A Stoic's Guide To Looksmaxxing
Ryan Holiday applies Stoic philosophy to the looksmaxxing trend, arguing that real strength comes from virtuous choices and functional fitness, not appearance or outside approval.
The gist
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Epictetus taught that true attractiveness reflects your daily choices, like reading over scrolling and eating well, not your genetics or aesthetics.
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Stoics trained to preserve health and carry responsibility, not for Instagram looks, so keep exercise short, simple, and purposeful.
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Holiday says needing others to approve of how you look is a weakness, and true strength means being indifferent to that validation.
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When everyone chases the same look and aesthetic, you lose any edge, and your only real advantage is being authentically yourself.
Also mentioned
4:41
Discipline is Destiny
· "In Discipline is Destiny and also in The Obstacles Way, I talk a lot about Theodore Roosevelt."
11:43
Meditations
· "I remember I was 20 years old going through Marcus's Meditations, and this thing he said hit me, it hit me..."
15:38
Ego Is the Enemy
· "I actually have it tattooed here on my arm as a reminder. Ego is the enemy. Am I doing this out of ego or..."
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