Stoicism

When I read I always and immediately look up any words i don't know the meaning to and I ran across the word "Stoicism" while reading a book on sociology. I didn't know what the word meant till today but I gotta agree with it's philosophy.

It means indifference to pleasure or pain or emotional discipline to whatever happens because of the ultimate naturalness of it.

I think this philosophy can help in any area in life whether it's in business, or an interview where you'd have to curb your enthusiasm to show you have bargaining power, as if showing you don't really need the deal, which in turns makes you more attractive prospect or coping with the death of a love one or anything else you can think of. But I'll definitely do more research on it now since I'm very interested in this philosophy and way of life.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
I think this philosophy can help in any area in life

Yeah, if you're a Jedi......

(Emotions are good.)

^ haha

This philosophy doesn't call for the repression of feelings and emotions, It just keeps them in check, disallowing them from going out of control.

IMO i think it's a good form of discipline that i think every top leader or potential leader should posses - as well as every person.

I always liked the great historical Stoics. And yes, there is value in such a philosophical stance, I feel.

Stoics try to escape their own humanity, become above human. Im not sure what value is in such a stance, as you can never transcend yourself.

Originally posted by Great Vengeance
Stoics try to escape their own humanity, become above human. Im not sure what value is in such a stance, as you can never transcend yourself.

Yet many people strive for transcendence. How many religions and philosophies deal with such concepts? There are values in such things.

Remembering of course it was hugely popular amongst the educated thinkers of Rome and Greece. It wasn't about escaping humanity was about inner peace, control, personal fortitude and so on. All positives in my book. By striving for such things one eased the way for though that is clear, reasonable, rational and not clouded. Inner peace was the goal, not to leave behind humanity.

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
Yet many people strive for transcendence. How many religions and philosophies deal with such concepts? There are values in such things.

Remembering of course it was hugely popular amongst the educated thinkers of Rome and Greece. It wasn't about escaping humanity was about inner peace, control, personal fortitude and so on. All positives in my book. By striving for such things one eased the way for though that is clear, reasonable, rational and not clouded. Inner peace was the goal, not to leave behind humanity.

But they try to find their inner peace by overcoming the thing that makes us human. It is human to be sad, angry etc. etc. and if you try to rise above these things you are just deluding yourself into thinking you are above the rest of mankind. I agree that developing your abilities of reason is a good thing, but a life of pure reason isnt complete or desirable compared to embracing who you are.

Originally posted by Great Vengeance
But they try to find their inner peace by overcoming the thing that makes us human. It is human to be sad, angry etc. etc. and if you try to rise above these things you are just deluding yourself into thinking you are above the rest of mankind. I agree that developing your abilities of reason is a good thing, but a life of pure reason isnt complete or desirable compared to embracing who you are.

It is human to feel, there is no rule that says that we have to let our emotions run wild however.

There was never a well known Stoic who advocated removing all emotion - simply controlling it, keeping it in its place, keeping it separate perhaps from matters of the mind, and I see nothing wrong with that. Look at emotional trends for the last 50 years - hiding emotion, men don't cry, and so on. All this was much less healthy then the Stoic approach which was to feel, but not to let yourself be controlled by it - to give our sentient mind the chance to operate effectively and clearly.