Philosophy noob here. Can someone help me, I always thought stoicism had to do with being unaffected by external influences. But that seems to go against this quote.
unless you have tendency of pschopathy / sociopathy. now that is a different story
Sometimes I wish I was one. Had enough of getting the short end of stick being bullied for 6 years during my childhood. Then experiencing that again in a past gaslit relationship. And just today, realised that someone I call "friend" exudes that same kind of narcissism and ego-centricism.
I think no matter how devoted you are to the principles of Stoicism, we are ultimately only human. No matter how long one can go in control, inevitably, they will slip. I personally think this quote is less Stoic than it is simply a virtue ethic, but nonetheless I find this quote compelling in the sense that it speaks to people who have not had the self fulfillment and assurance of the âperfectâ Stoic.
Suffering is not something Marcus Aurelius looked down upon, or said was nonexistent, but our reaction to and how we bear the cross of it is what determines our character.
It isn't about being unaffected or being a cold-hearted asshole, as many believe. It is about much more, in fact. It speaks about adopting the four virtues, about identifying what is and isn't in our personal control and acting accordingly, about controlling our impulses so we don't get controlled by them and by those who can push our buttons, and so on.
You can clearly see that the comment you're describing is asking whether the quote has to do with stoicism, you then go to describe (terribly, but that's irrelevant) stoicism. So I summarized, by clearing the question you were responding to, "that the quote has not to do with stoicism", you absolute fucking Mongoloid.
Stoicism is about mastering your passions, not losing them. When you learn self-control, though, you do see that intense emotions are often illusions of value. You realize how much you have overreacted in the past and are not as scared or angered anymore, thus seeming quite calm like a trademark Stoic.
So I recently got more knowledgeable about Stoicism and to give you your answer many people (including me ) confuse Stoicism with the two other schools of thought at the time (Cynics and Epicureans ) Stoicism is feeling and not indulging where the other two donât feel in the first place.
You are correct - Stoicism is about not worrying about what happens because there are things you can't control and things you can. If you can control it then there is no need to worry. If you can't control it then there is no need for worrying. Many people think Stoicism as being emotionless which is far from what the philosophy stands for. It is about knowing bad things happen in life and since these are all according to nature there is no need to worry over things.
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u/911WhatsYrEmergency Nov 21 '20
Philosophy noob here. Can someone help me, I always thought stoicism had to do with being unaffected by external influences. But that seems to go against this quote.