Robert Lynd's "On Not Being a Philosopher" (Summary)

 

The essay "On Not Being a Philosopher" begins with a humorous encounter where the author overhears a conversation about Epictetus. This sparks Lynd's curiosity about Epictetus and whether his teachings might hold the elusive wisdom he's sought since his school days. He maintains his youthful belief that wisdom can be found within the pages of books, desiring to acquire it without great effort or expense. While he previously read works by Emerson and Marcus Aurelius, he realizes that their disparate perspectives did not yield the desired impact. Turning to Epictetus, he finds himself in agreement with nearly everything the philosopher professes. However, while he can theoretically align with these principles, putting them into practice proves to be a far greater challenge. In moments outside of his armchair reading sessions, he views death, pain, and poverty as very real hardships. Even in small, everyday situations, finding solace proves to be a difficult endeavor.

 

Epictetus unequivocally advocates against succumbing to anger when one doesn't receive what they desire. However, Lynd candidly acknowledges his struggle to refrain from irritation, humorously suggesting that while Epictetus may excel at this, practical application proves to be a different story. Lynd humorously admits his own shortcomings in maintaining steadfastness in trivial matters. When Epictetus expounds on his philosophy regarding material possessions, advising indifference in their loss, Lynd contemplates its feasibility in an ideal world where nothing goes awry. Nevertheless, in practice, he confesses to falling short of embodying this principle, despite his theoretical alignment with Epictetus.

 

Epictetus upholds invulnerability as an ideal state of being, assuring that it can be achieved by assigning minimal value to material possessions. Lynd, however, maintains a pragmatic view that philosophy often proves challenging to implement in practical, real-world situations. Nevertheless, there is an undeniable pull towards acknowledging the validity of the philosophers' insights, even though their perspectives may differ.

Epictetus' reasoning may be logically sound, but both individually and collectively, we find it difficult to fully adhere to his principles. The idea of holding material possessions in low regard, as advocated by philosophers, is a tough proposition for us to embrace. Lynd concludes by musing on the alluring notion of attaining wisdom solely through listening or reading—a captivating dream. He shares a personal experience of dreaming about reading Epictetus, only to awaken and realize it was but a fleeting illusion. It's as though wisdom is staged beautifully, but the audience is unable to step onto it.