1 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Hello everybody. I'm Jemma Spake and welcome back to the 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: Psychology of Your Twenties, the podcast where we talk through 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: the biggest changes, moments, and transitions of our twenties and 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: what they mean for our psychology. Hello everybody, Welcome back 5 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: to the show. Welcome back to the podcast. It is 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: so great to have you here. Back for another episode 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: as we of course break down the psychology of our twenties. 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 1: Today we are talking about an ancient philosophy which I 9 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: think normally conjures up an image of bottling up your emotions, 10 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: pretending not to care, pushing through the hard times with 11 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: no signs of suffering, no signs of emotion, you know, 12 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: rugged man, a stiff upper lip. That is, of course 13 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: the philosophy of stoicism as many of us think we 14 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: know it. As you will come to discover in this episode, 15 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: stoicism has a bit of a pr problem. It is 16 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: not all about suppressing negative emotions and suffering in silence. 17 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 1: It is actually one of the most empowering mindsets that 18 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: we can develop in our twenties because of how it 19 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: really helps us just ride the waves of chaos and 20 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: of change that this decade is going to bring us. 21 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: I personally feel like so much of my twenties has 22 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: involved me trying to control everything and make everything perfect 23 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: and make everything just as I imagined it. If you 24 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: can relate, I feel like this is the episode for you, 25 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: because stoicism basically says, stop forcing it, stop trying to 26 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: change the things you cannot change. This three thousand year 27 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: old philosophy is all about instead mastering what we can control. 28 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: We can control our response to the world. We can 29 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: control our actions, our attitude, our self control. So today 30 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: let's talk about it. Let's break down what we can 31 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 1: control what we can't, the four cardinal virtues of Stoicism, 32 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: that being wisdom, justice, courage, temperance, and how exactly you 33 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: and I can apply them in our twenties and beyond 34 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: for a more peaceful, centered life. I also want to 35 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: talk about, of course, the psychology studies, the neuroscience studies, 36 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: looking at what stoicism does to our brains. You know, 37 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: it is one of the most mentally rewarding and powerful 38 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: ways of thinking out there. It can literally change what 39 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: your brain looks like. And I think a lot of 40 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: modern interpretations don't necessarily cover that and don't necessarily let 41 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: us see that. So I'm so excited for this episode. 42 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: Without further ado, let's get into the psychology of Stoicism. 43 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: Let's begin with something actually separate to the psychology we 44 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: normally focus on. Let's talk about the history of Stoicism. 45 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: So the philosophy of Stoicism. It first appeared during what 46 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: is called the Hellenistic period, that's around like four hundred 47 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: three hundred BC, and it was created by this man 48 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: called Zeno of Citium. Zeno Zeno not too sure, but 49 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: let's go with Xeno of Citium. And he was a 50 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: very wealthy rich man, and he miraculously survived this shipwreck. 51 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: And then after the shipwreck, he came back to Athens. 52 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: Whilst he was there, he was feeling very enlightened by 53 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: this near death experience, also a little bit bored. So 54 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: he went into a bookshop and he found the writings 55 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: of a very famous philosopher called Socrates, who he may 56 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: probably have heard of. And he was so enthralled by 57 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: this writing, so impressed that he basically became friends with 58 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: all these philosophers. He wanted to be around them all 59 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: the time. He decided he was going to become a 60 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: philosopher he changed, He had a little career changed, very 61 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: twenty something of him, and he started thinking a lot 62 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: about life and about death and about all these other things, 63 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: and through that he constructed Stoicism, which developed a very 64 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: large following. Fun fact, the name Stoicism actually comes from 65 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: Stoa polkali, which is painted porch, I think in Greek, 66 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: and him and his disciples used to sit on this 67 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: porch and talk about life, and that's where the name 68 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: Stoicism came from. Very very whimsical. So at the heart 69 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 1: of this philosophy is the belief that everything around us 70 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: operates according to a web of course an effect, and 71 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 1: that results in the rational structure of the universe that 72 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: the Stoics called logos. Within this universal structure is the 73 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: core Stoic belief that the world just has to be 74 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: dealt with as it is instead of trying to drastically 75 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: change it. There is a real deep sense of acceptance. 76 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: One particularly influential Stoic his name was Epictetus. He has 77 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: a very famous quote about this where he basically says, 78 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: we don't suffer from what is actually happening in our lives. 