Stoic practice · 2–3 min

Objectification

Strip the story off a thing and describe only what is literally there.

Use when: craving, envy, over-attachment, dread, status anxiety

How the practice works

1. Read the frame When we have meat before us and such eatables, we receive the impression that this is the dead body of a fish, and this the dead body of a bird or of a pig; and again, that this Falernian is only a little grape juice, and this purple robe some sheep's wool dyed with the blood of a shellfish… so that we see what kind of things they are.
2. Name the situation Bring to mind the thing you're glorifying, or craving, or dreading. The thing that feels charged.
3. Run the exercise Bring to mind the thing you're glorifying, or craving, or dreading. The thing that feels charged. Now describe it to yourself the way a camera would record it. Only what is literally there. No words of value — nothing is "amazing," "humiliating," "essential," "unbearable." Just the plain physical facts. Say the plain version, out loud or in your mind, slowly. Hear how different it sounds without the story wrapped around it. This isn't cynicism. It's a firm grip on reality — seeing the thing as it is, not as your hopes and fears have painted it. Now ask: with the story removed — is this still worth this much of my peace?
4. Remove the story Write the camera-plain version. Use no words of value.
5. Record what you notice With the story removed — is this still worth this much of your peace?
6. Choose the next action Seeing it plainly, what's the one thing you'll actually do now?

“This Falernian is only a little grape juice, and this purple robe some sheep’s wool dyed with the blood of a shellfish.”

— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.13