The philosophy of Stoicism - Massimo Pigliucci

What is the best life we can live? How can we cope with whatever the universe throws at us and keep thriving nonetheless? The ancient Greco-Roman philosophy of Stoicism explains that while we may not always have control over the events affecting us, we can have control over how we approach things. Massimo Pigliucci describes the philosophy of Stoicism.

Lesson by Massimo Pigliucci, animation by Compote Collective.

[ND-yvjf]

We suffer more often in imagination than in reality - Seneca the Young

[jhndv]

"You have power over your mind, not outside events.Realize this, and you'll find strength."-Marcus Aurelius

[jbcheema]

Marcus Aurelius argued that kindness is more manly than anger.

[SherlockHolmes-ditr]

"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering" - Friedrich Nietzsche

[WORKERS.DREADNOUGHT]

"The problem is not the problem. Your attitude to the problem is the problem" - Captain Jack Sparrow

[felixkovac]

Stoicism is one of those philosophies that anyone, regardless of their religious, political or philosophical views, should take certain aspects of.

[chasecollins]

It’s so weird to me how much I’ve learned. If I remember correctly, the last time I watched this video, I was 12, and I hardly understood this video. Now I’m 17, and i know the history behind these stories. It’s so utterly refreshing to understand something that used to draw up so many blanks.

[purvi]

"Sometimes to live is an act of courage"
I don't know how much my suicidal self needed to hear this
Edit: Thank you everyone in the replies for checking up on me i had to take a break from all social media to focus on my mental health and i'm in such a better place now. Its honestly wholesome to know so many strangers care about you love yall<3

[rhylanbruno]

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one"

-Marcus Aurelius

[knockurbrother]

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is greater than the suffering itself" - The Alchemist

[Astrius]

_“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”_ – *Seneca, the Younger*

[JoyNova]

My older sister is practically an expert at stoicism. She's practiced it for almost her whole life, and she's inspired me and my twin brother to do the same. Learning about the philosophy of stoicism not only helped me learn more about it, but it also helped me understand my sister, too. Thanks, Ted-Ed!

[larisachis]

Socrates : to do is to be
Plato : to be is to do
Scooby : do be do

[TheRisskee]

The thing many people miss whilst observing Stoicism is that it doesn't follow the typical standards of positive thinking that are pushed in today's philosophy. The philosophy of today would have you think that you should remain positive at all times with no exception. That differs greatly from how Stoicism works.

For example, Marcus Aurelius would practice something called Negative Visualization for a short time in the morning. He would think of all that could go wrong in the day, what he would do to remedy each problem, and after this allotted time, he would move on from it and go about his day not thinking about it unless something actually went wrong. If something did go wrong, he was already prepared for it and could better remedy the situation. This is not to say he was a negative person. He was just better prepared to handle negative impacts if they happened.

This is where the problem of positive thinking at all times is understood. If you do not prepare yourself, you are more susceptible to the weight of a negative situation being greater than if you had already been prepared for it. This is why so many people become depressed and their world stops. They don't have the necessary coping skills built in. (I'm not saying it's the whole reason people become depressed. Just giving an out for some of that stress of hard situations)

[joshiifruit]

Stoicism is an essential philosophy that helped me improve my fitness and nutrition. All this time I kept searching for the right "exercise" and the right "calories" when all I need is the right mindset. Improve your mental and everything will take care of itself. I hope this helps someone

[self-inflictedphilosophy]

10 Ways to Be More Stoic:
1.) Transform everyone into a teacher.
2.) Say no to the easy way, seek out challenges.
3.). Be strict with yourself but tolerant of others.
4.) Allow the journey to be the thing.
5.) Transform envy into emulation.
6.) Stand on the shoulders of giants.
7.) Forgive yourself and forgive others.
8.) Fall in love with Fate.
9.) Always practice courage, temperance, and humor.
10.) Remember, the obstacle is the path.

[raindrop-galaxy]

if designers / animators read these comments - guys you did an amazing job, those animations are superb! thank you very much!

[tnttiger]

I like the stoics. It's one of the few philosophies that is easy to entirely agree with.

[Silkygoldbutter]

I'm glad this video explores stoicism beyond the surface-level idea. It's important to remember that stoicism does not mean being disconnected from your emotions and pretending that they don't affect you. Rather, stoicism helps give you the power to survive and keep living when giving up is not an option, but feels like the only one available.

[Stoicism_Philosophy]

I appreciate how the Stoic teachings emphasize the importance of maintaining inner tranquility and composure amidst external chaos, echoing the timeless wisdom of finding peace within oneself.