Aga Aquino

“Stop talking about what a good man is, be one.” – Marcus Aurelius

  • To An Audience of None

    To An Audience of None

    I often struggle with keeping my composure on matters that I value greatly, lately it’s about frugality and financial literacy. Social media is bombarded with examples of people doing the opposite or demonstrating acts that are contrary to what I deem to be correct. In some perspectives, perhaps, I could be considered preachy and arrogant. Read more

  • Aretḗ

    Aretḗ

    I would like a longer title, but this should suffice. Because the point is aretḗ, as the ancient people say, but is roughly translated to the expression of excellence. I have been contemplating this idea for years, ever since my studies on Stoicism began. But I have never really practiced it completely. I would like Read more

  • Don’t Be Afraid of Dying, but Rather of Not Living

    Don’t Be Afraid of Dying, but Rather of Not Living

    You can be alive but not living. Is it a weird idea? They seem to contradict each other, but as a matter of fact, I meet a lot of people who are not living, I could even say that I was one of them at one point. But with so many people not living, I Read more

  • Take All Things As They Are

    Take All Things As They Are

    Marcus Aurelius reminded to himself: Never value anything as profitable to thyself which shall compel thee to break thy promise, to lose thy self-respect, to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite, to desire anything which needs walls and curtains: for he who has preferred to everything intelligence and daemon and Read more

  • I went home to find myself, and found someone else

    I went home to find myself, and found someone else

    For a long time, I felt lost, unsure of what happiness truly meant and what truly mattered in life. It wasn’t until a few years ago, during the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, that I experienced a profound moment of self-realization—one that began with an unexpected encounter with my own reflection. Facing Myself During Read more

  • Value the Little Victories

    Value the Little Victories

    So I passed week one of CS50 today, that means I am a few weeks away from certification and just a few steps from reaching my dream to work in tech. But if you dear reader have read my blog from last year, I actually started CS50 this time last year and never got around Read more

Keeping Up the Sunny Side

Stoicism is not being Apathetic

Considering that these days we choose to have things be defined for one reason or another, putting the label of apathy on Stoicism is simply just inaccurate.

Marcus Aurelius has documented well in his meditations how he would go through so much emotion in different parts of his life, how he took pleasures in the little things and how much he grieved for great losses. He was everything but lacking of emotion. But through the good and bad, he took them simply for what they are, fleeting moments in the river of time. He cherished the idea of now, he learned from the past, and he prepared for the future, to make the most of life for what it is, and drive away the darkness of nihilism.

This blog is about Stoicism, and about driving away Nihilistic thoughts. And I welcome you to share in my journey.

Hi! I’m a Blogger, Photographer and Hobbyist.

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