The main character in the movie Croupier has a really great philosophy: “Hang on tightly, let go lightly.” It took me longer to wrap my head around, but ultimately I realized it’s a rephrasing of a core stoicism concept, and I love especially memorable quotes like this.
You have ultimately no control over events. A loved one could be struck by a fatal aneurysm tomorrow and you could’t prevent it. All you can do is cherish what you have, always knowing that you could lose it at any moment.
It’s easy to read Epictitus and hear, "don’t care about your wife, because she is already dead,” and I think Epictitus really was kind of a dick. Aurelius was either a better or not compassionate author, though, and phrased it around cultivating an awareness that we are powerless against much of the universe, so hang on tightly to what you have, while you have it, but let go lightly when it is time, and don’t carry unnecessary grief and things you can’t control.
Stoicism seems, to me, to focus much on answering your specific question.
This philosophy has the issue where it tells you to roll over and die in every situation and to never rebell or argue in some circumstances. If I put you in a cage and that’s your life you have to accept this is your life and that’s it. You see the issue with this philosophy now?
The main character in the movie Croupier has a really great philosophy: “Hang on tightly, let go lightly.” It took me longer to wrap my head around, but ultimately I realized it’s a rephrasing of a core stoicism concept, and I love especially memorable quotes like this.
You have ultimately no control over events. A loved one could be struck by a fatal aneurysm tomorrow and you could’t prevent it. All you can do is cherish what you have, always knowing that you could lose it at any moment.
It’s easy to read Epictitus and hear, "don’t care about your wife, because she is already dead,” and I think Epictitus really was kind of a dick. Aurelius was either a better or not compassionate author, though, and phrased it around cultivating an awareness that we are powerless against much of the universe, so hang on tightly to what you have, while you have it, but let go lightly when it is time, and don’t carry unnecessary grief and things you can’t control.
Stoicism seems, to me, to focus much on answering your specific question.
This philosophy has the issue where it tells you to roll over and die in every situation and to never rebell or argue in some circumstances. If I put you in a cage and that’s your life you have to accept this is your life and that’s it. You see the issue with this philosophy now?
Have you read any Stoic writings? That sounds like a hot take from Stoicism cliff notes.
And, no. I see no issue with Stoicism; I think it’s a very pragmatic philosophy.