I am not a stoic person even a little bit. I flip out about every little thing that goes wrong. I wish I didn't.

(August 9, 2024 at 9:22 pm)Ahriman Wrote: I am not a stoic person even a little bit. I flip out about every little thing that goes wrong. I wish I didn't.

The great thing about individuality is that everyone does not have to be the same.

(August 9, 2024 at 9:24 pm)Silver Wrote:

(August 9, 2024 at 9:22 pm)Ahriman Wrote: I am not a stoic person even a little bit. I flip out about every little thing that goes wrong. I wish I didn't.

The great thing about individuality is that everyone does not have to be the same.

This is why I suspect that in the long run, most people here will reject Stoicism. It isn't real big on individuality. 

They say that everyone wants to be happy. That's part of our essence. But they also say that the vast majority of people don't know how to go about this, and make choices that lead them away from happiness. 

The Stoics, on the other hand, think that they know the only true way to be happy, and it's a narrow path. According to them, a person absolutely must live in accord with the laws of the universe as laid down and embodied by God. Doing so is what leads to happiness, while choosing one's own path is almost certain to fail. So the modern American "follow your bliss" kind of thing is the opposite of Stoicism.

There seems to be some idea that Stoicism means toughing out the bad times. Not complaining. That apparently comes from the Stoic belief that when a person is truly happy, his happiness is not reduced even if he is being tortured. Being virtuous, which equals living according to God's laws, means being happy. And even if you are being gang raped your happiness will not be reduced, because while being gang raped you are still virtuous.

(August 9, 2024 at 9:22 pm)Ahriman Wrote: I am not a stoic person even a little bit. I flip out about every little thing that goes wrong. I wish I didn't.

It's a difficult thing to change indeed. Desire to change is the first step to change, you're part way there.

Seems to me that life is inherently meaningful to you because it is all you have. Its up to you to live it freely.

Possibly an overreaction to absinthe and the yoke of religion.