79 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: We suffer because of how we interpret what is happening 80 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: in our lives. Basically, it is our judgment of things 81 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: that are happening that makes us suffer, and we can 82 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: change that judgment, We can change that interpretation so that 83 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 1: we suffer less. In this way, stoicism basically says we 84 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: can only control our own behavior and our own sense 85 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: of self, our own way of acting. And if you're 86 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: going to choose a way of acting, you should aim 87 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 1: to be kind, you should aim to be tolerant, you 88 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: should aim to be a self controlled individual. Those are 89 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: the most prized attributes of all and through that you 90 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: gain a lot of peace and clarity. To be that 91 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: kind of person, you have to balance these four core 92 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: attributes that we spoke about before, so wisdom, courage, justice, 93 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: and temperance. Wisdom, and this is very carty stoicism, these 94 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: are the four things that you really should be. Wisdom 95 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: is the ability to see what is good, bad, neutral, 96 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: and to be able to question things as well and 97 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 1: explore how things are in the world. Courage is the 98 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: ability to face hard things and to be okay with discomfort. 99 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: It's the ability to be okay that life is sometimes suffering. 100 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: Justice is the ability to be kind, to be fair, 101 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: to be a power for good and temperance basically means 102 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: self control, not asking or wanting for too much of 103 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: anything in the world, whether that's success, validation, money, praise, substances, 104 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: that sort of thing that should be your focus. If 105 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: you focus on being a good person and mastering those 106 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: four things, you can change how you interpret the world 107 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: so that the world feels more positive towards you. This 108 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: may make us believe that stoicism is all about personal 109 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,559 Speaker 1: peace and nothing else, and it's actually not as self 110 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: centered as you think, and it's not as passive about 111 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: the lives of others as you may think. It basically 112 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: just says thinking about how terrible the world is isn't 113 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: in a change the world unless you work on being 114 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: a good person, being a good stoic. Being a good 115 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: person benefits others because it's only those of us who 116 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: have cultivated this great internal life and this internal life 117 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: of virtue who can bring about positive change and who 118 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: can see the world clearly and act on what really 119 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: does need fixing, And that is like the biggest goal. 120 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: To give you. Another quote from another very famous I 121 00:07:55,440 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: guess stoic, Marcus Aurelius, Basically he said, you know, stop 122 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: wasting time arguing about whether the world is good. Just 123 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: prove that the world is good. And I genuinely think 124 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: that is one of the most powerful philosophies that we 125 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: can have in this day and age. Especially like for me, 126 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: I feel like that resonates so much. I find so 127 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: much peace and meaning and power I guess is that 128 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: the right word. Yeah. Power, just knowing that I cannot 129 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: change how others behave, I cannot make them do or 130 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: be the kind of people that I want to be. 131 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: I just have to be that person as an example. So, 132 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: although stoicism has a very ancient origin, it is one 133 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 1: of those philosophies that has survived so many versions of 134 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: the world, so many versions of humanity. So where are 135 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:47,319 Speaker 1: we at with it today? Not a surprise stoicism is 136 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: having a bit of a moment. I've been seeing a 137 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: lot of videos about it. I've been seeing a lot 138 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: of content about it. I think there are a few reasons. Firstly, 139 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: I think the major spike we saw in like the 140 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: uptick of stoe as a guiding psychology and philosophy, happened 141 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: during the COVID nineteen pandemic. Where else there was so 142 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,239 Speaker 1: little that we could control, and there was so much isolation, 143 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: and so people naturally are turning to a solution. And 144 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: when they can't control anything, obviously, philosophy that says that's 145 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: okay is going to be pretty alluring. Here is an 146 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: interesting fact. During the lockdowns during the pandemic, Penguin, one 147 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: of the world's biggest publishers, basically said that their books 148 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: about Stoicism were one of the most the best selling 149 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: books out there. Sales of some of their texts rose 150 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: by forty two p Three hundred and fifty six percent 151 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 1: in some cases like hundreds of percentages of increases from 152 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,199 Speaker 1: previous years. People were really getting on the stoicism train. 