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For those of us who live our lives in the real world, there is one branch of philosophy created just for us: Stoicism. A brief synopsis and definition on this particular school of Hellenistic philosophy: Stoicism was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC, but was famously practiced by … Continued
As remarkable of a text the Enchiridion is, being one of the canonical texts of Stoic philosophy, and one of the most important ancient documents that we are fortunate to have access to, the story of its creator is equally as impressive. Epictetus rose to become one of the most important Stoic philosophers, but the … Continued
Forged on the battlefield and the political arena, it is no surprise that the Stoic teachings have been widely embraced by athletes and the sports community at large. The Stoic philosophers drew constant parallels between the athlete and the philosopher, claiming that body and mind are one, and that mental dispositions are crucial for performance. … Continued
No learning without humility. No growth without pain. No reward without risk. No change without loss. Embrace. Endure. — The Stoic Emperor (@TheStoicEmperor) April 7, 2018 There is a new Stoic Emperor in our midst. He’s not a supreme leader, but he is a superbly good writer of Stoic-inspired epigrams. As a result, The Stoic … Continued
We first discovered Sir Richard Sorabji through his fantastic essay on Gandhi, describing how he was a philosopher in the Stoic tradition. We immediately decided to reach out to Richard to learn more about his philosophical journey, in particular about the Stoics—after all, he is one of Britain’s most impressive scholars, having been appointed Commander … Continued
April 17th is the day that Americans pay their taxes. It’s a day of mixed reactions depending on your outlook and politics. Some choose to focus on the good things their taxes pay for and have paid for since Roman times—the roads, the armies, services for the poor. Others focus on the waste (tax corruption … Continued
When we recently published our list of 12 Rules for (a Stoic) Life (a post that got a surprising amount of pushback from students of Stoicism of all things), one of the recurring questions from our audience was in regards to rule #11, the one on taking cold showers. Why cold showers in the first … Continued
Stoic and Epicurean—two words that do not mean what people think they mean. The image of the Stoic is the unfeeling, emotionless brute and the Epicurean as the pleasure-loving, self-indulgent hedonist. Stereotypes always fall short, but in this case, the common understanding of what it means to be a follower of the Stoics or Epicureanism … Continued
This verse in one of Alice in Chains’ most haunting songs captures the essence of the Stoic battle: “And yet I find And yet I find Repeating in my head If I can’t be my own I’d feel better dead” The need to be one’s own. One’s own man. Free from outside influence. Free from tyranny. Free from … Continued
It was today 162 years ago that one of our favorite subjects on this site was born: Booker T. Washington. Born a slave in Virginia, made free by the Civil War, and then a self-educated college graduate, Booker T. Washington is one of the most underrated of all the Civil Rights Activists, a man who … Continued