Preaching About the Stoics

Disentangling ancient philosophy from toxic masculinity

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

Back in the Spring, our church was abuzz talking about Stoicism after an article on its modern manifestation made the rounds on the discussion list.  People were curious about this ancient Greek philosophy that they didn’t know much about beyond the image of the “stiff upper lip” we’re all used to in the West.  It was suggested that a sermon on Stoicism might be fun, and being a student of Ancient Greek philosophy, I volunteered to tackle the task.

I spent the next few weeks reading up on the subject on Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Brittanica, and other online sources.  What I found surprised me and was in direct contradiction to that stereotypically unemotional picture we’re used to.  While Stoicism supports a position of emotional control, it does not support total denial of emotion.  Rather, it acknowledges that emotions can get the better of us and proposes a system of managing those emotions so that we control them, rather than our emotions controlling us.

I spent some time writing a sermon that my husband would read, as I am uncomfortable speaking in front of people and prefer to stay in the background.  It went extremely well, and we received many compliments from the congregation afterwards.  Several people requested a copy of the sermon so that they could read it at their leisure, and I posted it on the discussion list.  Now I share it with you.  Please enjoy.

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Stoicism is one of the more well-known schools of ancient Greek philosophical thought, though perhaps one of the least understood.  It is commonly understood today in the context of the stereotypical “stiff upper lip” in the face of adverse circumstances, which on the surface is an accurate representation of the Stoic mindset, but is lacking upon further exploration.  Unfortunately, there is a modern resurgence of Stoicism that is cleverly disguising the philosophies of toxic masculinity in direct contradiction to the tenets of classic Stoicism.  Bookstores are filled with recent publications about Stoicism, many of which have cover art that hints at the toxicity within the pages.

Instead, Stoicism is a philosophy intent upon easing psychological suffering in much the same way that Buddhism proposes and is similarly based upon the logical conclusion that all things in the Universe are unified in their existence.  This is also the fundamental tenet that binds Unitarian Universalists, with whom Stoicism has much in common.

A good modern cultural example of a classic Stoic would be the Vulcan Mr. Spock from Star Trek.  His logical and seemingly emotionless approach to life embodies the virtues of Stoicism very well.  He presents a calm exterior in the face of everything that life throws at him, engaging in meditative practices that enable him to endure any hardship and maintain an inner stillness that allows access to wisdom.  Despite his emphasis on logic, one of Mr. Spock’s most insightful quotes is, “Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.”  Another good example is the late painter Bob Ross.  His attitude of seeing mistakes as “happy little accidents” is a perfect example of the classic Stoic attitude, as well as of a joyful Stoic, which is perfectly possible.  To be stoic does not necessarily mean to be dull and dour.

In classic Stoicism, the practice of virtue alone is enough to achieve eudaimonia, or a well-lived life: literally ‘good spiritedness’.  To truly understand this mindset, one must understand how the ancient Greeks viewed the spirit, or the daimon.  It was something unique to the individual in much the same way as the Roman genius, and it required cultivation to bring it to its full potential, and therefore the person to happiness and fulfillment.  Individual fulfillment was not just important to the person, but also to the polis, the city-state in which they lived and gave their loyalty.

In the case of Stoicism, that was the great city-state of Athens, historical home of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and many others.  Established in the 3rd c. BCE by Zeno of Citium, Stoicism derives its name from the Greek phrase stoa poikili, meaning ‘painted porch’ in reference to the colonnade where Zeno taught his students.  In this way, Stoicism could be seen to translate as “porch learning”.  It was a philosophical development out of the school of Cynicism.

The four main Stoic virtues were wisdom, temperance, courage, and justice.  Stoic philosophy was also strongly focused on understanding and living in accordance with the rules of the natural order, since everything is rooted in nature.  To the Stoics, the highest form of virtue was utility, which is likely the source of the later interpretation of Stoicism to mean enduring hardship and shunning convenience in the name of virtue.

Virtue was everything to the Stoics, forming the foundation of philosophy itself.  Philosophical virtue was comprised of ideals of logic, monistic non-dualist physics, and naturalistic ethics.  These three areas of focus were necessary for eudaimonia as part of a logos, or philosophical discourse that not only took place with others, but also internally with oneself.  This focus would become important two-and-a-half-thousand years later with the development of cognitive behavioral therapy, the philosophical foundation of which lies with the classic Stoics.

Stoicism was reliant upon the Platonic concept of the Oneness of the Universe and the existence of the monad, or The One, that encompasses all things and makes everything one with the Creative principle of the Universe.  The unifying nature of the Universe means that humans each possess a portion of the divine spirit of reason and the primordial Fire that spurs creation and sustains it.  This view of the Universe directly connects classic Stoicism with modern Unitarian Universalism and bears a strong resemblance to the congregational profile of many UU churches, which also have an emphasis on intellectualism and a respect for nature.  For example, UUs tend to believe that it is logical and natural to treat all human beings equally, and that it is logical and natural to treat the Earth and its creatures with respect.

Unitarian Universalists do not have a creed like most churches, but we do have our guiding principles and purposes, of which there are eight.  A cursory glance at the guiding principles of both Stoicism and Unitarian Universalism reveals strong parallels and connections between both schools of thought as practiced by the ancient Greeks and Modern revivalists.

