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How to Be a Stoic

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151–160 of 241 posts

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#151
I love learning about Archaeology and corollary some of the philosophies of civilizations.

Stoicism has been one of the most appealing one to me. However, one issue I have with Stoicism is similar to that of religions.

Most people who follow Stoicism or any other religion, tend to pick and choose to what is the best fit of them.

Stoicism is not about giving up anything (common misunderstanding) but it IS to moderate everything including things like our carnal desires. I do not think anyone does this nowadays.

Does this mean we need a Stoicism 2.0 like we do in many religions? _______ 2.0? Not entirely sure...

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#152

I love learning about Archaeology and corollary some of the philosophies of civilizations. Stoicism has been one of the most appealing one to me. However, one issue I have with Stoicism is similar to that of religions. Most people who follow Stoicism or any other religion, tend to pick and choose to what is the best fit of them. Stoicism is not about giving up anything (common misunderstanding) but it IS to moderate…

I think some philosophy 2.0s could be produced to take account of the advances in scientific knowledge since Senca's time.

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#153
I have embraced certain aspects of stoic philosophy in my life. In particular I've found The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius to be helpful and practical. I struggle with my temper and in the last few years my temper has affected my career growth. These stoic works have helped my get a better grip on things when dealing with especially difficult people. I'm not a person who reads self help books nor am I into cheesy or trendy philosophies. I usually roll my eyes at this stuff. But I have found a framework in stoicism that has helped me overcome some of my limitations and helped me achieve some of my goals.

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#154
post #23

[Shameless plug] You can read Marcus Aurelius "Meditations" at http://directingmind.com

Can you say couple of lines why someone should read this ?

I have this book on my desk at work. I have several pre-marked pages that I use to help me deal with frustration and anger at work. I find it to be a very practical implementation of stoicism that is relatable even today.

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#155
post #109
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the same is true for Christianity too. The golden rule is an excellent way to be an awesome human being. I think that's a better motive than a good afterlife. I haven't studied other religions to much but I am dead sure there are timeless pieces of advice. My opinion, and I stress opinion, is that much of the world's religions offered a way of life that attempted to reduce violence, illness and suffering. Eve…

Thanks for the thoughtful and respectful comments, I hope my answer manages to stay in that spirit, too. > I think the same is true for Christianity too Disagree, concerning the Abrahamic religions, as what is good is rarely original, and what is original is rarely good: 1. What is good (golden rule, some of the 10 commandments) is not very original. The golden rule has appeared in ancient Greece (Thales), China (Con…

One of the big new concepts of Christianity (when compared to Judaism, from which it originated) was that it was universal, whereas Judaism is a religion for Jews only.

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#156
post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd suggest what keeps man from eating man, on the scale that lions eat zebras, is a general belief in a authority higher than man.

Animals typically don't kill and eat their own species, so in these matters humans fare a lot worse than most animals. Given that a belief in a higher authority is one of the things causing humans to kill each other, it seems this theory is wrong.

> Animals typically don't kill and eat their own species

I think you'll be surprised by the amount of cannibalism in the animal kingdom:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism_(zoology)

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#157
I had read a book by Epictetus some years ago. Liked it. Forget the book name now. It was about living simply, not getting overly affected (mentally or emotionally) by circumstances or things that happen to you, and a lot more stuff along those lines, and other things too.

Basically Stoicism, I suppose, though I've not looked up the term in detail.

I also like this quote by him which I read long ago:

"Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things, and thence proceed to greater."

http://philosiblog.com/2013/06/06/practice-yourself-for-heav...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epictetus

https://dailystoic.com/epictetus/

The Stockdale Paradox is also interesting. Stockdale was influenced by Epictetus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stockdale

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#158
post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno, I see the continued survival of our species as a cruel joke - certainly bleak - given the amount of harm we do to each other and everything around us.

Then again we also do a lot of great thing and create and experience love and beauty. I have no idea how to quantify and weigh the good against the bad, so perhaps it comes down to temperament if you consider the human existence an overall negative or positive experience.

I find that people's outlook on humanity comes down to where they focus their attention. We're definitely a mixed bag of wonderful and terrible. But, the vast majority of people, the vast majority of time are boringly nice to everyone and everything. That boring niceness is as common, as important and as easy to forget as air.

Also, the world has many very bad aspects and some of them are getting worse. But, on average the world is getting to be a better place rapidly. Today is the most peaceful, most healthy, most just, most educated, most comfortable time ever. As people who were born and grew up knowing only such good times, we easily forget how so much of what we would consider atrocities today was common a mere few hundred years ago.

We have adjusted to be tremendously more sensitive than our ancestors. And, we are infinitely more informed about every bad thing everywhere in the world. That doesn't make everything OK. But, it is a great sign that more attention and effort is being focused on the remaining problems than ever before. If you are deciding to focus your attention on the problems we still have, then you are a sign of how the world is getting better.

With that attention, you can find problems that remain. With some historical perspective, you can figure out which ones you can best help reduce. With some effort, you can be part of making the remaining problems in the world even smaller.

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#159
post #2

One interesting thing I've noticed is that ancient Stoics have not rebuked the concept of god (or "the universe"), a higher power that determines all the things that are not in our control (as a Stoic you very much need to distinguish between things in and outside of your control). I have found it difficult to really, deeply, accept things as out of my control without resorting to some concept of god or "the universe…

Just to provide another perspective, no. I can't reconcile the two and inevitably end up in an existential slump that leads to depression.

I also have the same problem that if I start thinking about the universe it inevitably leads to depression

Indifferent Universe(high certainty of no Abrahamic God) -> Anything Goes/Nothing Matters as far as humans go -> Existentialists: Great, you can find your own meaning -> Psychopaths/baby seal clubbing enthusiasts/Doomsday Cultists/Uber executives can find their own meaning too -> Might makes right -> Do everything for the lolz -> This is getting deppressing

For extra depression read about cognitive science (Dennett's "Bag of Tricks") or matrix argument.

So you have to say "MU" and just concentrate on more pleasant passtimes.

One solution seems to be ala Bukowski "Find something you love and let it kill you" (preferably slowly)

Stoicism to me just seems a slight improvement to fatalism.

Nice if you have the predisposition but it makes no difference if you are stoic or choleric.

Re: How to Be a Stoic

#160

I have embraced certain aspects of stoic philosophy in my life. In particular I've found The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius to be helpful and practical. I struggle with my temper and in the last few years my temper has affected my career growth. These stoic works have helped my get a better grip on things when dealing with especially difficult people. I'm not a person who reads self help books nor am I into cheesy or…

Great comment, thanks for sharing.
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