Stoicism is a philosophical school from ancient Greece, founded by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BCE, which seeks to answer the question: How can one be happy in life?
Stoic philosophy teaches us that no matter how difficult life gets, we can always be happy. It aims to achieve happiness through virtue and serenity by living in harmony with nature and accepting what is outside our control as it is. External circumstances are unrelated to virtue, which resides internally. It does not matter whether one is rich or poor, admired or despised, strong or weak, as these are external factors and therefore considered “indifferent.”
Stoics are pantheists, meaning they believe God is present in everything that exists. Another key feature of Stoicism is its determinism—the conviction that nothing could have happened otherwise and that chance does not exist. Consequently, the wise person accepts reality instead of resisting it.
For Stoics, virtue is reduced to four fundamental values:
- Courage, which steers us away from fear and allows us to face difficulties.
- Temperance, which grants us discipline and self-control.
- Justice, which compels us to act rightly toward others.
- Wisdom, the most important, which helps us make the right decisions.
Stoics use a metaphor to illustrate the acceptance of destiny: a dog tied to a moving cart. The dog has two options—either resist the cart’s motion or move with it. In both cases, the dog will go where the cart takes it, but if it resists, it will suffer greatly, while if it accepts and follows the cart’s motion, it will remain calm and enjoy the journey. As Seneca said, “Fate leads the willing and drags the unwilling.”
The Stoic sage rationally examines what happens, and because they do not form an incorrect judgment, they do not suffer. For Stoics, the good life is a life free from passions. Someone who suffers due to passion has misjudged something that should, in fact, be indifferent to them.
Everything around us operates according to a law of cause and effect. While we cannot change what has happened, we can control how we respond to it. By following these principles, we can achieve serenity:
- Identify what is within your control and what is not.
- Let your thoughts not depend on external factors, such as passions.
- Focus on the present moment, avoiding emotional suffering about the past or the future.
- Perform regular self-examinations to reflect on your actions and motivations, fostering personal growth.
- Practice self-deprivation exercises, such as fasting or cold baths, to appreciate what you have and develop empathy for those without.
- Live in harmony with others, cultivating relationships based on kindness and compassion.
- Remember that happiness depends on us and is achieved through well-executed work.
Renowned Stoics include the Cordoban philosopher Seneca, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus.
Documented in collaboration with Pelayo Mencos Bojstad.
Created by Sofia Crespi de Valldaura.