153 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: And when you think about the turbulent, often terrifying well 154 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: we live in that is full of powerful leaders doing 155 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 1: terrible things and a climate catastrophe and image of jedocide 156 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: and war and suffering, I think we can really see 157 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: why most people aren't going any other way, and we 158 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: begin to understand just where this search for meaning is 159 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: really coming from. More recently, you have probably encountered a 160 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: very familiar and now very famous version of stoicism, which 161 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: is the mel Robins let them theory. Who hasn't heard 162 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: about this book. It has had its viral moment. And 163 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: the thing is it is basically a modern practical application 164 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: of some very rudimentary versions of Stoic principles. It emphasizes 165 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: focusing on what you can control, protecting your peace, not 166 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: focusing on what you can't control. If you haven't read 167 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: the let them theory, if you haven't read the book, 168 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: Basically it says let people be who they are and 169 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: then move from there. It really highlights it's like the 170 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: dichotomy of control that Stoicism is very famous for. You 171 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: have to be able to make that distinction. What can 172 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: I change in a situation and what am I just 173 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: going to pain myself and destroy myself trying to change that? 174 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: Being other people's thoughts, other people's actions, other people's personalities. 175 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: You can't. You can't change that, So focus on what 176 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: you can and it is, you know, the let them 177 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: theory is a direct application in many ways of the 178 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: Stoic principles about the dichotomy of control. Stoicism also really 179 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: emphasizes radical acceptance, right, and that's very similar to let 180 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: them theory. You know. Mel Robins really talks about how 181 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 1: radical acceptance is like one of the highest forms of 182 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: self love and letting yourself, giving yourself permission to not 183 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: try and control others and just focus on your own 184 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: comfort and let yourself, I guess, be uncomfortable in their discomfort. 185 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: Is is power. That's where you've most likely most recently 186 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: encountered Stoicism. Ancient Stoicism is a little bit more complex 187 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 1: than this, though I think that's a very fun, very 188 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: rudimentary version of it. It's very powerful. But if you 189 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 1: want to go even deeper into Stoicism in its ancient form, 190 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: you have to really understand again those core virtues and 191 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: work on them, and you also have to understand the 192 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: three pillars of Stoicism that I don't think we've even 193 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: mentioned once yet in this episode. The three pillars of 194 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: Stoicism beyond those four virtues we've spoken about are ethics, logic, 195 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: and physics, and they're interdependent, so they cannot exist without 196 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: the other. Sometimes scholars arrange these aspects of Stoicism in 197 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: the form of an orchard, So like logic is the 198 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: enclosing war, physics is the trees, Ethics is the fruit. 199 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: You need all of them to basically like bear the harvest. 200 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: So the enclosing kind of wall of the orchard is 201 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: the first pillar, and that is logic. Using logic, stoics 202 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: aim for discipline of perception. They aim to be able 203 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: to distinguish between true perceptions and false judgments. You can 204 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: see this as a theme that is coming up a lot. 205 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: So basically, you cannot have a good life, you cannot 206 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: be happy if you cannot remove your biases from the 207 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: objective reality of existence. You need to know the difference 208 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: between your assumptions and like the objective truth. Otherwise you're 209 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: always going to fail in logic, you're always going to 210 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:46,319 Speaker 1: struggle with that. So we can apply this by basically 211 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: having a good sense of reasoning, having a good sense 212 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 1: of judgment, really being critical as well of our own 213 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: biases and being critical of what is true. So let's 214 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: take the example of life. You know somebody has insulted you, 215 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 1: somebody has said something that's upset you. Your first reaction 216 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,719 Speaker 1: is probably going to be anger, and stoics would say 217 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: that we all often react to quickly because we're not 218 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: using sound logic, We're not using appropriate judgment when approaching 219 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: a situation. Acting with anger would probably and will undermine 220 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: the possibility of a good outcome, of a rational outcome, 221 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: of a better outcome for yourself. It's gonna make it worse. 222 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: It's maybe going to ruin a relationship, it's maybe going 223 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: to upset people. Further So, choosing your first reaction, choosing 224 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: your first judgment, is actually pursuing an irrationally bad outcome 225 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: because you are not applying logic before you react in 226 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: anger to this perceived insult. A stoic would suggest that 227 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: you just consider if this person actually meant what they 228 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: said to be unkind you consider other aspects or the 229 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: more objective reality of the situation. Do they have a 230 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: history of saying things like this to you? It's just 231 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: kind of just a one off that's really weird. Do 232 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: they have a motive? Are they a mean person? Have 233 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: you actually done something that's upset them? Take this extra 234 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: moment hone in on your logic, explore another explanation, Say 235 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: as well, they did mean that mean terrible thing that 236 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: they that they said to you. Logically, stoicism would say, 237 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: what would investing in that judgment actually help you? With? 238 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: Weill caring about this make your life better or worse? 