Best Way to Introduce Teachings?

Memes and Graphics:

http://societyofepicurus.com/shareable-epicurean-memes/

These are very simple, great for social media, and summarize Epicureanism well. However, I am not sure how much interest they generate nor how much depth they carry. How well are these working and how are we using them?

Other memes more directly connected to sources seem to be too in-depth or too strong for introductions.

Catius' Cat: https://epicureanfriends.com/houseofcatius/

These are fun and correlate strongly with sources. They seem great for Epicureans to teach their children (a very useful niche!), but I am not sure how effective they would be for other purposes.

Forums: FAQ Answers And Discussion

There are some excellent links and discussions here, but they are either not very compiled/organized/accessible or seem to be at an intermediate level. One would need a decent amount of interest already to dive through threads to learn.

NewEpicurean.com: https://newepicurean.com/

This is a fantastic resource for those serious about learning about Epicureanism. Not so great for first introductions, other than the motivation and knowledge reading the original sources can give.

Dense Writings: http://societyofepicurus.com/writings/

Education:

Self-Guided Study: http://societyofepicurus.com/self-guided-study-curriculum/

Courses: https://epicuruscollege.com/

A month ago, my cat, Magni, vented about some roommate of his yet again to another feline - which is strange since I do not know of anyone who shares his room with him (excluding myself, of course).

Magni complains his roommate does not respect his privacy.

This creep periodically checks his food and water for no apparent reason - and sometimes even goes so far as to mess with it!

Magni does not even want to know why his roommate keeps peeking at his personal litterbox....

He also grumbles about how this roommate does not respect his property.

So many times, the roommate has borrowed a dead mouse of his. Even after months, Magni has yet to get a single mouse back. When confronting him about it, his roommate always changes the subject: "Aww, that's such a cute meow you have!", he says, or "Did you want a treat, Little Prettypaws?".

Not to mention, his roommate occasionally rearranges Magni's cat toys. He tries to excuse this behavior by saying my cat will enjoy them more if they are switched out or moved. Pff, as if Magni wanted his favorite ball taken from the closet floor, where Magni rolled it under and stored it so neatly, and thrown randomly into the hall.

Perhaps worst of all, this lousy roommate has no concept of personal space.

Magni does not know how many countless times his roommate has randomly - and viciously - hugged him without warning.

However, things got better.

Magni is proud to report the roommate left about a month ago. Strangely, around the time the new college semester started, the creepy roommate whom I oddly seem to have never met left for another state.

Reflecting over why my cat was upset, it is clear he was not angry with this roommate, he was angry with the assumptions he made about what the roommate was doing.

My cat doesn't know why the roommate repeatedly checked his food and water, but whatever reason he had, it was strong enough in his mind to warrant doing it. Perhaps the decision was based on poor reasoning. Perhaps it was supported by great good reasons my cat is unaware of.

Instead of becoming irritated with roommates or anyone around us, stop to consider: why might they have done that action?

There may be something you do not understand about the situation or the offense may have been unintentional. If so, then anger over the action is unhelpful and perhaps even harmful.

If someone does make a poor decision, remember, no one wants to choose poorly.

Often, one makes a bad choice when they feel an overwhelming urge it will make things better (even if only temporarily) or experiences weakness or a lapse in judgment.

Whatever the cause, they chose poorly since, at the time, something made them feel it was a good decision.

Sources:

He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side; if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion. . . . He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. He must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form

John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, Chapter 2

Those who desire virtue for its own sake, desire it either because the consciousness of it is a pleasure, or because the consciousness of being without it is a pain, or for both reasons united; as in truth the pleasure and pain seldom exist separately, but almost always together, the same person feeling pleasure in the degree of virtue attained, and pain in not having attained more. If one of these gave him no pleasure, and the other no pain, he would not love or desire virtue, or would desire it only for the other benefits which it might produce to himself or to persons whom he cared for

Utilitarianism, Chapter 4

John Stuart Mill

The man who best knows how to meet external threats makes into one family all the creatures he can; and those he can not, he at any rate does not treat as aliens; and where he finds even this impossible, he avoids all dealings, and, so far as is advantageous, excludes them from his life.

Epicurus, Principal Doctrines, 39

No one chooses a thing seeing that it is evil; but being lured by it when it appears good in comparison to a greater evil, he is caught.

Epicurus, Vatican Sayings, 16

many who are capable of the higher pleasures, occasionally, under the influence of temptation, postpone them to the lower. But this is quite compatible with a full appreciation of the intrinsic superiority of the higher. Men often, from infirmity of character, make their election for the nearer good, though they know it to be the less valuable; and this no less when the choice is between two bodily pleasures, than when it is between bodily and mental. They pursue sensual indulgences to the injury of health, though perfectly aware that health is the greater good.

John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism, Chapter 2

As a computer science major, I understand how difficult interpreting error messages is. For example, my computer once said, "Error: Need more memory".

I replied, "But you remember things just fine! See, you even remember those files I copied over and forgot about fifteen years ago. Besides, the doctor is absolutely sure you don't have memory problems, even to the point where he said to stop calling entirely. The MRI scans did not show anything wrong either. Well, at first, I mean.... Before the magnets kind of, uhm...."

"Error: User incompetence. Need more space."

"You cannot share your room with the other computers? I guess it is a little crowded, with a printer, a router, and two other-"

"Error: User incompetence. Need more virtual space."

"Oh, I get it! You need some fresh air, don't you? Why don't you spend some time outside in the rain? With your pet ram? Before the zoo takes it away?"