UUs also tend to believe in the “justice, equity and compassion in human relations”, and the Stoics believed that it was virtuous to be free of anger, jealousy, and envy in all relationships.  UUs further believe in “acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations”.  The Stoics believed philosophy itself was the practice of virtue, which included acceptance of fellow human beings and the encouragement of practicing Stoic virtues for personal growth.  A further UU belief is “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning”, and the Stoics believed in the wisdom of clear thinking to keep oneself free of passions and open to truth and virtuousness.

The 5th UU principle refers to “the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and society at large”, which is definitely in keeping with Stoic philosophy.  As previously stated, the eudaimonia of an individual and the strength and health of the polis were directly interrelated.  Aristotle, a philosophical ancestor of Stoicism, believed the development of eudaimonia was only possible within the context of the human community of the city-state, to which people bore loyalty and obligation.

This extends into the 6th UU principle of “the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all”, for the Stoics believed that the world was one great city and that all humans are residents of that city.  As world citizens, we bear a responsibility to the world city and all of its residents.  This itself extends into the 7th UU principle of “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”.  Stoics believed in monism, or the Oneness of the Universe, so they also recognized themselves as an intrinsic part of the natural world and used its natural rules as a guide for how to live in harmony with each other and the Earth.

Some of these natural rules the Stoics obeyed included the avoidance of pathos, or passions, which included distress, pleasure, fear, and lust.  Like the Buddhists, they viewed the passions as being illusory and the result of incorrect judgments about situations, both good and bad.  As Epictetus famously stated, “it’s not the events that upset us, but our judgments about the events.”  These philosophical tenets became the later basis of first rational emotive behavioral therapy in the mid-1950s, followed by its descendant, cognitive behavioral therapy in the 80s and 90s, which has become very popular in recent decades as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental distress.

Both Stoicism and CBT focus on developing self-control to overcome destructive emotions via becoming a clear and unbiased thinker to reveal the logos, or true nature, of any given situation.  This necessarily involves challenging and changing thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes that cause suffering and dissatisfaction in life.  The goal is more satisfaction and fulfillment in life, rather than the dour outlook of the modern stereotypical stoic, which is defined as a “person who represses feelings or endures patiently”.  This view of Stoicism did not arise until the 16th century with the rise of Protestantism in Europe.  The goal of Stoicism is not to repress feelings, but to recognize them as potentially illusory and therefore as unimportant.  To a Stoic, a wise person, or sophos, would be free of the passions and experience eupatheia, or good feelings and mental clarity.

Outside of the sphere of therapeutic methods, there is also a modern resurgence in interest in Stoic philosophy as a way of life, although its modern interpretations can be very different than those proposed by the classic Stoics.  A distinction must be made between toxic stoicism, which puts forth the image of someone who represses their emotions, and Modern Stoicism, which is indeed a modern effort to revive classic Stoicism and its true principles.  Again, Mr. Spock and the Vulcan race stand as good examples of classic Stoicism.  Vulcans do experience emotion, they have simply learned over millennia after a history of violence to use meditation and philosophy to control their emotions so they are no longer destructive.  Clearly there is a difference between a system that seeks to suppress all emotion and a system that merely seeks to understand the true nature of emotions so as not to be overwhelmed or controlled by them.

Modern Stoicism and cognitive behavioral therapy are both revivals of a venerable philosophical system, while toxic stoicism can be used as an excuse to dominate and oppress, as is being seen in more hostile and patriarchal elements of American society.  Stoicism is a philosophy of peace and equanimity and inclusiveness, not one of domination and oppression and exclusion.  Unfortunately, adherents of toxic masculinity have hijacked the principles of Stoicism, such as arete, or excellence, as justification for abusive, narcissistic behaviors that are actually antithetical to true Stoic values.

Similarly, forces within the motivational movement as well as business enterprises have taken Stoic principles and used them to justify what are actually anti-Stoic philosophies and attitudes.  For example, the Stoic trait of fearlessness in the face of adversity is being abused to uphold personal attitudes of achieving success by any means necessary.  This has its roots in the virtue ethics movement of the 70s, which upholds that one does the right thing because it is in one’s best interests, without considering others.  Without honoring the truth of interbeing and interconnectedness upheld by classic Stoicism, this becomes the height of selfishness, which is not what Stoicism proposes.

As a result, modern pop stoicism has become at best a watered-down version of a fairly strict system of logic, physics, and ethics and at worst, a justification for thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are in direct opposition to those encouraged by classic Stoicism and its Modern revival.  This should not be a surprise in a world filled with people who want to return to the days when boys were told not to be sissies, children were told not to cry or they’d be given a reason to cry, and women’s place was to be silent in the kitchen.  This is the stereotypical presentation of the controlling, patriarchal Stoic mindset to which we’ve become culturally accustomed, which is very different from classic Stoicism.

As world citizens of the global city, we have a duty to that city and its residents, our cousins, to reclaim venerable philosophies that proffer truth from forces that seek to pervert and distort them.  As Unitarian Universalists, we walk a path that closely parallels that of the Stoics, even if it is not precisely identical, and as such, we are its representatives as philosophical siblings.  In these troubling times, it is more important than ever that we stay educated and aware of what is going on around us so that we may notice when the truth is being misrepresented and perhaps save someone from being ensnared by falseness, even if it’s only ourselves.