Week of Living Philosophically as an Epicurean
From the start, Epicureanism gave me the thought that it was a philosophy dedicated to restraint. While seeking pleasure is the main objective, emphasis on a natural and simple path towards securing it counts just as much, if not more. The saying ‘you can’t have it all’ jumped into my head as I read the basic principles of Epicurean philosophy because of the continued repetition of knowing your limits and advising those of the belief to only open oneself to the desires that can be immediately gratified.
My initial perception of the life of an Epicurean was not too positive as I felt that it seemed a constant battle of defending your morals to others that reduced it to hedonism because of them labeling pleasure-seeking as immoral. Adding on, ambition doesn’t appear to be valued in the realm of Epicureanism due to it falling under the category of desires that can be twisted into something more materialistic or greedy, which would overcome anyone and cause them to lose their way. This statement in particular is something I’m not in agreement with because ambition is an important characteristic that pushes people to improve their current situation and not settle for the average case. This works wonders for the overall advancement of society and the progression of technology. Of course, in the time of the Roman Republic, too much ambition in the hands of power-hungry nobles and warlords led to its downfall and countless bloodshed. Still, while I had my reservations about Epicureanism, I was ready to experience its philosophy.
I started my Epicurean experience by noting how the poster of my favorite band (hanging on my dorm wall) along with the cute mushroom light-up charm that my friend gifted me, and my group of cool pens that I’ve collected over the years were beautiful as the scrapbooking activity guided me to write down. To continue the day, I looked more closely at the trees around campus, which have been bare from the winter cold, and observed how the petals have bloomed and brought a splash of color to the otherwise green, rustic scenery I’ve been accustomed to these last couple of months. I’d say that when comparing the two lists, I’d typically let objects that I see everyday fade in the background to the point where I forget they were there until they left. By going through this activity, I took a small moment out of my daily routine to look around and really notice my surroundings and see how they’ve changed or stayed the same since I’ve last paid attention to it. It’s these little moments in life that create reflection and fill me with gratitude for the things we have now. I would definitely say that appreciating the small things that I wouldn’t normally bother sparing a second glance to is a comforting form of mediation that lends credence to Epicureanism philosophy.
Following my week as an Epicurean, I’d say that while there are some true benefits in following this belief, I can’t help but lean more toward the Stoic philosophy (which I practiced first). My own beliefs and perspective of life align closely with that of Stoicism because the implementation of self-discipline and faith in fellowship are virtues I highly value. Of course, both stoicism and Epicureanism preach for the same simple, good life, yet they diverge in how to get there. While a Stoic is about balancing yourself with nature, an Epicurean will believe in living in the moment and meeting your necessary needs in a manner that will leave you content and without more want. Overall, I would try the experience of being an Epicurean once more if given the opportunity because of the moments of gratitude and positive outlook on life one receives.
