Tact, Empathy and Compassion 

The Stoics are usually associated with logic, rationality, and emotional restraint. And yet, as mentioned above, the Stoics had a deeply spiritual view of humanity, based on the premise that all human beings share an unbreakable “common bond.” Thus, Marcus Aurelius urges us to 

Consider the connection of all things in the universe and their relation to one another. For in a manner all things are implicated with one another, and all in this way are friendly to one another” 

Marcus Aurelius Meditations, Book VI 

Marcus reminds us that 

Men exist for the sake of one another. Teach them then, or bear with them. 

Marcus Aurelius Meditations, Book VIII 

He also urges us to “connect” empathically with one another: 

Enter into every man’s ruling faculty; and also let every other man enter into thine. 

Marcus Aurelius Meditations, Book VIII 

Indeed, for the Stoics, the common bond of our humanity imposes an obligation that goes beyond being tolerant and empathic. We must also cultivate love for our fellow human beings. No philosopher has expressed this better than Seneca, who writes: 

Hatred is not only a vice, but a vice which goes point-blank against Nature. Hatred divides instead of joining and frustrates God's will in human society. One man is born to help another. Hatred makes us destroy one another. Love unites--hatred separates. Love is beneficial--hatred is destructive. Love succors even strangers; hatred destroys the most intimate friendship. Love fills all hearts with joy, hatred ruins all those who possess it. Nature is bountiful, hatred is pernicious. It is not hatred, but mutual love, that holds all mankind together 

Davis, Greek and Roman Stoicism 

Joy, Gratitude and Pleasure 

The Stoics did not believe that life ought to be drained of all emotion—only that we need to examine our negative emotions and change the irrational attitudes that usually underlie them. In fact, the Stoics were all in favor of living life happily and joyfully, within certain reasonable limits. 

How to do this? 

William Irvine points to the Stoic’s ability to find satisfaction in the hundreds of small blessings that we all enjoy every day, but which we habitually take for granted. Not only does the Stoic delight in the proverbial glass being “half full,” he or she also contemplates the fact that the glass easily could have been broken or stolen! Indeed, carrying this line of reasoning further, the Stoic might also think, “I’m lucky just to be here, alive and well, enjoying this drink.” The following proverb says much the same thing: 

When a Jew breaks his leg, he thanks God he did not break both legs. If he breaks both legs, he thanks God he did not break his neck 

Jewish Proverb 

Inner joy 

And, just as the Stoics did not see misery as arising from external events, so, too, they see joy as arising from within. Marcus Aurelius tells us, for example, that 

Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea shores, and mountains…But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men; for it is in your power whenever you shall choose to retire into yourself. For nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man retire than into his own soul…I affirm that tranquility is nothing else than the good ordering of the mind.” 

Marcus Aurelius Meditations, Book VI 

Arguably, this last statement is a reasonably good synopsis of the entire corpus of Stoic writing! 

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Ron Pies MD psychiatrist and educator, compares the Stoic thought with Buddhism and Judaism (juBuSto), and finds parallels. This article is based on his book Three Petalled Rose

 

 

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