Category: Stoicism

Stoics seek steadiness, stability and tranquility, something that most of us aspire to experience long term, but only get to experience fleetingly. How do we accomplish this goal?

Epictetus tells us through his writing of Discourses, “The essence of good is a certain kind of reasoned choice; just as the essence of evil is another kind. What about externals, then? They are only the raw material for our reasoned choice, which finds its own good or evil in working with them. How will it find the good? Not by marveling at the material! For if judgements about the material are straight that makes our choices good, but if those judgements are twisted, our choices turn bad.” [Discourses, 1.29.1-3]

So how do we accomplish stability and tranquility? We filter the outside world through the straightener of our judgement. That’s what reason can do, it takes the crooked, confusing and overwhelming nature of external events and make them orderly.

However, if our judgements are crooked because we fail to use reason, then everything that comes next will remain crooked and we lose our ability to stabilise ourselves in the chaos of the world. Proper judgement allows us to achieve clarity.

We do not have control over the things that happen around us, but what we do have is control over how we think and respond to those events.

Epictetus opens his Enchiridion with, “Some things are in our control, while others are not. We control out opinion, choice, desire, aversion, and , in a work, everything of our own doing. We don’t control our body, property, reputation, position, and ,in a word, everything not of our own doing. Even more, the things in our control are by nature free, unhindered, and unobstructed, while those not in our control are weak, slavish, can be hindered and are not our own.” [1.1-2]

Best of all, an honest understanding of what is without our control provides clarity about the world, all we have is our own mind.

Sometimes, our indulges become addictions, not all, but some do.

Seneca tells us the following through his Moral Letters, “We must give up many things to which we are addicted considering them to be good. Otherwise, courage will vanish which should continually test itself. Greatness of soul will be lost, which can’t stand out unless it disdains as petty what the mob regards as most desirable.” [74.12b-13]

These little indulgences, while seemingly harmless can chip away at our freedom and sovereignty and can cloud our clarity. We believe we are still in control, but are we really?

One addict has said, “addiction is where we have lost the freedom to abstain.”

In his work, Discourses, Epictetus tells us that there are seven function of the mind, “The proper work of the mind is the exercise of choice, refusal, yearning, repulsion, preparation, purpose, and assent. What then can pollute and clog the mind’s proper functioning? Nothing but its own corrupt decisions.” [4.11.6-7]

So what do each of these functions mean:

• Choice to do and think right
• Refusal of temptation
• Yearning to be better
• Repulsion of negativity, of bad influences of what isn’t true
• Preparation for what lies ahead or whatever may happen
• Purpose – our guiding principle and highest priority
• Assent to be free of deception about what’s inside and outside our control (and be ready to accept the latter)

This is why we are here, and what the mind must do.

How do we answer the simple questions in life? Do we only give superficial answers/ Or more considered ones?

Marcus Aurelius asks, “A person who doesn’t know what the universe is, doesn’t know where they are. A person who doesn’t know their purpose in life doesn’t know who they are or what the universe is. A person who doesn’t know anyone of these things doesn’t know why they are here. So what to make of people who seek or avoid the praise of those who have no knowledge of where or who they are?” [Meditations, 8.52]

Have you taken the time to seek clarity about who you are or what you stand for? Or are you busy chasing non-important things, following the wrong influences, and chasing disappointing or nonexistent paths in life?

The Stoics tell us that without a plan, we are unable to make clear decisions and know whether we should say yes or no to an action. The Stoics call this oiesis or false conceptions.

Seneca writes, “Let all your efforts be directed to something, let it keep that end in view. It’s not activity that disturbs people, but false conceptions of things that drive them mad.” [On Tranquility of Mind, 12.5]

Other examples of this are from Robert Greene in his book, “The 48 Laws of Power” or Steven Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.