The ancient Stoics often advised trying to imagine seeing the whole world, as if from on high, and thereby becoming able to visualize how insignificant the indifferent things of this world really are. This would naturally enhance the Stoic's "contempt" of the world - although the negative connotations of "contempt" have led some to suggest that "indifference" or "detachment" might be better terms. Donald Robertson quotes Vice-Admiral Stockdale: "[M]ake sure in your heart of hearts , in your inner self, that you treat your station in life with indifference, not with contempt, only with indifference" (thus highlighting the different shades of meaning in English).
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