All ages will produce men like Clodius, but not all ages men like Cato.
– Seneca
Why did Stoics idolize Cato the Younger?
In this episode Caleb Ontiveros speaks with Jimmy Soni, author of Rome's Last Citizen.
We focus on what is admirable about Cato the Younger, his contradictions, and his legacy. We also touch on Soni’s book The Founders which is a deep dive on the story of PayPal. It’s a engaging book on the early days of what are now Silicon Valley legends.
05:07 What Was Rome Like for Young Cato?
07:25 Stoicism and Cato
14:13 Cato in Politics
19:23 What is Admirable About Cato
22:03 Cato's Failings
29:06 Modern Stoics in Politics?
30:26 Cato in Silicon Valley
32:37 Julius Caesar
36:37 Cato's Legacy
43:56 Girard and Cato
Stoa Conversations is Caleb Ontiveros and Michael Tremblay’s podcast on Stoic theory and practice.
Caleb and Michael work together on the Stoa app (iPhone, Android). Stoa is designed to help you build resilience and focus on what matters. It combines the practical philosophy of Stoicism with modern techniques and meditation.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Caleb Ontiveros has a background in academic philosophy (MA) and startups. His favorite Stoic is Marcus Aurelius. Follow him here: https://twitter.com/calebmontiveros
Michael Tremblay also has a background in academic philosophy (PhD) where he focused on Epictetus. He is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His favorite Stoic is Epictetus. Follow him here: https://twitter.com/_MikeTremblay
Thank you to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/