Stoicism is a philosophy that was prominent in Ancient Roman and Greek history. Generally, a stoic believed that virtue could provide one with a sense of eudaimonia or a well-lived life. Specifically, stoicism teaches that self-control is the most effective way to overcome one’s destructive emotions by developing a clear and unbiased mindset. By learning self-control, an individual can achieve an understanding of universal reason.
Origins of Stoicism
The Hellenistic philosophy began around 304 BC when the merchant, Zeno, found himself in a shipwreck during a trading voyage. Following the shipwreck, Zeno lost everything, which led him to Athens where he found stoicism from Megarian philosopher, Stilpo, and Cynic philosopher, Crates. In a joke he made stating that a shipwreck began his prosperous journey, he would give credit to stoicism for changing his life.
After leaving Athens, Zeno relocated to a place that would be known as Stoa Poikile, which means “painted porch.” Although Stoa Poikile was built during the 5th century BC, its ruins are still visible over 2,500 years later. Moreover, it was at the painted porth that Zeno and his many disciples congregated for discussions. Originally, his followers went by the name, Zenonians, but unlike founders of other schools and religions, Zeno’s philosophy didn’t carry his name.
Marcus Aurelius
One notable stoic philosopher was Marcus Aurelius, who would later because the Emperor of the Roman Empire. With a nearly two-decade reign, Aurelius faced various challenges such as wars against the Parthian Empire, dealing with barbarian tribes at their northern border, a plague that killed millions, and lastly, the rise of Christianity. Despite these challenges, Aurelius credited stoicism for giving him the mindset to overcome these daily stresses and successfully rule with virtue and wisdom.
Likewise, following this philosophy separated Aurelius from other world leaders, past and present, as well. In reading Aurelius’ journals, he mentions the four values that embody the stoic philosophy. Moreover, he reasons that nothing is more important than maintaining these four values to achieve a fulfilling life. Namely, the four values one should embrace are courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom to properly live stoicism.
Courage
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Born in Corbuda Spain around 4 BC, Seneca the Younger was the son of a wealthy writer. Being educated by the stoic, philosopher, Attalus, Seneca embraced stoicism, believing in its purpose of self-improvement. During his adulthood, he dealt with the tumultuous reigns of two emperors, Caligula and Tiberius, before he was exiled by Emporer Claudius. Yet, in his older age, Senea would find himself advising Nero, which led him back to the Roman imperial court. Although he had little impact in helping the Emporer, he still believed it was his responsibility as a stoic philosopher to try.
A stoic believes that by having courage one can get through terrible life circumstances. Accordingly, Seneca believed that people who’ve never experienced pain and misfortune will never know what their own capabilities are. He’d even express pity for these individuals for living life without any opponent to challenge them to be better. More than that, Seneca wanted people to look at inconveniences and tragedies as opportunities to gain the strength to better themselves.
Temperance
Courage alone isn’t the most important virtue as it can become dangerous if it’s used recklessly or taken to the extreme. To address this downside, Aristotle introduced the “Golden Mean” concept that put courage in the middle of a sliding scale between courage and cowardice, which stoicism strived to be. Not only that but Aristotle pushed the idea of moderation to influence people to do right when it’s time to do so.
Aristotle argued that excellence and virtue aren’t random acts but developed habits that lay the foundation of one’s life. Therefore, developing healthy and goal-oriented habits can help an individual achieve happiness and success. Even small adjustments to one’s behavior and effective systems in place can lead to significant results. Ultimately, stoicism teaches acceptance of how things are while combating commonplace injustices.
Although courage and temperance are essential stoic virtues, they mean less compared to a stoic’s most valued virtue: justice. Aurelius declared that justice was the most important virtue, which explains why stoic philosophers made it their responsibility to fight against injustice throughout history. This fight for justice can be seen in Cato’s sacrifice in restoring the Roman Republic and even in America’s Founding Fathers building the nation following stoic ideals. More than that, activists in every generation have used the stoic philosophy to fight for workers’ rights, equality, and democracy.
Wisdom
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Without wisdom, prioritizing the previous three virtues in a way that leads one to self-fulfillment becomes challenging. Specifically, wisdom helps an individual to find bravery and balance and make good decisions in every situation. By centering wisdom, a stoic believes that observing, listening, and consistent learning are needed to navigate life. In stoicism, one should learn open-mindedness, diligent study, and humility to seek guidance from wise teachers. Currently, the world is overwhelmed by the lack of comprehension when seeking or learning new information. To overcome this problem, one should learn how to filter out the nonsense to focus on what matters.
Books About Stoicism
To learn more about stoicism, check out Marcus Aurelius’ journal, Medications, to gain more insight into the Roman emperor’s private thoughts. The journal showcases how Aurelius was able to lead his kingdom with patience, strength, and humility. Ultimately, Aurelius teaches stoicism that reinforces these four virtues when facing challenges in one’s life.
Another book to read is Seneca’s Letters From a Stoic, which offers advice to readers to successfully guide others. Overall, these letters cover various topics such as power, grief, wealth, and even life itself. Likewise, readers gain empowerment and wisdom to live their best lives. While Aurelius’ journals offer personal reflection, Seneca’s letter focuses on teaching guidance and wisdom and is a great introduction to stoicism as a result.
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