239 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: One of my favorite quotes, again from stoicism, to live 240 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: by is like someone despises me, that is their problem. 241 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: So what, like you think being the victim of a 242 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: mean thought is bad, Imagine being the one to think 243 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: those mean thoughts every single day. Imagine being in that 244 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: person's mind, Like that would be such a sad environment 245 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: to live in. And it's honestly such a waste. You 246 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: have only so many minutes alive and you're spending them 247 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: on somebody else. That's the life that that person is living. 248 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 1: They're spending all those minutes that they could have for 249 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: themselves on you. And honestly, I think that makes you 250 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: the winner in the situation. And to be honest, based 251 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: on logic, your only concern should be not doing anything terrible, back, 252 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: not doing anything that is deserving of those cruel words, 253 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: and then moving on with your life seeing things more clearly, 254 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: having a better take over your reactions and what is 255 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 1: actually happening in the world is a really core part 256 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: of the Stoic philosophy, and it is the enclosing wall 257 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: of the orchard, because without reasoning like you cannot engage 258 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: in these two other pillars, which is physics and ethics. Okay, 259 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: we are going to take a short break here before 260 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: we get into those pillars, because I promise they're not 261 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: too complicated, They're not too academic or philosophical. But yeah, 262 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: maybe we can go have a cup of team. Maybe 263 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: we can go take a little break from like the 264 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: philosophy heavy episode. Stick with us will be right back 265 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: after this short break. So after logic, we have the 266 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: second pillar, physics. This is not what you think it is. 267 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,679 Speaker 1: It basically just refers to the study of nature and 268 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: as things are. Physics is described as like the trees 269 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: in the orchard, because it is what everything else basically 270 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: stems from. Right, Stoics really thought that the universe and 271 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: still believe that the universe is this rational organism that 272 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: is governed by divine reason and governed by this maybe 273 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: higher power of logic. Understanding that the universe is governed 274 00:17:55,359 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: by an external force helps people achieve the discipline and 275 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: self control and self focus that is important to be 276 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: a stoic. Knowing that, again, external events are out of 277 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: their control, Knowing that you are the only thing within 278 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: your control. You are a very small creature, You're a 279 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: very small being. You don't have to be worried about 280 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 1: everything that's going on. Imagine that you lose your job 281 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: or like your job hunting at the moment, like my 282 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 1: boyfriend's job hunting. It's terrible. It's really like just such 283 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: a slog and this this is it's really stressful, and 284 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 1: it's really worrying and frustrating for so many reasons. But 285 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: the pillar of physics basically says, recognize what about this 286 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: you can change? And then give your self grace. What 287 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: can you do now? What can you take responsibility for? 288 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,479 Speaker 1: Knowing the way that the universe and the world is, 289 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: what is in your remit? You know, you can't change 290 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 1: global economics, you can't change how competitive things are, but 291 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: you can change your edge, you can change your approach, 292 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: and this kind of just helps you again let go 293 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: and move on more quickly. Finally, ethics, the final pillar. 294 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: Ethics is the fruit on the tree in the orchard, 295 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: and ethics is basically those goals, those moral virtuous goals 296 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: that the Stoics have, Basically applying logic, applying physics, how 297 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: are you going to be a good person? How are 298 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: you going to imbue those four cardinal virtues that we've 299 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: mentioned before, wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance into your life? 300 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 1: You know, there is no point having a grounding philosophy 301 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: if you cannot practice it, and that is why the 302 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: fruit is so essential. Philosophy is not meant to be 303 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: something that is just admired. It's meant to be something 304 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: that's practiced. And the ultimate aim for Stoics and for 305 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: everybody is to have like a flourishing life, and especially 306 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: for the Stoics, it's to have a flourishing life that 307 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: has not achieved through wealth or through external success, but 308 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 1: through character. So it basically says everything that we've said 309 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: about how the world works and your control of things 310 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: in the world, it doesn't matter. How should you actually 311 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 1: that you are your happiest and so that you're a 312 