#19 Spór o kanon lektur, poprawność polityczna i stoicyzm | „Rozmyślania” Marek Aureliusz

Is it really necessary to censor the classics today? And is the reading canon still a space for dialogue—or already a battleground for ideological battles? In a world where we increasingly hear about Plato, Shakespeare, and Toni Morrison being removed from reading lists, the question of the meaning of reading the classics returns with renewed force. Do we have the right to interfere with texts from hundreds of years ago? Should we "correct" authors according to contemporary norms? Or perhaps, instead of deleting them, we should read more carefully? In this episode of the "Nowe Historie" podcast, Artur Madaliński and Jarosław Makowski reach for Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations"—one of the most important texts of Stoic philosophy—and discuss why the classics are still needed. Marcus Aurelius, emperor and philosopher, proposes a radically simple yet demanding vision of life: reason instead of emotional reactivity, virtue instead of cynicism, and a focus on what depends on us. In an age of information chaos and ubiquitous disputes, his thought resonates surprisingly timely. We discuss, among other things: censorship of reading and disputes over the literary canon, whether it is permissible to "correct" classic texts, stoicism as a practice of life, not a theory, the division between what depends on us and what is beyond our control, understanding as a tool for organizing the world, death as a horizon that gives life gravity and meaning, why it is worth revisiting the classics in the 21st century. This is a conversation about literature and philosophy, but also about contemporary times: emotions, political correctness, education, and whether we can still read texts we disagree with. "Meditations" is not a systematic lecture on philosophy, but a collection of notes, aphorisms, and spiritual exercises. A book to return to daily—like an instruction manual for reality. If you are interested in: ✔ the canon of reading and debates surrounding the classics, ✔ Stoic philosophy and Marcus Aurelius, ✔ the meaning of reading the classics today, ✔ literature as a tool for thinking - this episode is for you. 🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL if you are interested in conversations about books, philosophy, and culture without simplification. 📚 Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations" 🎙 Podcast: "New Stories. Conversations about Books" 👥 Hosted by: Dr. Artur Madaliński and Jarosław Makowski