Epictetus was a slave of a freedman in the court of Nero. He probably didn't have an easy life in that place. It's said his master (or someone) deliberately broke his leg, rendering him lame for life. Marcus Aurelius spent most of his reign as Emperor on campaign in the forests of Germania.I suspect it was much "easier" being a stoic back in the days of ancient Rome. — Wallows
Perhaps, but when someone says or does something, or tries to do something wrong and its in our power to rebuke or stop them, we should do so regardless of their opinion.We live in a postmodernist society where anything flies and everyone is entitled to their opinion — Wallows
My resentment is the nullification of legitimate feelings, like anger, and their repression. — Wallows
It's said his master (or someone) deliberately broke his leg, rendering him lame for life. — Ciceronianus the White
Perhaps, but when someone says or does something, or tries to do something wrong and its in our power to rebuke or stop them, we should do so regardless of their opinion. — Ciceronianus the White
It's not so much repression as intelligent regulation, and a recognition that much as we may want to, we can't control others no matter how much we hate them. We will get angry, but we need not trash our hotel room or break windows or break jaws, or act maliciously or vindictively. We need not allow our anger to consume us. We need not hate, or plot revenge. — Ciceronianus the White
Being a misanthrope is perhaps the antithesis of stoic philosophy, yet here I am spouting a misanthropic tune about people in general. What to do? — Wallows
Stop allowing yourself to be unduly disturbed by things beyond your control--which would include "people in general."
Easy to say. I am unable to get past the burden of Stoicism manifest in this quote from Marcus Aurelius:
Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body, the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial. All these things happen to them by reason of their ignorance of what is good and evil.
— Marcus Aurelius
Really? Begin each morning with negative visualizations of people in general? Who does this to themselves? — Wallows
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