Surging technological innovation

We are living in a period of incredible technological innovation. Some of these technologies, however, are also contributing to rising anxiety and general unhappiness. Tools that began as amazing ways to connect people across the world – the Internet and social media – are now home to cyber attacks and bullying, the spread of fear, hate, and disinformation, as well as a growing sense of distraction, resentment, and FOMO (fear of missing out). It hasn’t helped that people in many places worldwide have been confined to their homes for months at a time, staring at screens.

Stoicism has at its heart the goal of human flourishing. To work towards this goal, we have to think clearly about how we relate to the online world and forms of media capturing our attention.

Flourishing, the result of our moral character

Flourishing comes from building our moral character, a result of the minute-to-minute decisions we make. The choices that bend towards the virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and self-control lead to eudaimonia. Choices that veer off of this path, especially those that spring from fear, anger, hate, greed, and hunger for power, take us away from flourishing and into a very different place.

The ancient Stoics trusted reason, a universal wisdom that all humans could tap into. But Stoic thinkers knew that many people were separated from their reason.

Fuelling our own fears

Today, we see people willingly turn away from science and data, and fuelling themselves with powerful negative emotions and disinformation. All of this is displayed online and on television media daily.

If you find yourself inundated by these kinds of voices, you’re not alone. And if you are experiencing stress, you’re in good company, too. In a 2021 survey shared by the American Psychological Association (APA), many Americans reported feelings of anxiety (47%), sadness (44%), and anger (39%). And 67% said the number of issues America is facing is overwhelming.

We move forward, maybe in small steps

As Stoics, we know we can work with our own power to improve our chances for flourishing and strengthen our contributions to society, despite the challenges. We can’t change everything, because as Marcus Aurelius reminded himself, we aren’t living in a perfect world – we aren’t inhabitants of Plato’s Republic. Instead, we can make steps forward, however small, beginning with ourselves. Here are a few approaches to consider:

• Turn off social media, television media, and those in your personal network who are a source of highly negative messages or questionable information. If you can’t block people entirely for social reasons, at least take a break. Remember Marcus’ idea that the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts (and what it’s exposed to).
• Try a practice of identifying three good things that happened daily, as recommended by the APA. The Stoics also advised journaling about something you did well, and something you could do better in the future.
• Take back control over your screens, and do things that take you away from them. Instead of “doom scrolling,” you could take a walk, call a friend, practice a musical instrument, or do a puzzle. Recall that this is within your power, in a Stoic sense.
• Exercise – it’s good for mind and body. Recall that exercise was highly valued in ancient Greece, home of the Olympic Games and birthplace of Stoicism.
• Question your negative interpretations of experiences and events. Judge and assume less, and study the facts and various perspectives.

Which world do you want to live in?

reflect: How do you want to spend your days – in fear, anger, and disgust, or building a more ethical, collaborative world?

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Meredith A. Kunz is the author of The Stoic Mom blog www.thestoicmom.com @thestoicwoman on Twitter

 

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