Jump to content
GritCult.com

Marcus Aurelius

Wikipedia
From the GritCult Wiki, the free encyclopedia

This article is about GritCult's view of Marcus Aurelius. For a general overview, see Marcus Aurelius on Wikipedia.

Marcus Aurelius
In the archive
PortalThe Philosophers
Posts64
Retweets265
Likes1,492
First post21 January 2018
Latest post28 May 2026
Posts by year
201821
201918
20203
202110
20226
20232
20241
20263
Related

Marcus Aurelius is GritCult's model of discipline under pressure. Emperor of Rome, fighting a plague, writing notes to himself in a tent surrounded by death. Proof that a man can hold the highest power on earth and still answer only to his own conscience, and that philosophy isn't soft but the operating manual for a hard life lived well.

Views

The line GritCult prescribes for every single morning: "the impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." [1] Aurelius didn't write that from a nice office with a coffee. He wrote it leading an empire and fighting a plague, from a tent in the middle of a war surrounded by death [2]. That, for GritCult, is why it lands: the obstacle isn't the detour, it IS the path, to be walked through rather than prayed away.

The whole thing is anti-comfort. "You could be good today, but instead you choose tomorrow." [3] He posted the line bare in 2022 and let the diagnosis speak for itself. And the cure is just as simple: "waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." [4] No thread needed, no guru reselling it in a new flavour; the point is simply to be one. Aurelius teaches the retreat inward: there's nowhere more peaceful than a person's own mind, so that retreat is to be taken constantly, for renewal [5]. And death is a tool to be used: think of oneself as already dead, then take what's left and live it properly [6].

GritCult is not blind to him, though. In a 2019 reply he notes that being stoic makes it easier to kill, and points to Aurelius' drive to expand the empire and his hatred of Christians [7]. Nor does he let the emperor stand as an argument for monarchy: wanting a king is myopic, because for every Aurelius there are ten Commoduses [8], and he would rather see power balanced across several institutions.

Recurring themes

  • obstacle is the way
  • be good now, not tomorrow
  • memento mori as fuel
  • the retreat into one's own mind
  • anti-guru, just do it
  • critique: killing, empire and monarchy

Notable post

The most retweeted GritCult post on the subject, with 40 retweets:

"YOU COULD BE GOOD TODAY, BUT INSTEAD YOU CHOOSE TOMORROW." - MARCUS AURELIUS
GRITCULT on X, 22 September 2022

Selected posts

All 64 posts in the archive about Marcus Aurelius, ranked by retweets. Select a column heading to sort.

DateRetweetsLikesPostMediaSource
22 September 202240189"YOU COULD BE GOOD TODAY, BUT INSTEAD YOU CHOOSE TOMORROW." - MARCUS AURELIUSView
21 January 20182374the reminder of death is a tool ! use it.
"Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left and live it properly. Use the surplus that is left to you to live from this time onward according to nature." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7.56		View
28 May 202619204"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."

- Marcus Aurelius

the simplest advice that nobody follows.		View
27 February 202619175Marcus Aurelius said "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."

he wrote this while leading an empire and fighting a plague. not from a nice office with a coffee. from a tent in the middle of a war surrounded by death.

your obstacle is…		View
16 May 202616149"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."

- Marcus Aurelius

read this every single morning.		View
14 June 20221344"PEOPLE LOOK FOR RETREATS FOR THEMSELVES, IN THE COUNTRY, BY THE COAST, OR IN THE HILLS...THERE IS NOWHERE THAT A PERSON CAN FIND A MORE PEACEFUL AND TROUBLE-FREE RETREAT THAN IN HIS OWN MIND...SO CONSTANTLY GIVE YOURSELF THIS RETREAT, AND RENEW YOURSELF." - MARCUS AURELIUSView
5 August 20211232IF IT IS NOT RIGHT DO NOT DO IT; IF IT IS NOT TRUE DO NOT SAY IT. - MARCUS AURELIUSView
24 April 20191127“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be.

Be one.”

