• Michel de Montaigne’s biography (4 of 5): the pinnacle years

  • May 8 2025
  • Duración: 6 m
  • Podcast

Michel de Montaigne’s biography (4 of 5): the pinnacle years

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  • When things are falling apart and everything seems lost, we might just as well enjoy ourselves. Once we realise that our days are counted, there is little reason for stress. Every day that is left can deliver exhilaration and happiness On his fifty-second birthday, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) must have come to that conclusion. He had already exceeded the average lifespan, which had severely diminished in sixteenth-century France due to the religious wars. Montaigne thought that, if he had a few more years to live, he might as well enjoy every minute. Thus, he decided to focus on the activities he loved, and drop everything else. Strangely enough, most individuals will embrace an enjoy-every-day strategy only after going through intense trauma. It’s a fact that most people will only grasp their own mortality after seeing the writing on the wall. Montaigne returned to his countryside estate when his four- year term as mayor of Bordeaux had come to the end. He was through with politics for the rest of his life. Despite his efforts and best intentions, he had achieved nothing of practical value. Instead of embracing toleration, Catholics and Protestants in France had only grown to hate each other more intensely. The war had turned into ruthless savagery. Montaigne’s attempts to put his philosophy into practice had failed all the way. Montaigne was however not crushed by his ineffectiveness. He knew enough of history to realise how hard it is to modify a harmful ideology. When disastrous ideas are set in motion, it can take a long time before the trend is broken. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/michel-de-montaignes-biography-the-pinnacle-years/
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