Quote:Stoicism is actually extremely altruistic - the focus is on being moral yourself but not requiring or expecting that others meet the moral standards you set for yourself. That said, I find it most helpful in the way you mention, as self improvement and a psychological tool for dealing with life.
I agree that empathy and the "golden rule" of treating others how you would like to be treated is how I see the foundation for any interpersonal ethics.
Yes, I agree that the goal of a life lived by Stoic principles will be very virtuous toward others. Living a selfish, cruel life would certainly violate Stoicism.
As I said, Stoics hold that there is a set of principles according to which the world works. The goal is to live in accordance with this set of principles. Since man is a social animal, and justice is a part of the Logos, a Stoic would certainly take account of justice and of the people around him, and refrain as far as humanly possible from harming anyone. And to the extent that everyone is lifted up by mutual aid, it is virtuous and reasonable to assist others.
Plutarch, Cicero, Hierocles, Marcus Aurelius, Arius Didymus, and other Stoic writers discuss a universal cosmopolitanism. This extends our responsibility to others beyond our own family or polis to cover all of humanity. It may be different from what we modern people think of as compassion -- Stoics wouldn't necessarily "feel your pain." But they would acknowledge others' pain and feel a mutual responsibility.
I think you've hit the nail on the head by pointing out that the focus is on being moral yourself. Personal virtue is the goal. But personal virtue absolutely excludes selfishness, greed, and cruelty. What may be misleading people is the very wise (I think) belief that we don't have control over other people -- only ourselves. So our duty is to make ourselves as virtuous as possible. Some people take it as a given that being virtuous means trying to change other people -- scolding them, judging them, telling them what you think of them. Stoics don't think that this is what makes you virtuous.
So Stoicism is about working on oneself, but the goal is that all benefit when virtue is increased.
