One of the stranger misconceptions about Stoicism is that it is an individualistic philosophy focusing only on self-discipline. The reality is quite the opposite - Stoics believe, as Marcus Aurelius put it, that humans exist for the sake of one another. The extension of that message is that we should make an effort to socialise…
The next time someone judges you, remember this: everyone judges everyone else by their own standards. The judgemental “I can’t believe you did that” is a thin mask for “I wouldn’t have done that”. The spotlight is projected onto someone else’s actions, often in a denigrating way, when actually the judgement is saying more about…
As each calendar year ends, most of us scramble to list areas of our lives we’re failing in and set about resolving to address those failures. We look within at these times. What am I dissatisfied with? My appearance? Relationships? My career or lack thereof? How can I fix these? The gym? Better communication? A…
There is a wealth of content to choose from If you’re interested in learning more about Stoicism and benefiting from the philosophy’s principles. From books to courses to podcasts to videos, you can also take your pick of the medium you consume that content from. But did you know there’s also now an app for…
The comedian David Mitchell was working on a jocular answer to the tricky question “What are things?” for his Guardian column when he wrote the following: “What is a call to prayer but a noisy sport without a scoring system? What is a drama but an unbelievably long comedy without any jokes? What is an…
How much time do you spend on social media? Do you favour one platform over another or is your time divided equally among a few? Do you use it to keep up with friends and family? To read the latest news? To engage in heated arguments? Are you happy with how you use social media?…
The word philosophy comes from the Greek philosophia, which literally means “love of wisdom.” So, whether you’re completely new to Stoic philosophy or have been inching ever-closer to sagacity for some time, the great thing is that it’s always possible to learn something new, to feed your hunger for wisdom. From books to podcasts, and…
Do you have your own rules for life? Your own set of principles you steadfastly stick to in any situation and can default to when faced with tough choices? You probably have a rough idea, but why not take the time to write them down? Having the main ones clarified and committed to paper will…
John Sellars first developed an interest in Stoicism while studying philosophy at university. A journey of discovery through Greek philosophy led him to the likes of Plato and Socrates, and eventually the Stoic philosophers Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Now he is an academic lecturing in philosophy, the author of books like Stoicism and The Art…
If you're new to Stoicism, or just in need of a refresher, here are 101 short sentences covering the key concepts of the philosophy! Origins Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens around 300 BC.The name is derived from the “Stoa Poikile” (“Painted Porch”) where Zeno taught from.Stoicism was one of the major…