You Don't Need Luck #085

Epicurus on why the sage cannot be harmed

Epicurus and the Path of Wisdom

Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus writes: "Fortune seldom interferes with a wise person. His greatest and highest interests have been, are, and will be directed by reason throughout the course of his life." This is something many ancient philosophers said. Aristotle says something similar, the Stoics say something similar, and the idea is that good luck or bad luck is not important to the person who lives their life wisely. Because living wisely means that you understand that your mindset is independent of what happens outside of you. You train yourself, according to Epicurus, to be happy with less, with things that are natural, that are widely and easily accessible, so that you don't need these things that are costly and limited and that society wants to sell you.

The Independence of the Wise

And if you don't need them, then it does not matter if you are lucky or unlucky, if you have a lot of money or a little money. It just cannot affect you anymore because you are not in this game anymore. And this is something the tiny house movement can teach us. If you look at these tiny house people who build their own little homes, and then they don't have to pay mortgages—you know, whatever they say—most of them say they are so happy because finally, they are out of chasing the next payment and having to deal with a big house and having all these troubles that come with it. So then, whatever happens, they will have their small house, and nothing bad can happen to them anymore.

And so it is true that Epicurus says, "Fortune does not interfere with a wise person." Thank you, and see you again tomorrow.