Musonius Rufus on the freedom of self-control
Dying Every Day (Day 112)
💀 Dying Every Day
Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project. Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) learn how to live.
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Musonius Rufus on the freedom of self-control
Welcome back to Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year). This is Day 112.
We all know what it feels like: reaching for that extra helping, staying up too late chasing one more thrill, saying yes when we know we should stop. In those moments, it feels like freedom—like choice. But the Stoic teacher Musonius Rufus warns us: that isn’t freedom. That’s slavery to desire.
According to Musonius,
Pleasure and self-control are opposing forces. To pursue one often means abandoning the other. The man who indulges his appetites without restraint is not free, but enslaved to them. But the one who practices temperance—who eats to live, not lives to eat—knows freedom. He does not avoid pleasure, but he does not chase it. He takes joy in self-mastery, and finds in it a greater satisfaction than indulgence could ever bring.
We usually view freedom as the power to do whatever we want. However, the Stoics challenge this view: someone who cannot refuse their desires isn't free at all. They're controlled by those desires. They might think they are making free choices, but in fact, they are merely being dragged through life by their cravings.
Conversely, someone who practices temperance finds a more profound form of freedom. They remain calm and steady, maintaining control. They indulge in pleasures when appropriate, but they are not dominated by them. Eating is for nourishment, not for indulgence. Sleep is for restoration, not for avoiding the day's challenges. Every decision aligns with their higher purpose, not merely satisfying their desires.
When Musonius says, “eat to live, not live to eat,” it goes beyond food. It applies to all areas of life: wealth, status, and comfort. Although pleasure itself is not inherently wrong, pursuing it without restraint can lead to a loss of dignity. The man who can say no—when it’s hard, when no one is watching—has something rarer and more satisfying than any indulgence. He has self-control.
The modern Stoic writer and psychotherapist Donald J. Robertson (a previous podcast guest) put it this way in How to Think Like a Roman Emperor:
Freedom isn’t simply the absence of external constraints but mastery over your own mind. To be free is to be able to say no to yourself when necessary.
The question isn’t whether pleasure belongs in life—it does. The real question relates to our values—do you prioritize self-control or pleasure?
Reflection Prompt
Take a few moments to reflect on self-control and pleasure. You might consider a time when a “desire” had more control over you than you had over it. How did you feel afterward? Was it worth it, or did it leave you feeling emptier than before?
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Thank you for reading/listening; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well.
J.W.
P.S. Feel free to catch up on the previous episodes of “Dying Every Day” below:
