War is Hell
Finding Peace in an Age of Endless Conflict
I was scrolling through the news last week and holy shit, what is happening? The latest escalation between Israel and Iran, the ongoing conflicts that seem to spring up every other week, the constant drumbeat of military spending and intervention—it never stops. And here I am, trying to build a brand and focus on personal growth while the world burns around me.
At some point, this has to end. But what if it doesn't?
The Philosopher-Emperor's Dilemma
Nearly two thousand years ago, Marcus Aurelius faced the same contradiction that's eating at me today. Here was a man known as the Philosopher King, someone who literally wrote the book on inner peace and rational thinking. Yet he spent most of his reign managing brutal conflicts across the Roman Empire's borders.
Meditations—that masterpiece of Stoic philosophy we all quote when we need to "focus on what we can control"—was actually written in military tents between battles. Marcus would finish dealing with Germanic tribes trying to overrun his territory, then sit down by candlelight to write about accepting what you cannot change.
The irony is almost too perfect. The same guy telling us to find inner tranquility was simultaneously orchestrating military campaigns that determined the fate of millions. He understood something we're still grappling with: sometimes the world forces your hand, even when your principles say otherwise.
The American Empire's Endless March
The United States has been at war for 93% of its existence. Think about that for a second. We've normalized conflict to the point where peace feels like the exception, not the rule. Twenty years in Afghanistan. Multiple interventions in Iraq. Proxy wars, drone strikes, military bases on every continent except Antarctica (For now).
We're so used to it that election cycles barely touch on foreign policy anymore. It doesn't matter which party wins—the machine keeps running. We fund conflicts, sometimes on both sides. We maintain an empire that Marcus Aurelius would recognize, complete with the same defensive justifications he used for his own campaigns.
But here's what really gets me: even if you're philosophically opposed to all of this, even if you vote accordingly, even if you try to opt out mentally—you're still paying for it. Your tax dollars, your inflated cost of living, your economic uncertainty—it's all connected to this endless cycle of conflict.
When Personal Philosophy Meets Political Reality
I've shifted pretty hard toward libertarian thinking over the years. The idea of voluntary interactions, self-ownership, minimal government interference—it all makes sense to me in theory. But try explaining voluntary exchange to someone whose neighborhood just got drone-striked, or whose job disappeared because of sanctions, or whose retirement savings evaporated due to inflation.
The Stoic in me wants to say, "Focus on what you can control. Build your business. Take care of your family. Let the politicians play their games." But that's easier said than done when those games directly impact your ability to do any of those things.
This is where the rubber meets the road with Stoic philosophy. It's one thing to accept that you can't control the weather. It's another thing entirely to accept that you can't control whether your country decides to spend trillions on conflicts that may or may not serve any legitimate purpose.
The Cost of Constant Crisis
What really bothers me is how this constant state of low-level crisis has rewired our expectations. We check the news expecting bad news. We plan our finances around uncertainty. We make major life decisions with the assumption that everything could change overnight.
And maybe that's always been true—maybe previous generations just had the luxury of ignorance. But social media and 24/7 news cycles mean we're constantly aware of every conflict, every escalation, every threat to global stability. It's exhausting.
The cost isn't just financial. It's psychological, social, spiritual. How do you plan for the future when the future feels so uncertain? How do you focus on personal growth when global destruction feels imminent? How do you raise kids in a world that seems increasingly chaotic?
What Marcus Aurelius Would Do (And What We Can Actually Do)
Here's what I think Marcus would tell us: the external chaos doesn't change your internal responsibilities. You still have to get up in the morning. You still have to treat people with dignity. You still have to do good work and try to leave things better than you found them.
But—and this is crucial—he wouldn't tell us to ignore reality. Marcus engaged with the political and military challenges of his time because that was his role. He didn't retreat into philosophical detachment.
For us, that might mean:
Stay informed, but limit the noise. You need to understand what's happening, but you don't need to doom-scroll through every update and opinion.
Build resilience, not just wealth. Diversify your skills, your income, your social connections. Create buffers that can absorb shocks.
Focus on your sphere of influence. You may not be able to stop wars, but you can impact your community, your workplace, your family.
Prepare for uncertainty without being paralyzed by it. Save money, learn practical skills, maintain good relationships—but don't let preparation become your whole life.
Engage politically, but keep perspective. Vote if you want to, advocate, donate to causes you believe in. Just don't expect any single election or policy to solve everything.
The Long View
Maybe the real lesson from Marcus Aurelius isn't about achieving perfect inner peace despite external chaos. Maybe it's about accepting that life has always been uncertain, conflicts have always existed, and empires have always risen and fallen.
The difference between Marcus and us is that he accepted his role in the system while maintaining his philosophical principles. He didn't pretend the wars weren't happening, but he also didn't let them destroy his capacity for wisdom, justice, and virtue.
We're not emperors, but we're not powerless either. We can build businesses that create value. We can form relationships that provide stability. We can develop skills that make us useful regardless of what happens politically.
Most importantly, we can remember that even in the darkest times, people have found ways to live meaningful lives. They've fallen in love, raised families, created art, built communities, and pushed forward the boundaries of human knowledge and compassion.
War may be hell, but life goes on. And maybe that's the most Stoic truth of all: not that we can control everything, but that we can endure anything while remaining human.
The world will probably always be at war somewhere. The question isn't how to stop that—it's how to live a good life anyway.
Quote of the Day:
"You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." - Marcus Aurelius
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