Summary

The website content discusses the relevance and misconceptions of Stoicism during the pandemic, emphasizing its role in fostering mental resilience in times of crisis.

Abstract

The article "Stoicism Amidst Crisis: If Not Now, Then When?" delves into the philosophy of Stoicism, its increasing popularity, and the distortion of its principles through trendiness. It provides a brief introduction to Stoicism, highlighting its core principle of the dichotomy of control, and explains how it can be applied to navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The author argues that while Stoicism is not a panacea for the global health crisis, it is a valuable tool for individual mental fortitude amidst widespread chaos and uncertainty. The piece also acknowledges the importance of recognizing the limits of human capacity and the need for self-care during difficult times, while simultaneously advocating for the use of Stoicism to strengthen the mind and maintain functionality despite the pandemic's constraints.

Opinions

The author suggests that the essence of Stoicism has been diluted as it has become more mainstream, leading to a superficial understanding of the philosophy.
The pandemic serves as a litmus test for genuine Stoicism, revealing who truly practices its principles beyond its trendy status.
Mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic can be mitigated through the application of Stoic practices.
While acknowledging the need for compassion and understanding during the crisis, the author also promotes the idea that Stoicism can empower individuals to live and work effectively despite the challenges.
The article posits that the current global health crisis presents an opportune moment for the practical application of Stoicism, as it is designed to help individuals build mental strength in the face of adversity.

Stoicism Amidst Crisis: If Not Now, Then When?

Tough times separate the truth from the trend.

I imagine this isn’t the first article about Stoicism you’ve read. It’s getting so popular nowadays, mostly because of famous authors like Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday.

The positive side of this is, of course, that this wonderful philosophy has reached more people and given them a better instrument to navigate life.

And the negative side is that, after being relayed extensively from one person to the next, the message becomes somewhat skewed and watered-down. This is an inevitable occurrence for any idea that underwent popularization.

Most people’s Stoicism is no longer Stoicism at all.

How come? Well, the pandemic has given us a clear outlook on this.

Unprecedented times like these, which are littered with “unpreferred indifferent-s,” as the Stoics would put it, is exactly the time for us to put the philosophy into good use — and yet, some people advocate the opposite.

Before we go too far, let’s do a quick recap on Stoicism.

A Brief Intro to Stoicism

This school of philosophy is founded by Zeno of Citium around 300 BC, and it is then continuously developed by other Stoic figures like Chrysippus, Seneca, and the philosopher-king Marcus Aurelius.

As we know it, the philosophy still endures until today.

If this deep philosophy can be traced back from (rather than summarized into) a single idea, it would be the “dichotomy of control.”

In his Enchiridion, Epictetus described as such:

“Some things are within our power, while others are not. Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever is of our own doing; not within our power are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own doing.”

Basically, this principle tells us to separate what we can control and what we can’t — and alter our thoughts and actions according to that realization.

This idea then paves the way for other related concepts, like premeditatio malorum, memento mori, and other reflective practices.

I won’t go too deep on this, because it’s not within my expertise and I don’t want to make this piece too long. Also, there are already a lot of other resources that can explain Stoicism way better than me.

To simplify, Stoicism is a philosophy that advocates mental resilience. It’s designed to help us tackle tough circumstances, by toughening our minds — for the former is beyond our control, and the latter is within.

What kind of tough circumstances?

Any kind, really.

We’ve got one example right here: A global health crisis.

All the Chaos in the World

First off, I must say that Stoicism is not the be-all, end-all solution to the coronavirus pandemic — neither the disease itself nor its ensuing conditions.

Surely we require more particular solutions like, say, a fully functioning healthcare workforce, a financial stimulus, or a community outreach program.

However, Stoicism is certainly a potent solution to be implemented at the individual level.

Mental health is one of the most severe problems which are aggravated by the outbreak, and Stoicism can be an effective remedy to help alleviate this condition.

The pandemic has thrown our lives into chaos — both as individuals and as a whole society — and we are forced to adjust. We must find a new way to fulfill our needs and finish our responsibilities, in spite of the less-than-ideal circumstances.

Stoicism is the perfect vehicle for this purpose. It helps us to become mentally robust, to function normally amidst all the chaos — even though it’s perfectly understandable if we don’t.

Along the course of the lockdowns, many voices are telling us that it’s okay to “take it easy” or “give yourself a break” — which is, again, understandable.

We are human beings, not robots, and the recent circumstances are making it difficult for us to perform. If we force ourselves beyond our capacity, we’re prone to become anxious, depressed, or even suicidal.

However, if we want to become stronger, to be able to live and work as if unhindered by the pandemic, we can.

Stoicism gives us one way to do just that.

This Is What Stoicism Is Designed For

There are people who say they practice Stoicism because they regard it as truth and others that do just because it’s a trend.

Times like these show us which one’s which.

I still have much to learn about Stoicism. Some of the statements I made in this piece might be wrong, and you’re welcome to correct me if you notice any mistake.

However, by writing this, I simply want to remind myself — while reminding you in the process — that there is an instrument that can help us toughen up and face these unprecedented times head-on, should we wish for it.

Stoicism is designed to foster mental fortitude, a trait that’s the most useful when practiced in arduous conditions — and we have one right now. A major one.

If now’s not the perfect time to practice Stoicism, then when the hell is?

The Apeiron Blog — Big Questions, Made Simple.

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