stoicism ≠ Stoicism

Stoicism is an increasingly well-known philosophy dating back to ancient Rome (and Greece) and such key figures as Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus.

As we move nearly a year into the pandemic, and particularly here in Britain, we hear of people saying all kinds of phrases to reassure themselves and others to keep going. One word, in particular, has been regularly used, and with a totally different meaning to how it originated, and that is the word stoic.

One will often hear of Brits saying and exhorting others to be “stoic” at times of crisis, yet stoicism ≠ Stoicism. Stoicism is an increasingly well known philosophy dating back to ancient Rome (and Greece) and such key figures as Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus. Two brief pieces I have written around Stoic maxims are:

• Amor Fati and “I did it My Way”
• Memento Mori (and, linked to that phrase, the Steve Jobs commencement speech here is anchored on it): Three Powerful Commencement Speeches)

So, what is Stoicism as opposed to stoicism?

Ryan Holiday of The Daily Stoic has done much to popularise Stoicism in recent times, I highly recommend spending time on his site, as well as downloading such books as Letters from a Stoic by Seneca.

What Are The 4 Virtues of Stoicism?