This week, at the Stoa Poikile, I will be discussing the inevitability of evil. We aim for perfection, success, perpetual happiness. Our mind rarely focuses on adversity- we never enjoy imagining the potential displeasure in life. The quote for this week's blog is from Michael De Montaigne, from his book "Of Experience",
"We must learn to put up with what we cannot avoid. Our life, like the harmony of the world, is composed of contrary things- of diverse tones, sweet and harsh, sharp and flat, sprightly and solemn. The musician who only loved some of them- what would he be able to do? He has to know how to make use of them all, and be able to mix them together. We must do the same with the good and the bad, which are of the same substance as our lives."
The analogy to a musician refers to how adversity is not only unavoidable, however, necessary for a holistic life. The musician can not achieve his true potential without embracing the harsh, flat and solemn tones; the same way, no human can achieve their true potential without embracing failure, adversity and tough times. Accepting this inevitability is an imperative for personal growth, where one can truly appreciate adversity and success equally. Montaigne also hints at "making use" of these adversities- our learnings from adversities are equally, if not more important then our successes. By mixing the two, the person, like the musician, has demonstrated greater ability to handle life.
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