Stoicism: Ancient Greek & Roman Practical Self-Improvement Philosophy

[Winston]

Check this out guys.

I've been studying and researching Stoicism lately. Its a self-improvement Philosophy for dealing with life from ancient Greece and Rome. It makes a lot of sense and is practical and applicable to modern everyday life. It contains a lot of good self-improvement advice that even @Billy would like and agree with.

It also makes sense to me and fits my own philosophy, beliefs and observations. And it makes me realize that i probably have the soul of a Greek philosopher too. I think it fits Mr S too and his personality and beliefs.

The thing is Stoicism has solutions and remedies for dealing with suffering, anxiety and disappointment that makes more sense and is more applicable than Buddhism and Zen even. So Buddhism is not necessarily the best system for dealing with suffering as some of its remedies are unrealistic and impractical and unnatural and go against human nature, whereas Stoicism does not and fits human nature better.

We always assume that Buddhism and Zen are the best answer to suffering. But the stoic philosophers such as Zeno, Socrates, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, etc had some better answers and remedies to suffering that make more sense than simply detaching from desire and denying ones ego and self like Zen Buddhism advocates, which i never found to make sense.

Anyway i believe Stoicism has a lot of answers I've been seeking and its advice for dealing with life could definitely improve my wasted life, and maybe yours too. Here are some links on Stoicism so u can research it yourself too.

Here are some short intro videos about Stoicism. I'm ordering books about it from amazon too.









Video clips from the great movie "Shawshank Redemption" along with lessons from Stoicism.

[Winston]

Here's a great lecture on Marcus Aurelius, one of the few true philosopher kings in history, and his life philosophy and his stoicism beliefs too.



One hour lecture on Stoicism 101 by Italian author and professor of philosophy, Massimo Pigliucci.



I think in a lot of ways stoicism is a lot more practical and hands on for reducing suffering in life than Buddhism, which is too abstract and theoretical and doesnt contain as many practical exercises (besides meditation) or specific solutions to lifes problems as stoic philosophy does. The videos above explain why. What do you think? U agree? It also contains a lot of good self improvement advice that makes a lot of sense.

[Winston]

Another video about Stoicism.



@hypermak notice how in these videos about Stoicism, and the videos about Taoism too, if you look them up on YouTube, all AGREE with me that MOST things in life are NOT under our control, contrary to what New Agers and American positivity cults tell you, which is that you are the "master of your own destiny" and that "you create your own reality" and that anything is possible if you believe it and set no limits, etc. So you see, the ancient philosophy of your ancestors agree with me! So I'm not the only one. Are most Italians fatalists or do they believe everything is controllable and that they are the "masters of their own destiny"?

Also, if you look up videos on Taoism, they say that if you try to MAKE things happen and go against the flow of the universe, you will effectively be swimming upstream AGAINST the current and thus wasting lots of energy for nothing. Did you know that? Thus, they say what I told you before, that if you go against your destiny and what's meant to be, you will come to nothing. Only by going with the flow and with destiny, do things happen for you. Doesn't Taoism validate what I told you before? Here are some short videos below about Taoism and going with the flow rather than trying to "make things happen".





Here's a full length documentary about Taoism and effortless living, by a Western author of Eastern spirituality.



What do you think hypermak? Doesn't that validate what I told you?

[Winston]

A video essay exploring the theme of Stoicism in the 1967 Classic "Cool Hand Luke" starring Paul Newman and George Kennedy.

[Gali]

A video essay exploring the theme of Stoicism in the 1967 Classic "Cool Hand Luke" starring Paul Newman and George Kennedy.

This is an amazing movie. Good thing to connect it with Stoicism.

[Winston]

It was a depressing movie though. With no hope and a sad ending. Also what kind of US prison puts people in a concentration camp with hard labor like that? Usually they have them working in factories making license plates. Thats unrealistic. Isnt that forced slavery? What if they drop and get sick and refuse to do any hard labor? What can they do? They can't whip you to death. Thats what those prisoners should have done. Just refuse to work for them.

[Gali]

It was a depressing movie though. With no hope and a sad ending. Also what kind of US prison puts people in a concentration camp with hard labor like that? Usually they have them working in factories making license plates. Thats unrealistic. Isnt that forced slavery? What if they drop and get sick and refuse to do any hard labor? What can they do? They can't whip you to death. Thats what those prisoners should have done. Just refuse to work for them.

