Stoicism 101
A 2-Pager by Ajit Chaudhuri: February 2026
What do you give the man who has everything?
My friend and schoolmate Sam solved this conundrum by gifting me a 2-week on-line course on Stoic philosophy (thanks Sam). This note is a short account of my peregrinations into Stoicism.
An Internet search reveals that the word ‘stoic’ depicts someone who suffers pain and difficulty without complaining. An AI overview suggests that Stoicism isn’t inherently good or bad – it has benefits like resilience, inner peace, and virtuous living; and pitfalls like emotional suppression, passivity, and detachment. It also distinguishes between the philosophy of Stoicism (using reason to accept what you can’t change) and the trait of stoicism (an unemotional coping style).
The course delved into the thinking of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who famously said ‘you have power over your mind, not outside events – realize this, and you will find strength’; Seneca the Younger who tutored the Emperor Nero and provided an ethical framework for philosophers to get politically involved; and the Greek Epictetus who had the complicated social position of being a slave with a personal connection to imperial power.
In the process, I was introduced to some of Stoicism’s foundational thinking. This included –
One – premeditato malorum or the practice of preparing for life’s disruptions by visualizing things that could go wrong and considering actions for when they did. The purpose is to build resilience because life isn’t fair and things don’t always go as planned.
Two – momento mori or ‘remember, thou art mortal’ and therefore don’t postpone things.
Three – amor fati or love your fate and ‘do not seek for things to happen the way you want; rather, wish that what happens happens the way it happens: then you will be happy” (Epictetus).
Four – focus on what’s in your control by steadying your nerves; controlling your emotions; practising objectivity; making a contemptuous expression; altering your perspective; living in the present moment; and looking for opportunities with the belief that ‘the impediment to action advances action, and what stands in the way becomes the way’.
Five – write a daily journal to prepare on the day ahead; reflect on the day gone by; premeditate on evils; and remind oneself of wisdom learnt. Incidentally, the most known Stoic work, “Meditations”, was Marcus Aurelius’ journal, written purely for his own consumption.
Six – find a mentor. Life is short, time for learning and creativity is limited, and valuable years will be wasted trying to gain knowledge from different sources.
Seven – observe the following virtues and realize that no single virtue is possible without the moderating and clarifying influences of the others because, for example, ‘courage without conduct is the virtue of a robber or a tyrant’ (Mary Renault).
Courage | Bravery, fortitude, honour, sacrifice |
Justice | Fairness, service, fellowship, kindness |
Temperance | Self-control, moderation, composure, balance |
Wisdom | Knowledge, education, truth, self-reflection, serenity |
“If you’re not humble, life will visit humbleness upon you.” (Mike Tyson) | |
Also, observe the following non-actions –
A Stoic doesn’t judge other people | “Other people’s mistakes? Leave them to their makers.” “Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” (Aurelius) |
A Stoic doesn’t talk about his/her philosophy | “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it!” (Epictetus) |
The course raised two questions. Am I a Stoic? And, would Stoicism make for a better world?
On the first, I find that I already practise some of it – anyone working in disaster response would prepare plans B and C with the same rigour as plan A in line with premeditato malorum; I have learnt to enjoy, and not merely accept, my fate and to find positives in the darkest of situations; and I don’t talk too much. There are aspects I wish I could practise but know I cannot – I am judgemental; I do postpone things; and I would hesitate to write an honest journal in an age where everything lands up in the public domain. There are elements I have no truck with – the virtues seem overbearing; I like that I get angry at injustices, even if my anger often stops at ranting and raving rather than doing something about it; and as for mentors, I for one am happy to learn from mistakes and believe that the term ‘guru’ is in vogue only because ‘charlatan’ is difficult to spell. And then there are things I find ridiculous, such as practising a contemptuous expression – this sounds like a 1970s guideline for Soviet visitors to a western supermarket.
Irrespective of the above, I felt a tone of condescension in Stoicism, of having discovered the way and shining the light for lesser mortals, that prevents me from wholeheartedly taking to it. As a proud lesser mortal, I am uncomfortable at being talked down to. There is a saying that goes, ‘mandir masjid dono mein sir jhuka ke jaata hoon; insaan se khuda na banoon, isliye thoda sa paap bhi kartaa hoon’ (by Anwar Akela, translating to ‘I bow my head while visiting temples and mosques; but, so that I don’t turn from man into God, I do a few bad things as well’).
The second question, to me, is more confusing. At one level, who could have issues with societal values that coincide with Stoic virtues? At another, I am unsure as to how Stoicism would address structural injustices such as those pertaining to caste and gender? Would it enable and perpetuate them with its focus on acceptance, albeit with the moderating influence of the virtues, or would it change and/or destroy them? Would Stoicism enable the Ambedkars and Mandelas to flower, or would we be stuck in a world where the ruling caste rules, the educated caste acquires knowledge, the mercantile caste rakes in the bucks, and the rest of us clean shit?
