The Hidden Secrets of The Life Well Lived
The Hidden Secrets of The Life Well Lived
Reflecting on the life and legacy of one of the most important thinkers in history
Gracious reader,
In this issue of Civic Renaissance, we’ll explore:
Insights from St. Augustine on the hidden secrets of a life well lived: friendship and leisure
An invitation to the Civic Renaissance retreat: Would you join us?
Today, August 28, 2024, we celebrate St. Augustine, 1,594 years after his passing.
St. Augustine of Hippo is one of the most influential figures in the history of philosophy. Born in 354 AD in what is now Algeria, he passed away on this day—August 28th—in Hippo Regius, the ancient name for the modern city of Annaba, Algeria, in 430 AD.
It is difficult to overstate Augustine’s impact on those who followed, particularly in the fields of philosophy, theology, psychology, and many other disciplines.
Today, we will focus on two aspects of Augustine’s life that offer valuable lessons for us: the importance of The Great Conversation and the secrets to a robust intellectual life—friendship and leisure.
Background: In the footsteps of St. Augustine
Augustine is a central figure in my book, The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves.
Although Augustine’s mother was deeply religious throughout his life, in Confessions Augustine reveals that his early adulthood was consumed by debauchery. In The City of God, he wrote that the defining impulse of humanity is the libido dominandi, or the lust for domination. For Augustine, this libido dominandi was the driving force behind the desire to control everyone and everything around us. He believed it was inextricably linked to incurvatus in se, the "inward curve to the self," a fundamental aspect of human nature. Both libido dominandi and incurvatus in se stem from our inherent self-love, and together they extinguish any hope for a peaceful social life. They alienate us from others, leading us to objectify them—seeing people as tools to be controlled and used rather than as human beings deserving of respect and love.
For Augustine, this was not merely theoretical; it was rooted in his personal experience. His early years, driven by his lusts, showed him how the libido dominandi not only harmed others but also changed and controlled him. In 384 A.D., during this turbulent period of his life, Augustine moved from North Africa to Milan to teach rhetoric. It was there that he encountered the preaching of St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, which profoundly influenced him.
Years later, while going about his daily life, Augustine heard the voice of a small child saying, “Tolle lege, tolle lege,”Latin for "take up and read, take up and read." He picked up the Bible and opened it to the first passage his eyes fell upon—Romans 13:13–14, which reads:
"Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."
Feeling convicted and remorseful for his life of selfishness and depravity, Augustine experienced a profound conversion to Christianity. He resolved to live a life of morality and integrity in the Christian faith, marking the beginning of his transformation in Christ.
Reflecting on his conversion in Confessions, he wrote:
"Late have I loved Thee, O Lord; beauty, so ancient and so new. And behold, Thou wast within, and I without, and there I sought Thee. Thou wast with me when I was not with Thee. Thou didst call, and cry, and burst my deafness. Thou didst gleam, and glow, and dispel my blindness. Thou didst touch me, and I burned for Thy peace. For Thyself Thou hast made us, and restless are our hearts until in Thee they find their ease. Late have I loved Thee, Thou Beauty ever old and ever new." (Confessions, X.27)
Side Note: Beneath the beautiful Duomo in Milan lies an active archaeological site, where the ruins of the original fourth-century church are being excavated. Remarkably, this site includes the church’s original baptistry, allowing visitors to stand in the very spot where St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose. Thanks to Confessions, we know the significance of this place with a high degree of certainty, making it an extraordinarily special site—especially for one with such ancient historical roots.
Augustine and the Great Conversation
Augustine is a pivotal figure in the Great Conversation—the ongoing dialogue and debate among thinkers throughout history about life’s most profound questions: Who are we? Why are we here? What is the best way to live? Augustine exemplifies the importance of being deeply grounded in this conversation, which is the mission of Civic Renaissance and the focus of my upcoming book on lifelong learning.
Three summers ago, my family and I embarked on a journey tracing the footsteps of the great men and women who shaped our world—an experience I plan to explore in a future book. As part of our pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Augustine, we visited Cassago Brianza, a small town in Northern Italy just south of Lake Como. This place holds great significance for Augustine’s intellectual and spiritual development.
In the months leading up to his baptism by St. Ambrose in Milan, Augustine retreated to a villa in Cassago Brianza, along with his mother and close friends. The villa, known as Cassiciacum, played a crucial role in his journey. Visiting the site where scholars and locals believe the original Cassiciacum stood was a profoundly moving experience.
Side Note: You can watch the video above, which documents our visit and captures the serene surroundings of the original Cassiciacum.
