Stoicism: The Art of Control

Recently, in my philosophy class we learned about Stoicism. We have learned about many important topics in that class, such as Aristotle's views on what makes a happy life or Socrates' ideas about education and how it should kindle the flame for curiosity and independent thought. While these topics are helpful in their own way, the ideas I find most interesting and that resonate with me most are Stoicism. 

If I had to describe it in one word, it would be control. You have complete control over yourself, your judgment, and how you respond to things. Once you are able to do this, then you can never be defeated. In other words, you can not be defeated by things that are outside of your control, so make sure you try to keep everything in your life under your control. Examples of things that are out of your control would be whether you get the job promotion or if you get a good grade on the test. 

What is the reason for keeping control? The ultimate goal of Stoicism is invincibility. The Stoics do not mean invincibility as in immortality or not being able to be harmed, but rather invincibility as in building a mind that external events are not able to conquer and corrupt. This, like most things, is achieved through askeses. Askeses essentially means practice or habituation. Like many other philosophical beliefs, making habits and practicing is necessary to achieve something. 

I am going to use the example of getting a grade on a test to demonstrate what control really is. You do not have control over what grade you get on a test, but you do have control over how much you study and the effort you put into the test. Furthermore, you have control over how you react to getting a bad grade. Instead of beating yourself up, take it as a lesson on how to improve for the next test.

The reason I think stoicism is so important is that it applies to so much of our lives. One thing that is out of our control is how other people behave and think/talk about you. With social media, the amount of gossip and judging has increased significantly. By applying the principles of Stoicism, you can become immune to other people. 

Recently, I have tried applying these principles to my life. For me, it has led to a lower-stress life and one that is filled with more joy. Although there are debates on whether true invincibility can actually be achieved, the pursuit of it carries positive outcomes. Therefore, I encourage everyone to try to make a conscious effort towards the pursuit of invincibility and living up to Stoic principles.

-Jude Wahidi, Board Member