Above all else, the Stoics were masters at assigning things their proper value. The great Stoic philosophers knew the importance of identifying what was within their control, what was beyond, and what fell in-between. And they maintained an unwavering sense of focus on the things within their realm of control. Nowhere is this more evident […]
When we think of great Stoic figures like Marcus Aurelius, Cato and Epictetus, we tend to focus solely on the individual. Their perspective, their observations. But how did these brilliant thinkers treat those around them? We know from historical accounts that Marcus ruled the people of Rome with reason, and Cato earned the respect of […]
The first, and perhaps most important, lesson of Stoicism is that we don’t control the world around us, but we do control how we see and perceive the world around us. “Indeed, no one can thwart the purposes of your mind,” Marcus Aurelius wrote, “for they can’t be touched by fire, steel, tyranny, slander, or […]
Asked whether women too should study philosophy, Musonius Rufus—“the foremost stoic of his day,” as Roman historian Tacitus put it—responded bluntly, “A desire for virtue and an affinity for it belong by nature not only to men but also to women: no less than men are they disposed by nature to be pleased by noble […]
Death is never a fun subject. Nearly all of us know what it feels like to be overwhelmed with grief or to fear what will happen to our loved ones when we are no longer here. Despite the fact that we will all experience it at one point or another, few things elicit as much […]
Stoicism is a practical philosophy with the aim of living a meaningful life, and becoming one’s best self. The Stoics believed in living a virtuous life, one with the potential to bring us personal happiness and fulfillment. And that’s one of the reasons a person may choose to live after their fashion. After all, what […]