- Ol' Marcus Aurelius.		View
29 January 2019953Publication launch. Accepting posts and posters.

Modus Operandi : Meditations & Observations : Obscure & Orthogonal Ideas & Analysis.		View
31 July 2022940"IF SOMEONE IS ABLE TO SHOW ME THAT WHAT I THINK OR DO IS NOT RIGHT, I WILL HAPPILY CHANGE, FOR I SEEK THE TRUTH, BY WHICH NO ONE WAS EVER TRULY HARMED. IT IS THE PERSON WHO CONTINUES IN HIS SELF-DECEPTION AND IGNORANCE WHO IS HARMED." - MARCUS AURELIUSView
2 February 20199192nd join piece of Meditations & Observations (M&O) with @CrownedCaribou

On : AI: An uncanny Golem of those who hate Life. Their messiah and their vengeance

technological horror...		View
12 July 2021849IF IT IS NOT RIGHT DO NOT DO IT; IF IT IS NOT TRUE DO NOT SAY IT. - MARCUS AURELIUSView
14 April 2021743WHEN YOU ARISE IN THE MORNING, THINK OF WHAT A PRECIOUS PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE ALIVE, TO BREATHE, TO THINK, TO ENJOY, TO LOVE. - MARCUS AURELIUSView
27 April 2018737“Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” – Marcus AureliusView
17 September 2021516"IT’S SILLY TO TRY TO ESCAPE OTHER PEOPLE’S FAULTS. THEY ARE INESCAPABLE. JUST TRY TO ESCAPE YOUR OWN." - MARCUS AURELIUSView
10 November 201956@tomxhart Being stoic makes it easier to kill and commit acts that would break those susceptible to emotions.

You also should mention Marcus Aurelius’ drive for expansion of empire. And his hatred of Christians.

See also : warrior monks.		View
5 July 2021434WHEN YOU ARISE IN THE MORNING, THINK OF WHAT A PRECIOUS PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE ALIVE, TO BREATHE, TO THINK, TO ENJOY, TO LOVE. - MARCUS AURELIUSView
13 March 2019420@tellquint “Meditations & Observations: MY TOP 3 BOOKS OF 2018, review and recommendation.” by GRITCULT.View
2 February 2019411124th thread : on Meditations & Observation: (M&O:) pieces

Obscure, orthogonal insight.
High idea density.

No more incoherent ramblings.
Quick idea(memetic) prototyping.
Readers get access to interesting ideas quick. Idea makers get feedback.		View
6 July 201849Doing the right thing isn’t free.
Doing the right thing might even cost you everything.

As Marcus Aurelius reminded himself:

“Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn’t matter. Cold or warm. Tired or well-rested. Despised or honored.”		View
2 February 2019491st joint piece @mythoughtfood with Meditations & Observations.

WHY YOU NEED GRIP STRENGTH TRAINING : In promotion for his upcoming book Head To Toe via the online school of exercise :		View
1 May 2022321"PEOPLE LOOK FOR RETREATS FOR THEMSELVES, IN THE COUNTRY, BY THE COAST, OR IN THE HILLS...THERE IS NOWHERE THAT A PERSON CAN FIND A MORE PEACEFUL AND TROUBLE-FREE RETREAT THAN IN HIS OWN MIND...SO CONSTANTLY GIVE YOURSELF THIS RETREAT, AND RENEW YOURSELF." - MARCUS AURELIUSView
11 December 2019311A THREAD collection of various and disjointed meditations.View
19 December 2021221IT IS NOT DEATH THAT A MAN SHOULD FEAR, BUT RATHER NEVER BEGINNING TO LIVE. MARCUS AURELIUSView
17 May 2023216"THE TRANQUILITY THAT COMES WHEN YOU STOP CARING WHAT THEY SAY. OR THINK, OR DO. ONLY WHAT YOU DO." - MARCUS AURELIUSView
24 February 2022215“YOU ARE A LITTLE SOUL CARRYING ABOUT A CORPSE, AS EPICTETUS USED TO SAY ” ― MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONSView
31 January 201929Shower thought : 29th Jan :

Modern world : a tweet is considered short form.
A blog or essay is too long.