"Error: User incompetence."

"You seem to get that error a lot."

Eventually, I solved that error. It took many days and countless hours, but once the AI pointed out the solution the sixth time, I discovered I could gain space by uninstalling the AI - thus solving the problem forever.

It just goes to show you any problem may be solved with thinking and hard work.

Sometimes, solving a problem may require a perspective or skills one does not have. Without that AI, I never would have thought to nor figured out how to uninstall it. Getting help and helping others may make everyone happier.

Other times, a problem simply needs more time and effort - the solution is clear, but one has to apply a strong work ethic to reach it.

If something frequently bothers you in life, whether it be a roommate, a computer complaining of user incompetence, a missing talent, or even yourself, seek to improve the situation. Although difficult, it will lead to a happier and better life over time.

Sources:

All the grand sources, in short, of human suffering are in a great degree, many of them almost entirely, conquerable by human care and effort; and though their removal is grievously slow- though a long succession of generations will perish in the breach before the conquest is completed

John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism, Chapter 2

The wise man holds that friendship is first brought about due to practical need, just as we sow the earth for crops, but it is formed and maintained by means of a community of life among those who find mutual pleasure in it.

Epicurus, Sayings about the Wise Man, 41

Of our desires some are natural and necessary, others are natural but not necessary; and others are neither natural nor necessary, but are due to groundless opinion.

Epicurus, Principal Doctrines, 29 ; Vatican Sayings, 20

Long-term Happiness (Hedonism)

No pleasure is a bad thing in itself, but the things which produce certain pleasures entail disturbances many times greater than the pleasures themselves.

Principal Doctrines, 8 ; Vatican Sayings, 50

Pleasure is our first and kindred good. It is the starting-point of every choice and of every aversion, and to it we come back, inasmuch as we make feeling the rule by which to judge of every good thing.

Letter to Menoeceus

Beauty and virtue and such are worthy of honor, if they bring joy; but if not then bid them farewell!

Selected Fragments, 70

Friendship

Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.

Principal Doctrines, 27

Every friendship in itself is to be desired; but the initial cause of friendship is from its advantages.

Vatican Sayings, 23

We do not so much need the help of our friends as we do the confidence of their help in need.

Vatican Sayings, 34

The man who best knows how to meet external threats makes into one family all the creatures he can; and those he can not, he at any rate does not treat as aliens; and where he finds even this impossible, he avoids all dealings, and, so far as is advantageous, excludes them from his life.

Principal Doctrines, 39

We show our feeling for our friends' suffering, not with laments, but with thoughtful concern.

Sayings about the Wise Man, 41

Nature

If you do not on every occasion refer each of your actions to the ultimate end prescribed by nature, but instead of this in the act of choice or avoidance turn to some other end, your actions will not be consistent with your theories.

Principal Doctrines, 25

The wealth required by nature is limited and is easy to procure; but the wealth required by vain ideals extends to infinity.

Principal Doctrines, 15 ; Vatican Sayings, 8

Insofar as you forget nature, you will find yourself in trouble and create for yourself endless fears and desires.

Selected Fragments, 203

All desires that do not lead to pain when they remain unsatisfied are unnecessary, but the desire is easily got rid of, when the thing desired is difficult to obtain or the desires seem likely to produce harm.

Principal Doctrines, 26

Don't think it unnatural that when the body cries out, the soul cries also. The body says don't be hungry, don't be thirsty, don't be cold. It is difficult for the soul to prevent these cries, and dangerous for it to ignore the commands of nature because of attachment to its usual independence.

Selected Fragments, 200

Physics

If we had never been troubled by celestial and atmospheric phenomena, nor by fears about death, nor by our ignorance of the limits of pains and desires, we should have had no need of natural science.

Principal Doctrines, 11

nothing is created out of that which does not exist: for if it were, everything would be created out of everything with no need of seeds. And again, if that which disappears were destroyed into that which did not exist, all things would have perished, since that into which they were dissolved would not exist.

Letter to Herodotus

Only superstition must be excluded, as it will, if one successfully follows the lead of seen phenomena [nature] to gain indications about the invisible.

Letter to Pythocles

It is impossible for someone to dispel his fears about the most important matters if he doesn't know the nature of the universe but still gives some credence to myths. So without the study of nature there is no enjoyment of pure pleasure.

Principal Doctrines, 12 ; Vatican Sayings, 49

the universe is bodies and space: for that bodies exist, sense itself witnesses in the experience of all men, and in accordance with the evidence of sense we must of necessity judge of the imperceptible by reasoning

Letter to Herodotus

For every quality changes; but the atoms do not change at all, since there must needs be something which remains solid and indissoluble at the dissolution of compounds, which can cause changes; not changes into the nonexistent or from the non-existent, but changes effected by the shifting of position of some particles, and by the addition or departure of others.

Letter to Herodotus

Superstition & Fear

Dreams have neither a divine nature nor a prophetic power, but they are the result of images that impact on us.

Vatican Sayings, 24

Prophecy is impossible, but even if it were possible we would consider what transpires as meaningless to us.

Selected Fragments, 27

The signs of the weather which are given by certain animals result from mere coincidence of occasion. For the animals do not exert any compulsion for winter to come to an end, nor is there some divine nature which sits and watches the outgoings of these animals and then fulfills the signs they give.

Letter to Pythocles

Death is nothing to us; for that which has been dissolved into its elements experiences no sensations, and that which has no sensation is nothing to us.

Principal Doctrines, 2 ; Vatican Sayings, 2

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