Young Plato is a documentary film that charts the dream of Elvis-loving school headmaster Kevin McArevey. Using philosophy, the maverick teacher sets out to change the fortunes of an inner-city community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty, and drugs. The all-boys primary school Holy Cross in post-conflict Belfast, Northern Ireland, becomes a hothouse for…
A 90-Day Stoicism Program to Live with Greater Acceptance, Less Judgment, and Deeper Intentionality The practice of journaling is one of those spiritual exercises whose value is evidenced by the fact that it has endured for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's inspiring to know that the writing we do every day can be just…
The following is a guest post from Enda Harte. Enda runs a newsletter, where he writes about Stoicism and other Philosophies. You can sign up below for free, and receive multiple emails weekly. https://theirishstoic.substack.com According to Nature The goal of life is to live in agreement with nature. Zeno of Citium The idea of "living according…
In his Discourses, Epictetus tells us that the practice of Stoicism is nothing more complicated than good preparation for what lies ahead: But what is philosophy? Doesn’t it simply mean preparing ourselves for what may come?Epictetus, Discourses 3.10.6 By taking on the Wisdom of the ancients, by learning it and putting it into practice, we’re…
The Stoic way to put the finishing touches on your day We rightly place a lot of importance on our morning routines. Even if we’re not consistently doing the things we know will help us prepare for the day, we at least know we should be. We know the benefits of early journaling to clear the…
It’s impossible to be a student of Stoic philosophy in the modern day without coming across the work of Massimo Pigliucci. The Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York is one the leading experts and popularizers of Stoicism in the early twenty-first century, having contributed books, talks, articles, podcasts, courses, videos, and…
Refreshingly simple Stoic morning routines delivered to you daily Monday to Friday The principles of Stoicism can help you do many things. For example: Quell your angerDiscard your anxietyOvercome your fearsBe a better friend to yourselfIncrease your peace of mindImprove your resilience in the face of life’s challenges But these benefits only come with repeated…
A painting that looks hideous in one frame might look sublime in another. In art gallery terms, then, an optimist is someone who customarily places life's paintings into frames that make them look beautiful, and a pessimist is someone who places them into ugly frames.William B Irvine, The Stoic Challenge The above quote from William…
In ancient times, Tyrian purple was THE color to be seen in. And without it, Stoic philosophy may never have existed. That might sound bizarre, but bear with me. The specific purple we’re indebted to took the form of a reddish-purple dye and had several other names in ancient times including: Phoenician purpleImperial purpleRoyal purpleImperial dye…
Short, practical tips on following virtue today and everyday How do you practice Stoicism? Do you adopt it as your philosophy of life and use it to guide your every thought and action? Do you dip in and out of its practical exercises semi-regularly? Maybe you’ve lapsed somewhat in your commitment to live an examined life…