No one need to certify that one is a Stoic. If you find any principle useful and practice it correctly, at least to that extent, you are a Stoic. I rejoice because Stoicism helped you live a better life.. And that should be the purpose of any philosophy of life.
Your posts reverberate through me like a cherry bomb in a cymbal factory. Joining this community and pursuing the wisdom of the Stoics has illuminated my life. I live with a chronic, incurable disease, and through the Stoics, I negotiate with it, I don't fight it. I love the living of my life.
Thank you Chuck. You have been putting out great material for a long time. This new format is exciting. I have a greater anticipation starting the new year being a part of this community. Arete!
I'm not officially a Stoic but I credit Stoicism with giving me the tools to deal with the brain tumour that will a) soon cause me to lose my job and b) kill me soon after that. It's just as you describe. Stoicism helps me focus on the things that I can control and accept the things that I can't. Unfortunately, this does not take away my worries and things are not as simple as you claim.
There are a thousand things that I **can** and **do** worry about because they are under my control and need to take care of them. I need to worry about how I will pay the mortgage when I can no longer work. I need to find a place to live that I can enjoy now and that my wife will still be able to enjoy when I am gone. I need to worry about who will take care of my family when I am gone.
The list of things I need to worry about seems endless at the moment and I worry about them every night. I'm not worried at all about dying — I can't control that — but I think you do Stoicism a disservice by asking me to pretend that those other things don't matter.
I’m not sure if Stoicism says, for example, you should not be concerned about things. If your mortgages goes from $400 a month to $800, and you just can’t possibly pay it, what purpose is served by worrying about it? It’s not under your control. But other things maybe under you control: renegotiating the mortgage by longer amortization, moving to a smaller place, renting your basement, or something else. Why waste our lives on things we don’t control? Why not focus on things we have some control over?
Good Stoic content, looking forward to seeing more of it! Small thing: The bust in the picture is wrong; that's Epicurus, not a Stoic philosopher. Otherwise though, good article. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your comment. As far as I know, the image is the standard portrait of Epictetus. Epicurus is the one with a long face and long beard. You can view these in Wikipedia.
No one need to certify that one is a Stoic. If you find any principle useful and practice it correctly, at least to that extent, you are a Stoic. I rejoice because Stoicism helped you live a better life.. And that should be the purpose of any philosophy of life.
Happy to have joined this community of aspiring Stoics to journey together towards eudaimonia!
And I welcome you to our community!
Your posts reverberate through me like a cherry bomb in a cymbal factory. Joining this community and pursuing the wisdom of the Stoics has illuminated my life. I live with a chronic, incurable disease, and through the Stoics, I negotiate with it, I don't fight it. I love the living of my life.
Thank you, Duff. Comments like yours are exactly why I keep going when I feel I've taken on too much and should pare down my commitments.
Thank you Chuck. You have been putting out great material for a long time. This new format is exciting. I have a greater anticipation starting the new year being a part of this community. Arete!
Yes, there is considerable overlap between Stoicism and Buddhism.
Thank you for your insight! "it is what it is" is at the core of Stoic philosophy.
Yes, indeed!
I'm not officially a Stoic but I credit Stoicism with giving me the tools to deal with the brain tumour that will a) soon cause me to lose my job and b) kill me soon after that. It's just as you describe. Stoicism helps me focus on the things that I can control and accept the things that I can't. Unfortunately, this does not take away my worries and things are not as simple as you claim.
There are a thousand things that I **can** and **do** worry about because they are under my control and need to take care of them. I need to worry about how I will pay the mortgage when I can no longer work. I need to find a place to live that I can enjoy now and that my wife will still be able to enjoy when I am gone. I need to worry about who will take care of my family when I am gone.
The list of things I need to worry about seems endless at the moment and I worry about them every night. I'm not worried at all about dying — I can't control that — but I think you do Stoicism a disservice by asking me to pretend that those other things don't matter.
I’m not sure if Stoicism says, for example, you should not be concerned about things. If your mortgages goes from $400 a month to $800, and you just can’t possibly pay it, what purpose is served by worrying about it? It’s not under your control. But other things maybe under you control: renegotiating the mortgage by longer amortization, moving to a smaller place, renting your basement, or something else. Why waste our lives on things we don’t control? Why not focus on things we have some control over?
I was afraid of seeing my loved ones dead. Then I developed a "it is what it is" mindset. I am not afraid anymore because I can't stop death.
Good Stoic content, looking forward to seeing more of it! Small thing: The bust in the picture is wrong; that's Epicurus, not a Stoic philosopher. Otherwise though, good article. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your comment. As far as I know, the image is the standard portrait of Epictetus. Epicurus is the one with a long face and long beard. You can view these in Wikipedia.