Today I thought to talk a bit about stoicism, but before I begin to do so, I would like to offer a heartfelt thank you and shout out to everyone who contributed both with music and with financial contributions.
I have ordered a microphone, so it will hopefully arrive any day now, and then it will start the project of Swedish history.
So again, thank you for that.
Now, I got this fine tome of knowledge from my lovely wife because she knows I'm a great fan of the Arthurian myth.
And it's called Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and it's a poem from the Middle Ages.
I have made a video about the Green Knight with my friend Survive the Jaiba.
I will link it in the description box below as well, so you can hear his take on it.
But basically, what the story is about is a challenge being offered by the Green Knight.
He comes to the court of King Arthur and offers a challenge.
Only Sir Gawain has the courage to take up the challenge.
And basically, Sir Gawain can aim a blow with a sword at the Green Knight and he decapitates him.
The Green Knight doesn't die, but he takes up his head and rides off with his head, but survives.
And the challenge is that he, in turn, the Green Knight, can decapitate Sir Gawain the coming year.
And I will spoil the story, but he doesn't decapitate Sir Gawain, but he only nicks him in the neck, so it has a happy ending.
But I thought to read out two quotes from this book.
First and foremost, just an epic description of the Green Knight, because yeah, it's epic.
And then to the stoic quote, which is the main reason for making this video.
And also another note when I read these sort of things, I'm always on the lookout for epic quotes to motivate you all with and motivate myself with.
And also about the Green Knight, which I say in my previous video, the first time I got acquainted with the Green Knight was actually via Warhammer Fantasy, because the faction Britonia, which is basically somewhat based upon French Middle Ages and Arthurian legend, they have a character called the Green Knight also.
So if you have played either the tabletop game or Warhammer Total War, you might be familiar with the Green Knights.
Either way, I think it's a really cool character.
But here is how he's being described in this poem.
Anyway, I can say he was the mightiest of men and astride his horse a handsome knight as well.
But if he was broad of back and chest, his build mid-body was elegantly slender.
His face befitting his form, his bold lineaments cut clean.
But the view of his every feature stunned them, as could be seen.
Not only was this creature colossal, he was bright green.
And it's supposed to rhyme there as well because yeah, it's a poem.
But on to the main quote, I just wanted to quote that because it was epic.
So this is, in my view at least, in my humble opinion, a somewhat stoic quote.
So Gawain knows he will probably die the coming year because he will get the Green Knight will get a free shot at his neck basically.
So he says in a conversation, he says, Gawain put on a good chair.
Why should I hesitate?
He said, kind or severe, we must engage our fate.
And this goes into not a fatalistic mindset perhaps, but a mindset which approaches life, approaches any circumstance in a way that it is what it is.
The world looks the way it does.
It doesn't matter if you fall into despair, it won't change anything, it won't make anything better.
And the first time I got acquainted with stoicism was actually in the army.
An introductory speech by a major he said, get familiar with this mindset because there will come a lot of times where you are tired, hungry, you're cold, etc.
You are in a position which is not comfortable.
It is not comfortable at all, but it will certainly not be more comfortable if you actively think about it.
So, the best way to approach these uncomfortable situations, if you are tired, cold, hungry, wet, out in military exercise, for example, it doesn't get better if you think about it.
So, just accept it for what it is.
It's supposed to be that way, it's supposed to be in a certain way.
It's nothing you can change.
You can't change the weather.
You can make certain endeavors to get warmer.
You can do push-ups, for example, these sort of things, but the things you can't change, don't focus all too much about it.
And that's also a key principle of stoicism: focus on the things you can change.
If you can't change something, don't fret overly much about it.
Focus on the things you can change and do it to the best of your ability.
But for things such as the weather or the state of other things, maybe you can change a little bit.
Do so.
But if you can't change the whole world by yourself, don't let it consume you.
And this is especially important now when we have a lot of guys in the West who are blackpilled because of political repressions, because of censorship, because of the great replacement and everything like that.
Do the things you can change.
Do the things you can do, but don't stress overly much about the things you can't change.
So approach your fate with good cheer, because kind or severe, you must accept it.
So, anyway, I thought to share that little perhaps motivating quote from this fine tome of knowledge right here.
So, anyway, thank you for watching and have a great rest of your day.
