, death is nothing to you as long as you live. Quoth the Raven, Evermore.
What is good for us is found easily everywhere— shelter, food, the community of other humans. That is, unless the land we stand on goes underwater due to the climate crisis.
Folks, we are in a Climate f-ing Crisis.
Potentially this could entirely void the maxim that what is good is easy to get, but it will no longer matter because those of us without rocket ships will be dead . I that case, just refer to maxim 2 above, “Don’t Worry About Death.”
We humans have a great capacity to adapt to shitty situations, like capitalism. Whatever we can’t endure will kill us. In Epicurus’ version of this, if the pain is strong and sharp, it will kill you before long — refer to maxim 2 above. On the other hand, if the pain is dull it can last a loooong time before it kills you, but this type of pain is merely bothersome, and is easily endured.
Of the four principles for being at peace, this last one is the toughest for me to accept. Epicurus had a chronic illness and knew of what he spoke where it comes to physical pain. His was a terrible time for wars and such, but he wrote before capitalism. The illnesses of the mind and soul that capitalism produces are far more dangerous because humans can endure them physically for so long. The fact that we can and have endured so long is something to work against, not something in which to take comfort.
Here is one of my favorite Occupy Wall Street protester: