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…
As the phrase goes, sh*t happens. Sometimes it happens to us. Sometimes we have periods when it feels like a lot of sh*t is happening to us at the same time. In the classic comedy, Wayne’s World, Wayne Campbell experiences one of these periods and laments: “What the hell's going on? I lost my show,…
“It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinions than our own.” Marcus Aurelius Has anyone you know announced big news recently? An engagement? A pregnancy? New job? New house? Were you happy for them? Were you jealous of them? Did the news make…
What Is Loneliness? “Loneliness isn’t the physical absence of other people - it’s the sense that you’re not sharing anything that matters with anyone else.” The above is a quote from Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections. Judging by the reaction to a recent piece, it resonates with a lot of people. It’s a sobering, perhaps…
It can be nice to have nice things. It’s such an effortless impulse to want nice things - a desire that keeps passing through the mind like a persistent pilot circling his plane over your house with an advertising banner fluttering behind it saying, “Your neighbour’s car is better than yours.” Before we buy nice…
When a person suffers from depression or anxiety, it is because they have been cut off, disconnected, from something they innately need but have lost at some point. That’s the conclusion Johann Hari draws in his book Lost Connections - that every social and psychological cause of depression and anxiety scientists have discovered is a…
Right now we’re all worried about something. The consequences of a past action, the status of a current relationship, how life will turn out for us years from now - whatever it may be, we worry that ultimately it won’t be favourable to us. But what is worry? The Oxford Dictionary says to worry is…
“I’m older than mosta you and I can tell you that the only real possession you’ll ever have is your character, that and your ‘scheme of life,’ you might say. The Manager has given every person a spark from His own divinity, and no one can take that away from you, not even the Manager…
If you have an interest in Stoicism, you'll know the names of the most famous ancient Stoics - Marcus Aurelius, Seneca The Younger, and Epictetus. If you enjoy the modern take on the works of these great philosophers, then you'll perhaps also know the likes of Ryan Holiday, Tim Ferriss and Donald Robertson, who have…