“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” — Marcus Aurelius.
The above quote from one of the primary proponents of Stoicism, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, summarizes the Stoic philosophy in a nutshell. Marcus Aurelius was not the founder of Stoicism — the ancient Greeks founded the philosophy over 400 years before his rule — but his adherence to Stoic principles and his nightly journals have made him one of the most influential humans in history. So what is the main belief of Stoicism, and why has the philosophy resurged in modern society?
What is the Stoic Philosophy?
In around 300 BC, Zeno — a merchant from the Greek colony of Citium in modern-day Cyprus — lost his vessel in the Mediterranean Sea and washed up on Greek shores. While in Greece, he happened upon a dialogue by the philosopher Socrates in “The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates,” a book written by one of the teacher’s students, Xenophon. The dialogue profoundly affected Zeno of Citium, who began studying philosophy under Crates of Thebes and others before starting his own school of philosophy, which became Stoicism.
Picture the scene as a student of Zeno — you’re sitting on the “stoa poikilê,” or painted porch, in ancient Athens, listening to Zeno speak about how to become the best human you could be. Doing so involved making the right choices and following them with action to achieve virtue and “eudaimonia” — a life of flourishing. Essentially, this process is the foundation of Stoicism. After Zeno’s death, other philosophers, like Cleanthes, who strengthened Stoicism ethically, and Chrysippus, who provided greater logical structure, further enhanced the school. In the years preceding 50 BC, Posidonius added the reconciliation of emotion and reason, providing the rounded Stoic structure on which Marcus Aurelius would base his life and rule within the next 70 years.
Stoicism and Marcus Aurelius
As consul to his adopted father, the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius began studying philosophy under the Greek Stoic Apollonius of Chalcedon, who likely introduced him to Stoicism. History will tell you that a fellow Roman, the teacher and politician Quintus Junius Rusticus would profoundly influence Marcus Aurelius’ belief structure. By the time he became emperor at 40, during a period when Rome was one of the world’s largest and most influential civilizations, Marcus Aurelius was firmly practicing and living by Stoic principles.
Imagine having all the riches you desire, with nobody in a position to dispute your words or actions. Marcus Aurelius was in this position, but still, he maintained his goal of becoming the restrained, virtuous and wise human being that Stoicism dictates. At the same time, the philosophy’s reputation was for producing cold and emotionless followers, traits often aligned with modern “stoic” attitudes today.
In essence, Stoics of the time were merely suppressing instinctive and involuntary feelings of grief, anger and fear until voluntary thought, intent and action took over to define a rational path forward. In his journals, Marcus Aurelius described how his emotions often tested him, noting his thought processing in combating these instinctive feelings through Stoic principles.
You’ve likely come across many Marcus Aurelius quotes online — they frequently emphasize the power you have to control your thoughts and, hence, your actions, to move forward positively and proactively within your circumstances.
How Stoicism Applies in Modern Life
Emperor Marcus Aurelius's reign included natural disasters, plagues, wars, and rebellions. He also faced the deaths of family and friends and, ultimately, his failing health. Despite these, he auctioned off treasures and artifacts to raise funds for the less fortunate and pardoned many who rebelled against his rule. Marcus Aurelius also staunchly supported the rights of slaves, women and children. If his Stoic principles guided him to do so in his era, it’s not surprising that the Stoic philosophy is more prevalent in society today.
With the prioritization of self-care and mental well-being in the new millennium, those Stoic attitudes are resurfacing. However, many who practice them aren’t even aware of Stoicism or how far back the philosophy reaches. Stoicism is all about being virtuous — possessing good character — with this ability forming the blueprint for living positively and successfully.
Instead of relying on passionate, emotional outbursts in situations, thinking logically and identifying the difference between right and wrong allows you to react more calmly and proactively to remedy these situations. Sometimes, it’s better not to respond at all until you’ve had time to process things effectively. Once you’ve done so, the inherent virtue of your voluntary thoughts will define your best response.
How Stoicism Connects to Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Following these Stoic principles, incorporating logic and ethical values, removes much of the stress built by raw emotion in situations. By controlling, not eliminating, your initial emotions, you can replace them with proactive thought and action according to your underlying virtue to achieve a proactive result. By improving your EQ through emotional control in potentially volatile or trying situations, you can benefit in the following ways by applying ancient Stoic philosophy principles:
You control the stress that can ultimately result in anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns. Stoic thinking assists in identifying the stressors by writing down your thoughts, as Marcus Aurelius did.
Uncontrolled stress also often harms your physical health — it can lead to earlier aging, infertility, raised blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and a suppressed immune system. Living by Stoic principles can reduce these chances.
Using logic and consideration when expressing your emotions will build better and more productive relationships. Understanding and controlling your feelings will improve communication and strengthen friendships.
A higher EQ improves your social intelligence. If you are principled and virtuous in thought and deed, you’ll better identify positive and negative people and their motives.
Enjoying meaningful relationships with proactive people means feeling more appreciated, loved and happy in life — leading a virtuous life becomes easier and more fulfilling, which will breed success.
Your virtuous existence motivates others and helps you navigate the social complexities of a workplace or school. A higher EQ also helps your productivity and problem-solving, as logical thinking makes identifying paths forward easier.
A Stoic Belief Structure Provides Direction
Although many people don’t believe in a supreme being or the power of the universe, others draw comfort from their associated beliefs. Stoicism’s relationship to physics teaches that nature, the cosmos, and the universe’s natural laws connect rationally with your ability to reason using free will as the governing power. Stoicism’s ethical beliefs emphasize the natural order of everything and cement all individuals’ place within the cosmos.
In other words, how virtuous you are in thought, word and deed ultimately defines your life’s path and success. Nothing is preordained. When something happens in your life, your prior actions — mentally, physically or spiritually — are responsible. How you deal with that occurrence will have a negative or positive impact based on your decisions.
Believing in Stoic philosophy can guide you as you navigate your existence, encouraging you to learn from previous mistakes. This productive learning assists you in becoming more virtuous in life and helps you grow into a more motivated and proactive person.
Being Stoic Means Growing in Virtue
The modern dictionary defines a “stoic” person as one who can endure hardship without showing feelings or complaining. While many have previously read negative traits into such a person, this definition describes an ability to apply the philosophy of Stoicism very well. To become more virtuous, you must accept the good and the bad events in your life equally. Thereafter, assess how you can promote the positives and remedy the others through rational and logical thinking. Is there a negative element to doing so?
