Zeno created Stoicism out of a crisis 

Stoicism is not just useful in times of crisis; it was born out of crisis. It came into being precisely because the Stoic founder Zeno suffered a life-changing crisis when a storm hit his boat and destroyed his cargo in the process. 

Just a day earlier, I can imagine him boarding the boat laden with Royal Purple dye and setting sail for Athens. I can imagine him dreaming of the wealth he would obtain from its sale and all the things he would do with it once he returned home to Cyprus. 

Having survived a shipwreck, and having lost everything except the clothes on his back, would have been nothing short of horrific. Now, instead of being rich, Zeno was destitute. He might have even lost a companion. Even if he hadn’t, he must have known his life would never be the same again. However, it was precisely in that shipwreck that the seed for what became Stoicism was sown. It was because his old life was over, that he found the courage to turn towards not only a new life but the “good life.” 

What can we create out of this crisis? 

Coronavirus offers us an almost unique opportunity to sow our own seeds and pose a new set of questions about our values and our direction in life. If no one close to us is ill, or in need of immediate attention, we have fewer distractions. Many of us have seen many of life’s “pleasures” evaporate over-night. Maybe we had to cancel travel plans, reschedule friends or rush off to the supermarket. It’s certainly not been easy. 

However, if we think about it, we might have received unexpected benefits too. Maybe we don’t have to spend time commuting since we have been encouraged to work from home. Maybe we have had respite from a difficult time in the office or enjoyed a breather in an exam period. Maybe we can spend more quality time with our children, spouse, or parents. Perhaps, we have finally picked up that book that has been collecting dust! 

In any case, and although this global epidemic is far from anything we would have chosen, if we are Stoic, we recognise that it gives us an opportunity to get to know ourselves. After all, the world has temporarily jumped off the hedonic treadmill, so why not think about virtue instead? 

What is our focus? 

In this sense, Coronavirus gives us a unique perspective on our attitude. When we heard that we should self-isolate, how did we react? Was our glass half full or half empty? Are we still busy complaining that we are losing money (which the Stoics saw as an indifferent) or are we looking out for our vulnerable neighbours in the way that Hierocles envisioned when he drew up the concentric “circles of concern”? Are we focusing on the things we don’t have or are we feeling grateful for the things we do? Are we progressing in what Zeno called the “good life”? 

Living out in our decisions 

Remember, virtue does not exist in a vacuum and nor is it something that we can practice in theory. It is something we live out in our decisions, our attitude and our relationships. In all of these, how will we ensure that, as far as we can, even amid a Coronavirus outbreak, we strive to make the world an altogether virtuous place to live? 

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Kai Whiting is a researcher and lecturer in sustainability and Stoicism based at UC Louvain, Belgium. He tweets @kai-whiting and blogs over at StoicKai.com 

 

 

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