The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
I would classify things in this category that were related to arts, literature, cinema, performance. Things that make us and the world better.
What if freedom isn’t about control, but about cooperation with the deeper order of things? Inspired by Cleanthes’ timeless Stoic insight, this essay explores how fate doesn’t force us—it invites us. Whether guided or dragged, the choice is ours.
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Sometimes a Jacket Comes with a Story
When you’re in the middle of a weight-loss journey, your wardrobe becomes a revolving door—too big, too short, too baggy, and occasionally, just right. That’s how I ended up at the Goodwill store on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, where I found a blazer that fit me like it was tailored for this very moment. It wasn’t until I got it home, though, that I discovered it came with a little bonus: two concert tickets tucked neatly inside the inner pocket. Michael Bublé, Amalie Arena, February 13, 2019. Seats 5 and 6. And just like that, I had a mystery… and a man named Rick to thank for it.
We often imagine philosophy as a distant, academic pursuit that can seem abstract and untethered. But Stoicism has never been like that. From its earliest roots in ancient Greece, Stoicism was always meant to be lived, not just studied. It was forged not in ivory towers but in marketplaces, battlefields, and courtrooms. Its great teachers, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, weren’t cloistered scholars. They were slaves, emperors, and advisors. They lived in the thick of things, often in perilous times, as do we. In our current world, shaped by uncertainty, political upheaval, global conflict, and the erosion of trust in institutions, many of us are looking for something steady. Not false reassurance. Not a distraction. But clarity. A framework that doesn’t promise control over the chaos but a way to remain centered within it.
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Discover how a simple fortune cookie led to a deeper understanding of Stoic wisdom. Explore the idea that true success lies not in status or wealth but in mastering inner calm. A quiet moment over dinner revealed a profound truth: inner peace, not external achievement, may be the ultimate form of success. This reflection explores the connection between Stoic philosophy and the serenity that comes from within.
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“You may choose to look away, but you can never again say you did not know.” —William Wilberforce There are moments in life when we are confronted with a clear, morally unambiguous truth that strips away all our comfortable illusions. Wilberforce’s words aren’t just a condemnation of apathy but an indictment of complicity. Once you’ve seen injustice, silence is no longer neutral. It’s a choice. Ancient Stoics would have understood this. For all their restraint and talk of inner calm, the Stoics were not spectators. They believed in moral clarity and civic virtue. To live a good life was not to retreat from the world but to meet it head-on—with courage, justice, and integrity.
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In a world that constantly shouts at us—“Buy this! Be that! Hurry up!”—It’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. New trends, metrics, or moral panics are always trying to claim your time and energy. This raises a profound question: What is truly worth living for? The pursuit of the highest good is not simple. It demands something of us—sometimes a great deal. It requires saying no when saying yes would be easier. It calls for patience when the world rewards immediate reactions. It demands courage when fear would be much more convenient. But it is also freeing. When you let go of the need to gain everyone’s approval, avoid every mistake, or secure every possible outcome, you begin to live with more peace, not because your life is perfect, but because your intent is clear.
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So this is where I stand: older, yes, but not done. Not stuck. Just at the next bend in the road. It’s not the one I expected. But I’m learning, little by little, to see it not as a detour but as a direction. If you’re in a similar place, wondering if you’re too late, too tired, too tangled in the “should haves,” let me offer this: You are not behind. You are not disqualified. You are standing right where your next beginning begins. “The obstacle is the way.”
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That phrase—Memento Mori—means “remember that you must die.” It’s an old Stoic meditation, not meant to provoke dread but to awaken us… and remind us not to sleepwalk through our lives. The Stoic philosopher Seneca put it this way: “Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing.”
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To foster hope, we must remember the countless individuals working tirelessly for justice, unity, and compassion. These voices may seem drowned out by anger and division, but they are there—teaching our children better ways, forging connections across divides, and laying the groundwork for the future we long for. Change starts small, often unnoticed, but it accumulates and eventually becomes unstoppable.
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On Friday, September 6, 2024, former Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren gave a compelling speech at Café Con Tampa, recounting the case of Robert DuBoise, a man wrongfully convicted of murder. Warren’s speech highlighted the importance of justice, the flaws in the criminal justice system, and how his office worked tirelessly to correct an egregious mistake.
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There was a brief restaurant review posted earlier this year. The last post before that was a movie review (The Whale). A lot has transpired in my world over the past few months, and I think I am ready to get back to trying to post more or less regularly. The highlight reel looks a bit like this:
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