The Daily Stoic: “In a World Gone Shallow, In a World Gone Lean | A Simple Way To Measure Our Days”

Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Ryan Holiday

Episode Overview

In this reflective episode, Ryan Holiday draws inspiration from Marcus Aurelius and the broader Stoic tradition to examine how we can resist the shallowness and chaos of the modern world. He offers a meditation on the value of daily intentionality, urging listeners to measure their days with purpose rather than succumbing to frenzy or superficiality. The episode centers on the enduring relevance of Stoic wisdom and guides listeners to seek meaning and patience, especially when confronting the “emptiness” of contemporary culture.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Stoic Loneliness and Modern Shallowness

Timestamp: 00:44–03:00

• Ryan describes Marcus Aurelius’ experience:
  Marcus was a lover of poetry, philosophy, and goodness, yet felt surrounded by people chasing violence, spectacle, and fleeting pleasures.
• Themes of weariness & disappointment: Marcus Aurelius writes about “the emptiness of bustling processions, the cruelty of the Colosseum, the superficiality of things people chased and coveted.”
• Resisting the Temptations of the Mob:
  Despite the world’s weariness, Marcus worked hard “not to let this weariness wear on him, not to let him make him angry and mean, or to give in to the temptations of the mob.”

“He worked hard not to let this weariness wear on him, not to let him make him angry and mean, or to give in to the temptations of the mob.” — Ryan Holiday (01:46)

2. Marcus Aurelius’ Strategies for Depth

Timestamp: 01:50–02:43

• Daily Rituals and Simplicity:
  Marcus would rise early to immerse himself in nature and ancient wisdom, seeking true simplicity “rooted in first principles.”
• Modeling Stoicism Today:
  The exhortation is to “resist [shallowness] without bitterness or despair, by being bright lights in a dark time.”

“As frustrating and disappointed as he sometimes got, he tried not to give up on people or let them, as he wrote, implicate him in their ugliness.” — Ryan Holiday (02:23)

3. Meditations as a Living Companion

Timestamp: 02:45–03:30

• The Book as Practice:
  “Marcus Aurelius Meditations is not meant to be another book on your shelf, but a constant companion in your own education, your own effort to resist the shallowness and chaos of modern life.”
• Tactile Connection and Tradition:
  Ryan discusses why he prefers a quality edition: “The weight of the leather, the quality of the pages… a deliberate counter to our disposable culture.”

“You're doing what Marcus did, stepping away from the noise, connecting to timeless wisdom, fortifying yourself for the day ahead.” — Ryan Holiday (03:06)

4. Measuring Our Days: The Stoic Ideal

Timestamp: 06:33–10:10

• Key Meditation:
  “This is the mark of perfection, of character... to spend each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, laziness or any pretending.” (Citing Meditations 7.69)
• On Perfection vs. Progress:
  “The Stoics didn’t think we could be perfect… still, they started every day trying to get a little closer to that mark. There was so much to gain in the trying.”
• Practical Application:
  Holiday encourages listeners to be “more present with those you love,” diligent rather than frenzied, “content and contained within ourselves... facing the day with responsibility and poise and dignity and self-control.”
• Personal Growth:
  Ryan reflects on his own evolution, noting improvement with age:
  “I look back on my days in my 20s, I see I wasn’t as good as I am now... That’s what progress is.”

“Can you actually live today as if it were your last? Is it even possible to embody completeness or perfection in our ethos, our character, effortlessly doing the right thing for a full 24 hours? Is it possible to do it for even a minute? Maybe not. But if trying was enough for the Stoics, it should be enough for us, too.” — Ryan Holiday (07:17)

“Let’s measure who we are this upcoming year by how unfrenzied we are, how diligent we are, that is to say, not lazy, [and] a little pretending we do...” — Ryan Holiday (09:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “In a world gone shallow, in a world gone lean, it must have been lonely here.” — Ryan Holiday (00:22)
• “Marcus Aurelius Meditations is... a constant companion in your own education, your own effort to resist the shallowness and chaos of modern life.” — Ryan Holiday (02:52)
• “We can’t waste a minute of it. That’s what we’re meditating on in this final month of the Daily Stoic.” — Ryan Holiday (09:01)

Important Timestamps

• 00:44–03:00 — The world Marcus Aurelius faced and the challenge of meaning in a shallow age
• 03:19–03:59 — Reflections on the material and symbolic value of a well-made book (Meditations as tactile practice)
• 06:33–10:10 — Core meditation: living each day as if it were your last; progress vs. perfection
• 09:32–10:05 — Measuring the year ahead by diligence and the reduction of pretenses

Episode Takeaways

• Stoicism isn’t about achieving unattainable perfection, but about the earnest pursuit of progress and self-mastery.
• Daily rituals, connection to nature, art, and philosophical reflection equip us to withstand the noise and superficial desires of the modern world.
• Our time is limited; measuring our days by how intentionally and authentically we live is a simple yet profound Stoic practice.

For More:
Explore the Daily Stoic leather-bound edition of Meditations and other resources at DailyStoic.com.