Augustine was a Neoplatonist, meaning he was heavily influenced by Plato, primarily through the writings of Plotinus. The impact of Plato’s thought is evident throughout Augustine’s work. For instance, Confessions is fundamentally about the examined life. Augustine meticulously examines his conscience, delving into the motivations behind his actions. His deep introspection stemmed from his belief that knowing oneself intimately was essential to knowing God.
Augustine sought to understand his weaknesses and shortcomings to live a life of meaning, virtue, and happiness. Although influenced by Plato—one of the earliest contributors to the Great Conversation—Augustine, in turn, profoundly influenced virtually all philosophers who followed, even those who disagreed with him, including St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Kant, and many others.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, studied Augustine and quoted him in his famous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail": “I would agree with St. Augustine,” King wrote, “that an unjust law is no law at all.”
Augustine is a vital figure in the Great Conversation. To fully understand him, we must also understand those who came before him, particularly Plato. Moreover, to grasp the ideas of those who came after him—including seminal figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—we must first know and understand Augustine. Augustine exemplifies why it is important to engage with the Great Conversation and why the ideas of those who preceded us continue to hold deep relevance today.
Augustine’s Secrets to a Life Well Lived: Friendship and Leisure
Augustine’s time at Cassago Brianza reveals two key elements of a well-lived life: friendship and leisure.
First, friendship. Augustine retreated to the Cassiciacum with those closest to him, providing him with the opportunity to reflect on who he was in light of his conversion—a radical reorientation of his loves and values. He understood that this reflection needed to happen in the context of meaningful conversations with others. As the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible states, “It is not good for man to be alone,” and as the African proverb of Ubuntu reminds us, “A person becomes a person through others.” This idea resonates across cultures: the good life is a life shared with others.
Second, leisure. For Augustine, the Cassiciacum was a place of retreat, solitude, and leisure. We’ve previously explored the Greek concept of schole—the root of our modern word for school—but the Latin word Augustine would have used is otium.
The Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote a treatise called De Otio, which explains how and why we should use our leisure time well—a topic we’ll explore further in future issues of Civic Renaissance. Cicero also reflected on otium, famously stating, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Leisure—unstructured time to think, read, and deeply engage with life’s most important questions—is essential to the intellectual life and to living well.
Questions for Reflection:
What do you think of Augustine’s argument that the more we indulge our “lust to dominate,” the more we are dominated by it?
Do you agree with Augustine that friendship is a key ingredient to the good life? Given our current crisis of alienation and loneliness, what are some barriers to friendship today?
Augustine insists that leisure—unstructured, non-utilitarian time for self-cultivation, learning, conversation, and growth—is essential to a life well-lived. In our age of distraction, how might we cultivate practices of leisure in our own lives?
Looking ahead:
Our baby boy is set to arrive somewhere around Sept 15th, so I am planning to take some time off—but have no fear. I’ve lined up some excellent writers to help infuse your life with beauty, goodness, and truth—and to help you think more clearly about our day by reviving the wisdom of the past!
October 30- Whithworth University, virtual talk, find out more here!
November 12- Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce, Muncie, IN
November 14- Berry College, Mt. Berry, GA
November 19- Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI
January 23, 2025- I am thrilled to announce that I will be speaking at Yale Law School this coming January, invited by the Crossing Divides Program, part of the Tsai Leadership Program, which is dedicated to building strong bridges across our differences.
Invitation:
Civic Renaissance Retreat: Would You Join Us?
Would you be interested in joining us for a Civic Renaissance retreat and conference on civility in 2025 in Indianapolis?
I envision this as an opportunity to gather and discuss how we can flourish despite our differences and how to bring these ideas back to your community to help it thrive amidst division.
What could this look like?
Write to me with your interest and ideas at ahudsonassist@gmail.com.
In the news:
Blue Sky Podcast- Author Alexandra Hudson on Her Book, The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves
How to Be a Better Human Podcast: I loved talking with Chris Duffy on his excellent TED podcast about How to be civil even if you disagree (w/ Alexandra Hudson)
Interintellect- Watch an inspiring conversation between Lexi and Sean Hughes on the urgent issue of civility in our modern world
TIME Magazine— What Emily Post and Daniel of Beccles Can Teach Us About Civility Today
Civility is our eternal project- review of the soul of civility by the George W. Bush Center
Thanks so much to ABC Channel6, WRTV and ABC for the conversation about how civility and basic respect for personhood are the antidotes to our crisis of division — recorded from my front porch! Click here to watch!
Thank you for being part of our Civic Renaissance community!