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: good person, and so that you have accepted the things 313 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: that you can't change, and basically you are focused on 314 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: the things that you can. This is why I think 315 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: a Stoic mindset is the best mindset you can have 316 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: in your twenties, which I've already said, but I need 317 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: to really nail down this point. So much of our 318 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: twenties is just trying to force things to happen in 319 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,919 Speaker 1: one specific way according to what we think would make 320 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 1: us the happiest. I'm going to meet the love of 321 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: my life at this age, then we're going to move 322 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 1: cities at this time and then by twenty seven, twenty eight, 323 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: or have my dream job, dream life. It's all going 324 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: to work out exactly as I want. But it's not 325 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: always up to you. Honestly, most of it is just luck, 326 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: and that really sucks. But the people who I've found 327 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: enjoy their twenties the most just lean so deeply into 328 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: the flow of the universe that they don't they almost 329 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: don't care where they end up because they know that 330 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: if they're kind and they know that if they work hard, 331 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: they're going to end up somewhere amazing. And I think 332 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 1: that is just in many ways in my many short years, 333 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: Like the Secret of Happiness, it's this strange philosophy of 334 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: not holding on too tight because if it is meant 335 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: to be, it will stay, and if it's not meant 336 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: to be, you'll just hurt yourself more trying to force 337 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: things to be the way that you want them to be. 338 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: When also you don't always know what's going to be 339 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: the best outcome, Like you actually don't know what's going 340 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,360 Speaker 1: to make you happiest. You just have to be prepared 341 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: for any outcome and make do with what that is. 342 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: I know that you can make happiness within that. Okay. 343 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:07,199 Speaker 1: So this brings us to the huge major question of 344 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: the episode. What impact does stoicism actually have for our 345 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: brain and on our psychology. This may all sound really 346 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: nice in theory, does it actually help is basically what 347 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 1: we want to talk about, And the short answer is 348 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: one thousand percent yes it does. In fact, new research 349 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: shows that authentic stoicisms, not like the suppress your emotions type, 350 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: predicts much better well being, a much greater sense of happiness, 351 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 1: better friendships. And we know this from one of the 352 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:43,440 Speaker 1: biggest bodies of work done on stoicism research called the 353 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 1: Stoic's Attitude and Behavior's Scale. So there's this very famous 354 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 1: philosopher and psychotherapist. His name is Tim Lebonn and he 355 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 1: was is the lead researcher in creating this scale. And 356 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: this scale basically identifies seven dimensions of stoicism and how 357 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: they relate to happiness. So it gets people to self report. 358 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,880 Speaker 1: It asks people a bunch of questions that are kind 359 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: of like thinly veiled at targeting these things things like virtue, 360 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 1: things like mindfulness, benevolence, and then it looks at how 361 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: their life is turning out. Are they a happy person? 362 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: This scale has been tested on thousands of people worldwide, 363 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: and not just people who say they practice stoicism, but 364 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 1: just the average person, some of whom end up adopting 365 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,239 Speaker 1: stoic principles kind of by accident, and the results are 366 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: so clear. People who score highly on a stoic lifestyle 367 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 1: everything like not everything, but a lot of stuff is 368 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 1: better for them. Less anxiety, less anger, greater resilience. In contrast, 369 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,679 Speaker 1: people who suppress their emotions, people who don't have a 370 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: guiding philosophy like stoicism, have low acceptance, more anxiety, and 371 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: they don't have a core value set, so they do 372 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: worse on a lot of these other scales. Neurological as well, 373 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: Stoicism makes us happier. It makes us more patient, kind, 374 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 1: better able to respond rather than react, because it allows 375 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,440 Speaker 1: us to interrupt the fearful parts of our brain and 376 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: redirect our behavior in that split like forty to fifty 377 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: milliseconds where we get a say over what we're going 378 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: to do. It allows us to be present in that 379 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: in that moment, in that choice. When you have a 380 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: guiding philosophy like stoicism, it basically puts your frontal cortext 381 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 1: more in charge, that rational part of your brain, more 382 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 1: in charge of the fast, immediate, often irrational parts of 383 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: your brain that just want you to choose and just 384 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: want you to urgently do something, and then often lead 385 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 1: you down that irrational path of reacting. I think the 386 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:52,479 Speaker 1: greatest evidence of stoicism's psychological power is how prominently it 387 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: appears in palative and chronic pain research. You know, people 388 00:24:57,840 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: who are at the end of their life, people who 389 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: