"If you suppose anything over which you have no control to be either good or bad for you, then the accident of missing the one or encountering the other is certain to make you aggrieved with the gods, and bitter against the men whom you know or suspect to be responsible for your failure or misfortune. We do, in fact, commit many injustices through attaching importance to things of this class. But when we limit our notions of good and evil strictly to what is within our own power, there remains no reason either to bring accusations against God or to set ourselves at variance with men."
It sucks that the quote has been taken out of context, which causes people to misinterpret what the author means by "responsibility." He makes a point of it--right around this quote, I believe. Responsibility doesn't mean you caused it. It just means it has become your "problem." He uses the example of a baby on your doorstep. Not your fault. You didn't put it there. But it's your responsibility now. Even if you don't want it, or if you ignore it and go about your day, you're still responsible for whether that baby lives or dies.
So you didn't cause all the shitty (or even good) things to happen in your life, but you are 100% responsible for how you respond to it. That's kinda why he used that word in the first place.
Have a mental disorder/cancer/destructive family member? Not your fault. Definitely your responsibility.
![image showing [Image] Advice from the book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck"](2eebacbc-5299-5022-a6a7-fc7766f8eff7_4IrCMlv.jpg)
Obliviousdragon on August 15th, 2017 at 04:59 UTC »
That's Marcus Aurelius..
"If you suppose anything over which you have no control to be either good or bad for you, then the accident of missing the one or encountering the other is certain to make you aggrieved with the gods, and bitter against the men whom you know or suspect to be responsible for your failure or misfortune. We do, in fact, commit many injustices through attaching importance to things of this class. But when we limit our notions of good and evil strictly to what is within our own power, there remains no reason either to bring accusations against God or to set ourselves at variance with men."
bruhImatwork on August 15th, 2017 at 05:36 UTC »
"Now I'm angry at myself for getting angry at myself. Fuck you wall. Here, have a fist"
markatroid on August 15th, 2017 at 07:02 UTC »
It sucks that the quote has been taken out of context, which causes people to misinterpret what the author means by "responsibility." He makes a point of it--right around this quote, I believe. Responsibility doesn't mean you caused it. It just means it has become your "problem." He uses the example of a baby on your doorstep. Not your fault. You didn't put it there. But it's your responsibility now. Even if you don't want it, or if you ignore it and go about your day, you're still responsible for whether that baby lives or dies.
So you didn't cause all the shitty (or even good) things to happen in your life, but you are 100% responsible for how you respond to it. That's kinda why he used that word in the first place.
Have a mental disorder/cancer/destructive family member? Not your fault. Definitely your responsibility.