As a kid going to Catholic Mass each week, I never understood why there was a collection. And, why I (as a 10 year old) had to give some of my allowance each week to that collection. Each Church did it differently, some had baskets that were passed through the pews, some had baskets on sticks that the ushers would push in front of you, and others had a special collection box for the kids who would receive a blessing by the priest. This mixing of money and good teaching confused me because even in the Bible when Jesus called out the tax collectors and turned over the tables at the temple, there was still a collection.

Twenty years later, I’m exploring other areas for Philosophy. I’ve started reading from Marcus Aurelius and following The Daily Stoic for inspiration. The Philosophy being discussed has changed my life and helped me feel relaxed, and yet, in The Daily Stoic podcast there are ads for BetterHelp and life insurance which feel out of place. I start to think what this would have looked like in Seneca’s time — what did philosophers do to make money? It seems they taught, advised, and wrote. Then I wonder, is that any different from what Ryan Holiday does?

I love Philosophy because there is no right answer. We look to change our views based on new information and new ways of thinking. In our current world, we can think of listening to ads and promotion, as giving an offering to historical philosophers. It feels strange because it’s not a one-to-one comparison (few things are), but it’s not worth getting upset by. Our modern-day philosophers have to use all their means to continue Philosophy and that sometimes means ads.

Photo by Jozildo José: https://www.pexels.com/photo/interior-of-a-church-with-congregation-during-service-33816295/