About: Alex Barrientos
Alex has a BA in both philosophy and history, and is currently working towards a PhD in philosophy at the University of Utah. Though he mainly focuses on the Early Modern period of philosophy (16th-18th century), he is fascinated by the wisdom of the classics. His favorite question of all is, "What does it mean to live a good life?" It is one that he thinks the philosophers and poets of the classical world provided the most interesting and timeless answers to. But, when he's not contemplating the depths of the human condition, he enjoys playing video games, watching Netflix, and raiding used book stores.
Recent Posts by Alex Barrientos
Valentine’s Day Advice from Aristotle: Love Yourself
Written by Alex Barrientos, Senior Editor, Classical Wisdom What does it mean to love yourself—to practice self-love (Philautia)? It’s not uncommon to see self-love being lumped in with selfishness: we see someone who is greedy, who only cares for his own advantage, often at the expense of those close to him, and we say, “He
Victor Davis Hanson Interview: Is There an Ancient Cancel Culture?
You can read the transcript below: Anya Leonard 0:08 Hello, this is Anya Leonard, founder and director of Classical Wisdom. You are listening to Classical Wisdom Speaks, a podcast dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. Today I’m speaking with Victor Davis Hanson, an American classicist, military historian, columnist and farmer. He is
Meditations on the Rise of Stoicism
Written by Alex Barrientos, Associate Editor, Classical Wisdom Stoicism, as a philosophy of life, has become increasingly popular amongst the general public. With practical lessons on how to control our temper, how to have good friendships, prioritizing what’s important, facing death, avoiding the pitfalls of consumer culture, and how to live the good life, it
Mesopotamian Echoes in Greek mythology
Written by Ronan McLaverty-Head, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom When Alexander the Great marched into Babylon in 331 BC, it was not the first time that the Greek world had encountered the cultures of the ancient Near East. From around the 8th century BC, the Greek states had entered an “Orientalizing Period,” deliberately absorbing and adapting
Communism, Class Struggle, and the Roman Republic
Written by Titus, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Karl Marx said that humanity has been in a constant class struggle. According to him, the rich and poor have been in a perpetual war throughout history. His philosophy gave birth to modern communism which went on to add another dimension in the social and international divide between