Embrace death as a natural part of life from "summary" of How to Be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci
Death is a taboo subject in modern Western society. We avoid talking about it, thinking about it, or even acknowledging its existence. We act as if death is something we can simply ignore, as if it won't happen to us or to our loved ones. But the Stoics had a different approach to death. They saw it as an inevitable part of life, as natural as birth or growing old. The Stoics believed that death is not something to be feared or avoided. Instead, they thought of death as a natural process that should be accepted with equanimity. They taught that we should not be attached to life so much that we are afraid of losing it. We should live our lives fully, but always be prepared for the end. The Stoics practiced what they called "premeditatio malorum," or the premeditation of evils. This meant thinking about all the bad things that could happen to us, including death. By facing our fears head-on and con...
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