Stoic Sunday II

[Barrett Dorko]

It is impossible to live the pleasant life without also living sensibly, nobly and justly, and it is impossible to live sensibly, nobly and justly without living pleasantly.

Epicurus

Do not seek to have to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well.

Epictetus

I’ve been following the stoics for a while. Actually, since I first read A Man in Full ten years ago.

What I want to do for a while on Sunday is look at this philosophy and see if we can’t relate it to practice. Check out the Wiki entry here.

Here’s a web site describing specifically a stoic personality. I also took this quiz.

Guess what?

As many of you know, until recently I worked exclusively in skilled nursing facilities. One of the things that I always wondered about was the attitude of most of the patients. Living there with no hope of any real change I would have been depressed and angry, impatient and sarcastic.

But, for the most part, the patients had somehow acquired a stoic personality. In fact, it had saved them.

Has anybody else seen the same thing?

[Barrett Dorko]

For a while, I considered writing about how certain patients excuded dignity. I never wrote that.

Now I'm of the opinion that they had become stoics - some earlier and faster than others.

Anyone out there see something similar?

[keithp]

Originally Posted by Barrett Dorko

Now I'm of the opinion that they had become stoics - some earlier and faster than others.

There is a fine line between a stoic's indifference and apathy, no?

How would I, as an observer, differentiate between the two?

Respectfully,
Keith

[Barrett Dorko]

I would say that stoics appear indifferent because they've not chosen to whine, rage and complain as is common. They care, but have abandoned reactions that have proven nonproductive.

The phrase, "You do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do" drives them, and one of the things they have to do is not complain verbally, but act consistently in a chosen manner.

When I write here about my colleague's shortcomings I am not behaving as a stoic, and that always makes me uneasy. I'm leaving that behavior behind very slowly, but I'm not about to start complaining about how slow.