No viable middle ground for orthogonal insight. Niche potential. High idea density content

Later that day :
Meditations & Observations.		View
18 August 201827"Indifference to external events. And a commitment to justice in your own acts."

-Marcus Aurelius		View
25 February 201927@Mangan150 One of three books I recommended here. “Meditations & Observations: MY TOP 3 BOOKS OF 2018, review and recommendation.” by GRITCULT.

Can't sing it's praise enough		View
24 June 202022I just published Meditations & Observations: TOP 3 BOOKS OF 2019: Recommendations.View
6 November 201821Concentrate on what you have to do. Fix your eyes on it.
- Marcus Aurelius.		View
3 January 2019115Review of 2018.

“Meditations & Observations on : My 2018.” by @GRITCULT.

From my newsletter
:

Goals for 2019 : Move the needle.		View
22 April 2021115IT IS A SHAMEFUL THING FOR THE SOUL TO FAINT WHILE THE BODY STILL PERSEVERES. - MARCUS AURELIUSView
18 April 2023113“YOU ARE A LITTLE SOUL CARRYING ABOUT A CORPSE, AS EPICTETUS USED TO SAY ” ― MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONSView
18 August 201817internalising that ought to remain external is a problem

problem manifests in victim ideologies and unhappiness

cultivate indifference.

“To live a good life: We have the potential for it. If we can learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.”
- Marcus Aurelius		View
12 June 201917You'd think so.

But cthulu swims left.

Commodus was only one generation after Aurelius.

Also begs the question of what is societal rationality.

Are social norms consistent along time ?

There have been plenty of cannibal based societies.		View
3 June 202217I believe in the balancing of power via multiple institutions. But wanting to be a bootlicker like moldbug or monarchists is just so myopic. For every Aurelius there are 10 commodus’View
31 August 201815youll see "gurus"

reiterate the most common insights and regurgitated into a new flavour, with their own corny catchphrases

good for sales
bad for idea nutrition

very tiring, very boring

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."
- Marcus Aurelius		View
2 October 201815103rd thread : meditations and observations on:
The info/ideosphere
The noosphere
And the attention economy

The medium of which is Twitter.

Attention economy guide.

Includes graphs and quotes.		View
2 January 202014@nosilverv fair enough, maybe give my last years top 3 book reccs a RT
"Meditations & Observations: MY TOP 3 BOOKS OF 2018, review and recommendation.

i cannot apologise for what i am, i contain multitudes and depths.		View
12 December 202114"IF WE JUDGE AS GOOD AND EVIL ONLY THE THINGS IN THE POWER OF OUR OWN CHOICE, THEN THERE IS NO ROOM LEFT FOR BLAMING GODS OR BEING HOSTILE TO OTHERS" - MARCUS AURELIUSView
7 August 201812want to see a political policy that needs to be implemented but wont ever

my arguments and meditations on why corporations as currently backed by governments will be made redundant and rightly so		View
23 February 2019010The post in reference.

“Meditations & Observations on : My 2018.” by @GRITCULT.		View
2 March 202106MEDITATIONS ON USER JOURNEYS

IF IT REQUIRES "ONBOARDING"

THE USER JOURNEY IS SHIT AND NEEDS WORK.		View
17 April 201805“Make sure you’re not made ‘Emperor,’ avoid that imperial stain. It can happen to you, so keep yourself simple, good, pure, saintly, plain, a friend of justice, god- fearing, gracious, affectionate, and strong for your proper work" — Marcus AureliusView
22 June 201805"Death is a tool, use it!" - Zh (my own quotes baby)

"Think of yourself as dead." -Marcus Meditations, 7.56		View
31 October 201804111th thread : meditations & observations : on the term "fascism" and how it is used in debate and discussion and the true intentions of those that loosely throw around words.View
2 June 2020041 rt thread on meditations on death

cc: @GRITCULTthreads		View
22 July 201803From Marcus Aurelius to CommodusView
31 October 201803112th thread : meditations & observations : part of challenge your assumptions series : on democracy,

how deeply have you thought about it?

many accept and do not question. thinking is a skill, it needs practice to entertain notions and stay objective		View
12 December 201803@MrRCMcLendon @punknomad Good read.
.I tried to think about this in a similar light

But the problem with good kings is that they do not always lead to good heirs.

