The Joy Of Humanity

The thing that makes us all go weak and break down is human vulnerability. What I mean by vulnerability is human feelings the weak side in every one. It could be kittens it could rainbows it could be love, is that thing that makes us cry and sigh is that sweet part in everyone. Epictetus states very well how we should all be strong and avoid emotions to control us, “if you see a beautiful boy or women, you will find the capacity of self-control for that. If hardship comes to you, you will find endurance.” (sec11). Humans are resilient, we can recover from almost anything but there is still that side, so is sensibility and compassion a bad thing for leadership]?
We often criticize people who lack of sensibility but we also criticize them for having too much. I think there should be a middle point, but I wonder is there? You are in the last part of a contest, your “enemy” is your best friend he has his reasons for being there as you do, the reasons are as strong as yours what do you do? Do you squash him and win or are you sensible and let him win and in the long run you still have a heart. “if you want to make progress, let people think you are mindless fool about externals, and do not desire a reputation for knowing about them” (sec13) one would guess that this is the right thing to do, and my point here is strong. Hitler was a leader, a bad one and he was following Epictetus he had no desire of a good reputation and he did not care about externals. Now, should we follow Epictetus and become a mindless fool like Hitler? I think not, so I strongly disagree that we should be leaders without love and care as Epictetus state.
Humans are the advanced species, because we have the privilege of choice and mind, an ant has no choice but to guard his colony instead of running they have no courage, they have instinct. If by any chance a alien species came to us, they would see that most humans are naïve on making this vulnerable decisions and believing that “you want your children and your wife and your friends to live forever”(sec14) but that humanity that we have makes us unique, and strong and yes we have hard times because we care but I simply cannot care or making the end justify the means as Nicholas Machiavelli states. There is no possible way of all humans make in to progress or win if we stop caring.
Epictetus handbook applies to a small group of people who are willing to lose humanity to get their way. But I have to ask do we really want to lose such a big part of our lives. I would not want lose the smile I have on a baby, or my naïve way on thinking my family is there forever, yes I might get hurt but that is the joy of being human.