So I've picked up some reading material from a TRP book list (Here: https://redd.it/5gut7r). My first reading is "Meditations" from the journals of Marcus Aurelius. Now, from my experience with this sub and what I've read here it seems that selfishness, more specifically thinking and acting for yourself and for your own benefit, are taught and encouraged. Marcus, however, teaches against selfishness. He also teaches of acting for the common good. What exactly is the common good? For him it would be the empire, he would act purely for the good of the empire and its future rather than for his own pleasure and benefit. And the closest thing I have to an empire is my country and I see no benefit in trying to do good for it other than if I was a politician. On the other hand he teaches against being a kiss ass, but he also teaches not to do things unwilingly. I take that to mean that I should do things for others, not for them, but for the greater good and to do things on my own accord not just because they want me to, willing to draw a line.

A lot of his thoughts are still relevant, but a few, I believe, need to be taken in a modern context. Any thoughts?