Political Crossfire Forums

[Albinus]

I perosnally am a Stoic. I read Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Cato, Zeno, Epicetus, and others regularly. I recite Marcus Aurelius' saying everyday when i wake up. (In his Meditations he says a phrase that he advsies you say everyday)

Stoicism is a growing movement originally conciveed in Rome and Greece. Universities are popping up all over Ddevoted to it. Stoic philsophy beleives that quotes:

"Get rid of the "I am Hurt" for you are rid of the hurt yourself...."

Aurelius talking about those who champion a cause but are hypocrites.

"Virtue is nothing else than right reason."

Seneca again

"The point is, not how long you live, but how nobly you live."

Sneeca on the purpose of life

"The soul should know whither it is going and whence it came, what is good for it and what is evil, what it seeks and what it avoids, and what is that Reason which distinguishes between the desirable and the undesirable, and thereby tames the madness of our desires and calms the violence of our fears."

Seneca on how to live.

"If you are distressed by any external thing, it is not this thing which disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now."

Marcus Aurelius

"The universe is in change, life is an opinion."

Aurelius again talking about life and the universe

"Everything is right for me, which is right for you, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early or too late, which comes in due time for you. Everything is fruit to me which your seasons bring, O Nature. From you are all things, in you are all things, to you all things return."

Aurelius talknig about the perfection of NAture

"Who then is the invincible? It is he whom none of the things disturb which are independent of the will."

Epicetus on hwo to become invincible

"Where is the good? In the will. Where is the evil? In the will. Where is neither of them? In those things which are independent of the will."

Epicetus on will

"No man is free who is not master of himself."

Epicetus on self control

# "If, therefore, any be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy by reason of himself alone."

Epicetus saying that unhappiness is a willed state

What are your thoughts on Stoicism?

[Korimyr the Rat]

Stoicism, apparently, is the basis of my own moral philosophy.

Good to know.

[George W Bush]

its the goal of everyone, isnt it?
to be free of negative emotion.
does this include positive emotion as well?

[Rozzlapeed]

George W Bush wrote: its the goal of everyone, isnt it?
to be free of negative emotion.
does this include positive emotion as well?

The point of stoicism seems to be freedom from irrational emotions, because stoics don't seem to try to rid themselves of emotion, instead, they learn to control their emotions. In that way, on sad occasions, they will be sad, not depressed, and on happy occasions, they will be happy, but not out-of-control.

And I'd just like to point out that that is not everyone's goal. There are a lot of people who believe that emotions are outside their control, and therefore let their emotions drive their actions. In addition, there are many people who do not trust their own ability to think rationally, and use their emotions as a basis for value judgments. And then, there are the vast number of people who are simply addicted to certain emotions like depression, rage, or mania (see the movie, "What the Bleep Do We Know?", if you don't know what I'm talking about).

The sum of these cases probably make up the vast majority of people in America. And it's no wonder, since the economic model that the corporate media have embraced through the use of television advertising encourages submission to emotional desires and the suppression of rational thoughts.

Case in point: Both Political Parties Ignore the Facts

The interesting part of this study is not that people can be trained to act on emotional response in the face of glaring evidence to the contrary, but that this new application of technology has opened the door for political parties and product advertisers to find more and more effective forms of direct marketing, which will be designed to elicit a pavlovian emotional response.

To put it simply: Stoic philosophy is quickly becoming a rare thing in this country.

[George W Bush]

stoicism seems like an ideal mindset given that we got alot of people in the world bent on manipulating, brainwashing people.
I wonder how control freaks would feel knowing stoicism has undermined their hostile attempts to manipulate?

[Rozzlapeed]

George W Bush wrote: stoicism seems like an ideal mindset given that we got alot of people in the world bent on manipulating, brainwashing people.
I wonder how control freaks would feel knowing stoicism has undermined their hostile attempts to manipulate?

It's not that they're bent on manipulation and brainwashing, it's just that it is currently the easiest way to further their agendas.

[halcyon~sky]

Rationality is the most valuable trait a human being can have.

[The Ferryman]

I like stoicisms slant on emotions, specifically that emotions are an individual choice.

[Borommakot]

I've heard of stoicism before but I never knew anything about it. I think I might find out more it seems like something I could get into.