What makes a person a Stoic? What is the essence of Stoicism? We posed these questions to our contributing editors. You can find their thoughts in this issue of THE STOIC.

Six core themes

According to Scott Aiken and William Stephens, six ideas are at the core of Stoicism: 1. self-control, 2. seeing things as they are, 3. living according to nature, 4. knowing your roles and doing your duties, 5. developing knowledge to be virtuous, and 6. aiming to achieve more than what seems feasible.
Our other contributors identified the following as the essence of Stoicism.

Playing your part in life well 

We are all actors in a play. No matter what situation we are in, that is the role we are assigned in the play. Instead of complaining about your role, play it well. (Andi Sciaccia)

Being a good person

Why debate about what the essence of Stoicism is? As Marcus Aurelius (Meditations 10.16) said, “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man is; be one.” Clearly, this is the essence of Stoicism. (John Kuna)

Living excellently

Stoicism is the pursuit of excellence. An excellent life is a virtuous one.  We pursue a specific kind of knowledge to achieve our goal with the understanding that we have limited control. We also have a duty to serve our communities and play our social, professional, and situational roles. This is Stoic essence. (Tanner Campbell).

Having the right intention

It is our intentions that define who we are. We can never know what anyone else intends. The only thing we can truly know is what our own intentions are. Do they align with those of Stoicism to create a flourishing world? (Brandon Tumblin)

Developing discipline

In a sense, Stoicism cannot be reduced to a numbered list. However, Stoicism is about practice. Practice always involves discipline. But what discipline? It is up to you. It can just be doing a Stoic exercise every day or even physical training. It is up to you. (Piotr Stankiewicz)

Loving what is

Amor fati (love of fate) tells us to love what life hands us at any time. “Don’t wish for things to happen the way you would like them to be. Rather, welcome whatever happens. This is the path to peace, freedom, and happiness.” (Epictetus, Enchirdion 8) Every moment of our lives is an opportunity to practice amor fati. Love everything that happens, good or bad. (Karen Duffy)

What is the essence of Stoicism?

There you have it. While Scott Aikin and William Stephens identify six core Stoic themes, our contributors are happy treating one or more themes as the essence of Stoicism. So, what is the essence of Stoicism?

I believe Stoic concepts are interdependent and interrelated. If you practice one Stoic idea in depth, you practice them all.  I often compare Stoicism to a symphony. What is the essence of the symphony? The conductor? The orchestra? The composer? The music? They are all interdependent. You can focus on any one aspect of the symphony, and yet get the benefit of all aspects. So, focus on the aspect that appeals to you.
 

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