As the borgs say 'resistence is futile'

On Friday, June 3, 1932, after a short and violent life, Maillefert was shoved into Road Camp 36′s “sweatbox,” a cramped wooden shed used to mete out punishment. The road camp’s warden wrapped a chain around his neck and nailed wooden stocks around his feet, as rain pounded like fists on the metal roof.
When a camp trusty opened the door less than an hour later, Maillefert’s body hung lifeless from that chain.
The camp’s warden, guards and some prisoners claimed Maillefert committed suicide by self-strangulation.
A grand jury disagreed and the warden, George Washington Courson, and a guard, Solomon Higginbotham, were arrested on charges of first-degree murder.

https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20 ... /191007525

[Winston]

So sending prisoners to a slave labor camp was legal in the early 1900s? Even in the US? It would definitely be illegal now. Why didn't the prisoners just lay down and refuse to work? They cannot be forced against their will even if you whip them right?

[Gali]

So sending prisoners to a slave labor camp was legal in the early 1900s? Even in the US? It would definitely be illegal now. Why didn't the prisoners just lay down and refuse to work? They cannot be forced against their will even if you whip them right?

Depends on the work and the punishment I guess.

[Winston]

Btw Paul Newman has always played a stoic character who doesn't give a shit. Have you seen Harper and the sequel to it? In those films women keep throwing themselves at Newman and try to seduce him but he keeps blowing them off like he doesn't need them. No way would a man do that in real life. Why do movies like to show men not needing women like that?

[jamesbond]

Another video about Stoicism.

Good video, more people need to learn about the idea of Stoicism.

[Gali]

Richard Lefaive
2 weeks ago
@yu stu The main points of the story are:

1. To personify the nature of totalitarianism and those who seek power and control over all else. Through a small scale , more personalized narrative of a small south prison and its warden + officers. Using that setting to show how such a system's only goal is to subjugate its citizens and make them lose hope and capitulate ... in EVERY way. No resistance is permitted.

2. To show the indomitable, positive, and admirable aspects of the human spirit through Luke.

3. To show what that true freedom is not a set of laws, a piece of paper, nor anything physical, but rather a frame of mind. That you are only free if your mind is free and are never unless it is.

4. That the only path to freedom paradoxically, is not through selfish motives. That you can only achieve true freedom through a complete abandonment of the self and commitment to something larger than and outside yourself ( e.g. his fellow prisoners )

This is basically the same plot and narrative as another equally great film "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" . The difference is that the latter film takes the message one step further by showing the effect the one brave person with integrity has on others when a defeated" Jack Nicholson's character inspires "Chief" in that movie to break out of the asylum as the closing scene.

The message being that one person acting with selflessness and integrity can change the world in very unexpected ways and even bring down "the system" by showing a path to others.

7

[Winston]

Some parallel lessons and teachings between Stoicism and Rosicrucian philosophy. Presented by the director of the Rosicrucian Order. These teachings and examples make sense and are practical.

[Winston]

A good group discussion about Stoicism on a Rosicrucian group podcast.



Some comments I posted under the video:

Most things are not under our control, they go by destiny. Americans and New Agers have a hard time accepting this. Watch the movie "Adjustment Bureau". The agents in the movie tell Matt Damon that the big things are decided by higher forces and the only control he has is over trivial things such as what flavor ice cream he wants, etc. The higher forces only allow you control over trivial stuff like that. Makes sense. Fits what I see in this world.

Stoicism is the only realistic and practical philosophy. It acknowledges that most things are NOT under our control. Especially other people and events. But most Americans are brainwashed by New Age and self-help books that tell you your mind is all powerful like the Jedi in Star Wars. So they end up disappointed when the truth isn't like that. Even people with genuine telekinesis can only move small objects like matches and toothpicks, not large objects like Yoda does in the Star Wars movies. That's what New Agers don't get and refuse to believe. So yes there are psychic abilities and telekinesis is real, but the effect is small and not easy to control. It is not all powerful like New Agers claim. It's too bad most Americans refuse to believe this. Also, telling people that you are limited and cannot control most things doesn't sell. That's why Stoicism doesn't sell. Americans will not pay to hear that. They only want to hear that they are all powerful and god incarnate and have infinite potential, etc. So that's what all New Age self help books say, because that's what sells. Truth doesn't sell in America.

Stoicism is realistic and practical. But it does NOT sell in America. Because telling people that there are limitations and that you cannot control most things, does NOT sell. Americans will not pay to hear that. They only want to hear that they are all powerful and god incarnate and have infinite potential, etc. They want to hear things like "Nothing is impossible. The sky's the limit. You can achieve anything if you believe in yourself." etc. So that's what all New Age self help books all say, because that's what sells. Truth doesn't sell in America. America is the land of delusion.

[Gali]

What is a stoic person?
Being stoic is being calm and almost without any emotion. When you're stoic, you don't show what you're feeling and you also accept whatever is happening. The noun stoic is a person who's not very emotional. ... Someone yelling, crying, laughing, or glaring is not stoic.

Seems quite close to confucianism I guess.