The Stoics

Stoicism was a philosophy that flourished for 480 years in Ancient Greece and Rome, and was popular with everyone from slaves to the aristocracy: because unlike so much philosophy, it was helpful, helpful when we panic, want to give up, despair and rage at existence. We still honour this philosophy whenever we think of someone as brave and -without perhaps knowing why - call them ‘stoic’ [坦然面对困难的；不以苦乐为意的].

There are two great philosophers of Stoicism. The first is the Roman writer and tutor to Nero, Seneca (AD4~ AD65). The other is the kind and magnanimous Roman Emperor Marcua Aurelius (AD121 ~ AD180)[马可·奥里利乌斯 ],who wrote one of the greatest works of philosophy, the Meditations.

There are two problems Stoicism can help us with in particular.

First, anxiety.

To be calm, the Stoics advised us, one has to tell oneself something very dark: It will be terrible. I might have to go to prison. The lump really could be malign. But, a huge consoling Stoic But, one must keep in mind that one will, nevertheless, be OK. Because in the end, as Marcus Aurelius said:”We are each of us stronger than we think.” Stoicism emboldens us against the worst fact can throw at us.

Another subject of interest to the Stoics was ANGER. Romans were a bad tempered lot. The Stoics wanted to calm them down but they did so by an unusual route: by intellectual argument. They proposed that getting angry isn't something you do by nature, because you have a Latin temper or are somehow inherently hot blooded. It’s the result of being stupid, of having the wrong ideas about life. Anger stems when misplaced hope smashes into unforeseen reality. We don’t shout every time something bad happens to us, only when it is bad and UNEXPECTED. For example, you’d never shout just because it started raining-even though rain can be horrible, because you’ve learnt to expect rain. The same should apply to everything. Don't only expect rain, expect betrayal, infamy, sadism, theft, humiliation, lust, greed, spite. One will stop being so angry when one learns the true facts of the misery of life. The wise person should aim to reach a state where simply nothing could suddenly disturb their peace of mind. Every tragedy should already be priced in. ^^