Howie clearly has a visceral negative reaction to Marcus Aurelius's idea that all of human life is ultimately transient and therefore meaningless. This makes sense for Howie a character who is utterly focused on the minute details of daily life and how they effect and create the experiences which make us who we are. For him the elements of life which Aurelius finds transient and meaningless are highly meaningful and so to have someone tell him to reject these things is galling.
It is interesting to me that immediately after reading the quote and reacting passionately Howie mentions that it is easy to resist such stoicism when eating cookies on a park bench in a rather pleasant plaza. In his mind he is witness to the evidence which counters Aurelius's claims. He is present to any number of objects which he could think about and determine the ways in which they were designed and the ways in which they effect him to produce his experiences. He sees depth in a life which Aurelius would view unsatisfying and materialistic.
1 comment:
Aurelius would have viewed it as unsatisfying and materialistic? I'm of the opinion that Aurelius would have been as delighted as Howie, had he had access to chocolate-chip cookies. Alas that he was born outside of the joy that is the modern age.
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