The world is in turmoil. We muddled through a pandemic, and continue to witness climate disruptions, rising inequalities, racial injustices, economic slowdowns, wars and uprising. The fear of loss and the greed for more keep lives on edge in a world where one crisis follows another.
The need for clarity and resilience to deal with hardships is felt like never before. In this scenario, can art of living strategies offered by Stoics help?
After Alexander the Great’s conquests and death upended the Greek world, Hellenistic philosopher Zeno of Citium, propounded the development of logical living with reason as its decisive principle, where there is no space for exhibiting the pain one suffers.
Though Zeno’s original writings are lost, his sayings are preserved by later writers and Rebublic is cited as the most famous work that outlined his vision of an ideal Stoic society. For example, Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek is a perfect example of a stoic person who tried to never demonstrate his feelings.
Bandwidth of emotions
The philosophy is not just about ‘unfeeling’. Between Prime Minister Modi’s ‘stoic silence’ over ethnic violence in Manipur and wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s ‘stoic attitude’ in proving herself whether on the mat or standing up against alleged sexual harassment, there is, for instance, a bandwidth of emotions that help us to understand universal truths about people and what makes them thrive in any situation.
There’s a hard path at any given moment in our lives that could benefit us as we either push through a current difficulty to build our character, or mull in the moment waiting for the experiences we live in to disappear, writes William Mulligan, founder of YouTube and Instagram account, Stoic Teachings, in his first book The Everyday Stoic: Simple Rules For A Good Life (2024).
“We all have our own philosophy. Maybe it’s about how we treat people and allow others to treat us and how much negativity we let into ourselves,” he says, explaining the Stoicism doctrine based on how to accept things that cannot be changed and not to brood over things beyond our control.
Truths we have lost sight of
In a world full of darkness, books on Stoicism make for a transformative reading experience, equipping readers with insights into a more productive perspective of life. For beginners, reading the big three Roman philosophers — Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca — is a good way to cover the basics.
With The Enchiridion, Epictetus helps us to dive into human desires and calm rationality in order to cultivate a resilient mindset. It is an essential guide to enlightenment and emotional well-being. The free-minded writings of Seneca in his Letters to Lucilius discuss ethical theory and practical advice and how both are distinct and yet interdependent. He regards his philosophy as a balm for the wounds of life and suggests uprooting destructive passions.
While Marcus’ Meditations is a personal collection of his reflections on applying stoic philosophy to his life and is one of the most widely-read classics on self-improvement, Donald Robertson uses anecdotes from Marcus’ life in his book How to Think like a Roman Emperor (2019). Robertson’s Stoicism and the Art of Happiness (2013) showcases how stoic philosophy is a form of self-help today.
In the context of people trying coping mechanisms to understand their place in the world and emerging strong, Vinesh Phogat is an example of a real Stoic. Academic philosopher John Sellars who is the chair of the Modern Stoicism organisation, has penned a good introduction, Lessons in Stoicism: What Ancient Philosophers Teach Us About How to Live (2020), that underlines the comeback of Stoicism as a fashionable buzzword.
History as inspiration
Stoic philosophy started in 300 BC with Zeno of Citium and continued for 500 years until the fall of Rome; it evolved during the two crises and has had numerous revivals since, including Neo-stoicism in the Renaissance era and modern Stoicism in the 21st century.
A popular modern book on Stoicism is The Daily Stoic (2016) by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman, which draws on historical icons and contemporary heroes to demonstrate the power of owing our convictions and acting accordingly in an era of dishonesty. “Your values, your character and your deeds determine your success and legacy,” Ryan writes, pointing out that the path to greatness is not possible without goodness.
To make the 2000-year-old philosophy a framework to modern life, another good read is Victor Frankl’s 1946 book, Man’s Search for Meaning where he chronicles his experiences as a prisoner during World War II. He observes its impact on fellow inmates at a Nazi concentration camp; there were some who were able to connect to a purpose in life in such bleak times through completion of tasks, caring for another person or finding meaning in suffering with dignity.
In A Guide to the Good life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (2009), William Irvine tells readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own life and identify the sources of distress, minimise worry, and let go of the past. Author and professor of Philosophy in City College of New York, Massimo Pigliucci’s book How to be A Stoic: using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (2017), reminds readers to look to history for inspiration and be surprised by its power.
In How Should We Live? (2015), cultural historian Roman Krznaric explores twelve topics including love, family, and empathy; work, time, and money to reveal how people have missed a chance to learn from the ancient Greeks. It is replete with ideas from the past and sheds light on the decisions we make in our daily lives.
As Gregory Hays, a classics scholar says, Stoicism, after all, is about being in control of one’s thoughts and emotions. It is a recognition that human societies and relations are varied and complex and the path toward a better world goes through each of us.
Published - September 05, 2024 08:30 am IST