are really sick, people who experience who are experiencing pain 390 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: like on all or most days. There is increasing evidence 391 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: to suggest that our beliefs about pain can actually influence 392 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: our experience of pain. Now that's not to say a 393 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 1: positive mindset fixes anything or everything, absolutely not, no, no, no. 394 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: It's basically just that in these intense situations where sometimes 395 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: there is nothing that you can do, the only thing 396 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 1: you do have control over is your mindset, and people 397 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:38,640 Speaker 1: who act on that mindset feel more empowered because it's 398 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: about focusing on the thing that is for them and 399 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: that they can again control. One study in Victoria in Australia, 400 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: where I'm from, looked at three hundred and thirty eight 401 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 1: chronic pain patients from twenty to one hundred and again, 402 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:58,400 Speaker 1: they measured people based on this stoic fortitude, stoic attitude quality, 403 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: their ability to not endure, but their ability to accept 404 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 1: what they were going through. And what they found was 405 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 1: that people who measured high in these traits they reported 406 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: less depression, less anxiety, less pain severity as well. Let 407 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: me give you one more piece of evidence for this, 408 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: because this was also observed back in the nineties, where 409 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: again there was this positive association between having a stoic 410 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: attitude and the quality of life for people with muscular dystrophy. 411 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: The study found that when you were able to adopt 412 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: this guiding philosophy, when you were able to be like, 413 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 1: this just really sucks. These are my cards? What am 414 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: I going to do with them? What cards do I 415 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,679 Speaker 1: have in my favor? What do I not? What am 416 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 1: I going to do with the ones that I do? 417 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: These people were happier. We will definitely get to some 418 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,719 Speaker 1: of the criticisms of what of this mindset, But when 419 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 1: you think about it, like is powerful because it is 420 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: so therapeutic and because it really teaches acceptance, and that 421 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: is why it actually does show up in so many 422 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:15,199 Speaker 1: therapeutic practices. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, is a stoic 423 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: behavior is a stoic therapy. It basically says, like, how 424 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: you think about things influences how you behave towards them, 425 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: which influences your life. And if you can change how 426 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,719 Speaker 1: you think about them, you change your perception, you can 427 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: change everything else. Same with like dialectical behavior therapy that 428 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 1: basically really emphasizes radical acceptance, changing what you can change again, 429 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 1: this like underlying philosophy and pillar that comes through this all. 430 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 1: It's also woven into things like rational emotive behavioral therapy, 431 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: which focuses on changing self defeating attitudes and people. It's 432 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: also involved in mindfulness, It's involved in family therapy systems 433 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:03,240 Speaker 1: as well. The more the more you start looking for stoicism, 434 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,880 Speaker 1: the more you start like searching for it, the more 435 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: it ends up showing up in all these places and 436 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 1: that have evidence for helping people get better and for 437 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 1: helping people be happier. And I feel like now that 438 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: you've listened to this episode, you will start seeing it 439 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: everywhere as well, Like just such a powerful way to 440 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: live your life. Yes, philosophically, but also psychologically. Okay, before 441 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: we go any further, we do have to talk about 442 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: the criticisms. I feel like I really wanted to butt 443 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: in with a lot of them there, but I knew 444 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: we were going to get to it. We have to 445 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: talk about the downsides here, because no life philosophy is 446 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: immune to some problems or some hiccups. This one included 447 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: the big part of it being the toxic positivity, the 448 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: idea that how you think about things will just change 449 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: everything about the world, and we know that's not true. 450 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: There's this whole thing in stoicism of like, the world 451 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: has to be dealt with as it is, and you 452 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: should not spend time imagining an ideal society, and you 453 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 1: should just focus on what you can do, and you 454 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: should be focused on your own virtues and focused on 455 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: your own logic and ethics, and blah blah blahlah blah. 456 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: There are definitely some people who would look at that 457 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: and would interpret this as like, head down, don't get angry, 458 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: don't react. If you're a good person, you don't have 459 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: anything to worry about. That's all you needed to do. 460 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: You don't need to improve anything beyond that. The world 461 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: is as it is. You have done your part. When 462 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: we think about the world as it is right now, 463 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: it's just not a mindset that most of us can have. 464 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: It's a very problematic mindset if we take stoicism to 465 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: be that version. You know, to take a really contemporary example, like, 466 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: there are people protesting against dictatorships, against injustice all over 467 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: the world at the moment, and they're very rightfully angry, 468 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: and they may not be living in in that moment 469 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 1: according to the specific bylines of stoicism. But does that 470 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: mean that they're doing life incorrectly? Does that mean that 471 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: they're sabotaging their chances at happiness if they just focus 472 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: more on what they could control. No, like, it needs 473 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: to be done, and it's at moments like this that 474 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: Stoicism does face accusations of being a very privileged life philosophy. 