STOICISM IN CULTURE
Stoicism sounds ancient & irrelevant but it’s fairly present in a lot of cultural concepts and values in modern society. From Aesop's timeless fables to Hamlet's contemplation that "there's nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so," there are plenty examples of stoic philosophy throughout our literary heritage.
You've probably encountered stoic concepts without even realising it. Remember the famous line "carpe diem" from Dead Poets' Society? It's a direct nod to the stoic poet Horace.
And what about Damien Hirst's provocative artwork featuring a shark in formaldehyde, reminding us of our mortality—a concept known as memento mori?
Then you have modern figures like Ryan Holiday who have delved into stoicism, releasing books and hosting podcasts that explore its timeless wisdom.
Stoicism vs stoicism
Now, let's clarify something important: stoicism (with a lowercase 's') is not the same as Stoicism (with an uppercase 'S'). The former refers to a rigid coping style, where emotions are mechanically suppressed or denied. It's an unhealthy approach that misunderstands the true essence of Stoicism. The uppercase Stoicism, on the other hand, offers a nuanced and universal approach to emotional self-regulation, aligning closely with the goals of psychotherapy.
STOICISM & THE NATURAL LAW
It’s the 3rd Century B.C. in ancient Greece, a time when there were no therapists or psychiatrists to turn to. Instead, the task of helping people with their mental health fell on the shoulders of philosophers. These wise guys were considered the "physicians of the soul," and their teachings became the gospel for those seeking self-improvement. There were basically the self-help gurus of ancient times. And in this realm of ancient wisdom, one philosophy emerged as a powerful tool for personal growth: Stoicism.
Picture this: it's the Hellenistic period (I don’t know how to picture this either). Picture a time when guys were walking around in white bath robes (someone fact check this), a time between the mighty reign of Alexander the Great and the rise of the Roman Empire. Stoicism was born in this era and is a way of observing the world and understanding ourselves in the most straightforward terms possible.
It relies on the truths that lie within the natural order of things, the very fabric of reality. Understanding these truths will give you the ability to believe what you see in your reality with your own eyes. The ability to believe people when they show you who they really are. This is more important than ever in today’s world where the media is mainly a breeding ground for misinformation, manipulated content, and fake news.
The more we align our thoughts and expectations with the stoic’s natural law, the greater our mental resilience becomes. And the less our beliefs and opinions become shaped by external forces rather than your own rational thinking. It's a pathway to avoiding unnecessary emotional pain, a way to shield ourselves from the anguish that stems from holding onto beliefs that clash with reality. Anyone can be influenced by biased agendas that don't align with their best interests or be tripped up by their own human nature. Humans are predisposed to act irrationally, take the examples below.
- Conspiracy Theorists: The folks who believe every crazy conspiracy theory out there. From lizard people running the world to the earth being flat, they're convinced there's a grand conspiracy behind everything. It's like they're living in an alternate reality, detached from factual evidence. If this is you, by embracing the natural law you can avoid falling into the rabbit hole of baseless beliefs and focus on maintaining a balanced perspective.
- "I Saw It on Facebook, It Must Be True" Mentality: Ever come across someone who treats every meme or viral post as gospel truth? They're the ones who believe that if it's on social media, it's got to be legit. They don't bother fact-checking or questioning the sources, and end up falling for misinformation left and right. If this is you, embracing the natural law will help you navigate the vast sea of garbage social media content and distinguish fact from fiction. It's about questioning, fact-checking, and relying on credible sources before accepting something as true.
- The Magical Thinkers: The people who think their lucky socks can bring them success or that their horoscope determines their fate. They find connections between unrelated events and swear there's some mystical force at play. If this is you, by embracing the natural law you’ll understand that our achievements are often the result of our efforts, skills, and circumstances. It's about empowering ourselves by recognising our agency so we can take control of our lives.
- False Memories Syndrome: We all have that friend who wrongly recalls events with a level of certainty that's just plain insane. Even when you show them evidence that contradicts their memory, they insist they're right. It's like they're starring in a personal movie where the script can change to suit their desires. If this is you, by embracing the natural law you can approach your memories with skepticism and acknowledge that they may not always reflect reality accurately. It's about embracing the idea that memories are fallible and seeking objective evidence when needed.
- Overgeneralisation Experts: These folks make broad claims based on a single personal experience. They met one person from a certain group, had one encounter, and now they're experts on the entire population! It's like they've turned their brain's "nuance" dial to zero, leaving them stuck in a simplified version of reality. If this is you, by embracing the natural law you’ll understand that individuals and situations are complex. It's about recognising the uniqueness of each person's experience and avoiding sweeping judgments or assumptions.
- Wishful Thinkers: These optimists believe in far-fetched ideas and improbable outcomes, ignoring the harsh realities. They cling to their hopes and dreams like a kid clutching their favourite stuffed animal, even when the world presents them with a massive reality check. If this is you, by embracing the natural law you can set realistic goals and make rational plans to achieve them. It's about balancing optimism with a practical understanding of our strengths, limitations, and the steps required to turn our dreams into tangible outcomes.
So, what exactly is this natural law?
Well, it's like the rules that the universe plays by.
According to the Stoics, this natural law is based on reason and rationality. They believed that everything in the universe, including human beings, is interconnected and part of a greater whole. For the Stoics, living in accordance with nature meant aligning our actions and choices with this natural law. It's like living in sync with the cosmic flow, embracing our role in the grand scheme of things.
We all have the capacity to reason and understand this natural law. They saw reason as our superpower, the tool that allows us to navigate life and make choices that help us progress. Using our rationality to work out what is within our control and what is beyond it.
This is the fundamental idea of stoicism. The ability to make the distinction between what is up to us and what is not. What is actually in our control and what isn’t in our control. Life gets easier when you learn to take responsibility for your voluntary actions while also becoming more tolerant and accepting of things that merely happen to you. Things like getting caught in the rain or getting stuck in traffic. Accept the things you cannot change, be brave enough to change the things you can, and have the wisdom to know the difference.
This means recognising that external events and circumstances are not under our control, but our own thoughts, actions, and attitudes are. By focusing on what we can control and aligning ourselves with reason and virtue, we can lead a life that is in harmony with the natural order.
Epictetus stoic bars: What, then, is to be done? To make the best of what is in our power, and take the rest as it naturally happens. (Discourses, 1.1.17)
Always remember, you were born to be the hero of your story.
Free your outlaw.