Aurelius and Commodus being my favourite example, gross extremities of both virtue and selfishness.		View
22 June 202103- MARCUS AURELIUS …View
4 April 201802"Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself." Marcus AureliusView
27 April 201802seeing some claim stoicism is only a mitigation of downsides not up

but also success and material wealth, one must be cautious of

how often have we seen hubris before the fall - corruption

“To accept it without arrogance, to let it go with indifference.” - Marcus Aurelius		View
9 October 201802but if i dont play, i dont win, but i win in the power dynamic

or do i let it starve to show it who is boss

was marcus aurelius a greater troll than Shakespeare ?

shower thought :		View
14 February 201902@Orthogonal_MO

Modus Operandi :: M&O: : Meditations & Observations .::. Obscure :: Orthogonal Ideas & Analysis. .:|:.

It's good right 🤣🤣		View
12 August 201801@MrCasstles victor von doom (marvel)
Ozymandias (watchmen)
picard (trek)
Lex Luthor (DC)
newton
aurelius/seneca
Aristotle
Cromwell (both)

father (diligence)
maternal uncle (religiosity)
business mentors, i worked for (creative/first principles)
karate sensei (discipline/confidence)		View
25 January 201901@PJM_Says @NOMADCULT I signed up to the military.

Had to rethink it. I'm currently postponed

Will join if certain plans fail..
See:
“Meditations & Observations on : My 2018.” by GRITCULT.

As a commitment it's very different to how it *seems*		View
25 December 201901Read my 2018 Christmas day letter as I write up my 2019 Christmas Day letter.

Meditations & Observations : First & Last Newsletter of 2018 by @GRITCULT		View
4 November 202401@chrisJcsgo For every Marcus Aurelius. There is a Nero.

A better system can emerge without over reliance on bureaucracy and laws		View
30 April 201800my current meditations by marcus aurealius is a very old translation(50+years before i was born)(cool antique tho), and im struggling to digest it, anyone have a link for a modern translation.View
30 April 201800lmao its actually the first translation of meditations into english, by Méric Casaubon. he died 1671....View
6 February 201900@wrjnyc Done this before

I'm waiting for another render right now

Why I also made ,Modus Operandi : Meditations & Observations : Obscure & Orthogonal Ideas & Analysis.		View
20 September 201900@qubit_entangled Have you read any stoicism?

It’s a good place to start

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius		View

History

GritCult first posted about Marcus Aurelius on 21 January 2018, and most recently on 28 May 2026. Across the archive the subject comes up 64 times, most often in 2018 (21 posts).

See also

The Philosophers portal

References

  1. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (16 May 2026). The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way. X.
  2. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (27 February 2026). he wrote this while leading an empire and fighting a plague. not from a nice office with a coffee. from a tent in the middle of a war surrounded by death. X.
  3. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (22 September 2022). YOU COULD BE GOOD TODAY, BUT INSTEAD YOU CHOOSE TOMORROW. X.
  4. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (28 May 2026). Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one. X.
  5. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (14 June 2022). THERE IS NOWHERE THAT A PERSON CAN FIND A MORE PEACEFUL AND TROUBLE-FREE RETREAT THAN IN HIS OWN MIND...SO CONSTANTLY GIVE YOURSELF THIS RETREAT, AND RENEW YOURSELF. X.
  6. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (21 January 2018). the reminder of death is a tool ! use it... Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what's left and live it properly. X.
  7. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (10 November 2019). Being stoic makes it easier to kill... his hatred of Christians. X.
  8. ^GRITCULT [@GRITCULT] (3 June 2022). For every Aurelius there are 10 commodus’. X.
Categories: