Marcus Aerulius wrote "Meditations". All about Stoic philosophy. He was the Emperor of Rome.
2006-10-25 05:49:43 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
It's not easy. It requires that the individual rein in his/her passions and emotions:
"It teaches that self-control, fortitude and detachment from distracting emotions, sometimes interpreted as an indifference to pleasure or pain, allows one to become a clear thinker, level-headed and unbiased. A primary aspect of Stoicism would be described as improving the individual’s spiritual well-being. Virtue, reason, and natural law are prime directives. By mastering passions and emotions, stoics believe it is possible to overcome the discord of the outside world and find peace within oneself. Stoicism holds that passion distorts truth, and that the pursuit of truth is virtuous. Greek philosophers such as Cleanthes, Chrysippus, and later Roman thinkers such as Cicero, Seneca the Younger, Marcus Aurelius, Cato the Younger, Dio Chrysostom, and Epictetus are associated with Stoicism."
Being stoical is not something one can achieve overnight; it takes a long time to let reason trump feeling - and perhaps it's not always good that it should.
The Serenity Prayer, used by AA, is very stoical in its message:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
2006-10-25 05:57:07 · answer #1 · answered by johnslat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
stoicism is nothing more than taking things as they come. If it rains, don't worry about it. get wet. Que sera, sera, What ever will be, will be and you can't do much about it, if anything.
2006-10-25 12:33:20 · answer #2 · answered by Polyhistor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just think about all the things you really like to do. Then don't do any of them.
2006-10-25 05:54:05 · answer #3 · answered by Jim P 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
shut up whining and deal with it
2006-10-25 11:31:41 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