DomB
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2020
Guys / Gals - Stoicism is pretty popular right now; Would this be something of interest to post on the forum about?
For those of us not familiar, comes down to two basic concepts: (1) dichotomy of control and (2) four stoic virtues.
"You've had your coffee this morning, DomB, haven't you? Tell me more." Ok. First, you break the world down into what you can control (your emotional reaction, how you live your life, your efforts) versus what you can't control (your crazy uncle, your kind or difficult boss, a hundred-year pandemic). If you can control it, do so; if you can't recognize that and move on.
Second, try to live your life in accord with four virtues: practical wisdom, courage (resiliency in the face of fear); temperance (moderation in eating, drinking, exercise); justice (fairness).
I have done a tour through the Roman stoics through these past three years or so (ironically started before COVID and my dad passing), and I am on my last of what I view as the big three (in chron order, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius), and there is a lot of learning there. On Epictetus now.
f you only read one, pick up the Penguin edition of "Meditations"; this was Marcus' personal journal, not written for publication, so you need to read the notes in the back as you go through for context. If you read two, also read Seneca's "Letters to Lucilius" aka Letters on Ethics/Letters to a Stoic. This is a collection of 124 letters that range from one page two 7. The first letter is about taking control of your time. You will recognize some quotes, includes FDR's "There is nothing to Fear but Fear itself" and Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage". Pretty cool. University of Chicago has completed an English translation of all Seneca's philosophical writing, which you can get on a bunch of websites. We don't really have the Greek stoics, other than as they are referred to by the Roman stoics.
In my 40 plus years, I have not found anything that helps me, except maybe other religious/spiritual concepts.
Have a nice day. Next time I'll let the coffee circulate fully before posting.
For those of us not familiar, comes down to two basic concepts: (1) dichotomy of control and (2) four stoic virtues.
"You've had your coffee this morning, DomB, haven't you? Tell me more." Ok. First, you break the world down into what you can control (your emotional reaction, how you live your life, your efforts) versus what you can't control (your crazy uncle, your kind or difficult boss, a hundred-year pandemic). If you can control it, do so; if you can't recognize that and move on.
Second, try to live your life in accord with four virtues: practical wisdom, courage (resiliency in the face of fear); temperance (moderation in eating, drinking, exercise); justice (fairness).
I have done a tour through the Roman stoics through these past three years or so (ironically started before COVID and my dad passing), and I am on my last of what I view as the big three (in chron order, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius), and there is a lot of learning there. On Epictetus now.
f you only read one, pick up the Penguin edition of "Meditations"; this was Marcus' personal journal, not written for publication, so you need to read the notes in the back as you go through for context. If you read two, also read Seneca's "Letters to Lucilius" aka Letters on Ethics/Letters to a Stoic. This is a collection of 124 letters that range from one page two 7. The first letter is about taking control of your time. You will recognize some quotes, includes FDR's "There is nothing to Fear but Fear itself" and Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage". Pretty cool. University of Chicago has completed an English translation of all Seneca's philosophical writing, which you can get on a bunch of websites. We don't really have the Greek stoics, other than as they are referred to by the Roman stoics.
In my 40 plus years, I have not found anything that helps me, except maybe other religious/spiritual concepts.
Have a nice day. Next time I'll let the coffee circulate fully before posting.