475 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: To follow this notion of protecting your peace and suggesting 476 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: that people's pain, for example, people's worrying and suffering could 477 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:36,320 Speaker 1: be improved with the mindset shift, that can be seen 478 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 1: as very patronizing and probably very wrong. I think. At worst, 479 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: Stoicism has been accused of being a lifestyle accessory to 480 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 1: the wealthy and maybe a way to kind of silence 481 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: some things that we should be loud about, and at 482 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: its best, I think hopefully we can understand and see 483 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: stoicism as a philosophy that says, yes, the world cannot 484 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: be good unless you make yourself good within it. But 485 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: also you do have a duty, You do have that 486 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: ethical duty to go out and do something about injustice 487 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: and do something about what you're seeing around you. So 488 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: when you really understand that, I think you can hopefully 489 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: see that it doesn't ask you to be passive, and 490 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: still it asks you to really kind of get your 491 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: hands dirty at times if that is what's going to 492 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: make the world better, and that should be your priority. Okay, 493 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: so let's leave that behind. Let's talk about how we 494 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: can actually apply stoicism if that is something you want 495 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: to do and if you want some of those psychological 496 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: benefits we spoke about. One of the selling points of 497 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: stoicism is ironically how cheap it is and how little 498 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: it needs from you. How do you practice everyday stoicism? 499 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: Here are some examples. Firstly, you need to recognize that 500 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: much of the wellbeing talk pushed on us today suggests 501 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: that you should remain positive all the time without exception. 502 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: All you should be working towards is to just be 503 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: happy and to not have any negative emotions. This is 504 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: very different to stoicism. A practice that was very popular 505 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: amongst the Stoics was something called negative visualization. Basically, imagine, 506 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 1: and this is going to sound so counter to what 507 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 1: maybe a therapist would suggest you was somebody else, but 508 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: imagine at the start of your day everything that could 509 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: go wrong that day, and also then imagine all the 510 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: ways that you could fix all those things that would 511 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: go wrong, and then move through the day knowing that 512 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: you have the tools to confront these problems. Essentially, think 513 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 1: about the worst possible what if, and then visualize yourself 514 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: still dealing with that. This is very different from being 515 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: anxious all day. This is called negative visualization. It requires 516 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: understanding that even if things do go wrong, it's not 517 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: the end of the world. You are able to confront 518 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: issues as they arise. You are able to no matter 519 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:17,479 Speaker 1: what it is, you will be okay, push through it. 520 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,959 Speaker 1: That's a very helpful practice. You could literally try tomorrow. Tomorrow, 521 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: what's the worst thing that could happen in your life? 522 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: Imagine it, Imagine yourself dealing with it. You're good to go. 523 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:32,480 Speaker 1: You have that armor on. I honestly think about this 524 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: a lot, and I think about, like, if it doesn't work, 525 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 1: what's going to happen. I feel like at the moment, 526 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 1: I'm facing a lot of fear of embarrassment, fear of 527 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 1: cringe from doing parts of my job. I probably should 528 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: do more posting online that kind of stuff. And really 529 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:50,959 Speaker 1: having that mentality of like, truly, what's the worst what 530 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: if they could happen? Is life changing because you just 531 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 1: put everything into perspective. What's the worst thing that could happen. 532 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: Somebody could judge me, somebody could be mad at me. 533 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: That's easy, Let's move on, Let's move forward. Another very 534 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 1: simple stoicism practice is obviously gratitude and also generosity, taking 535 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:10,880 Speaker 1: what you have extra of feeling grateful for it passing 536 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 1: it forward. One practice I saw somebody talk about similar 537 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:18,360 Speaker 1: to this is basically making a list of all the 538 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: things you truly do not need in your life, and 539 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 1: then also a list of the things you do need, 540 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 1: and then sitting with that list of all the things 541 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: that you have that you don't need and feeling grateful 542 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: for that, grateful for this abundance, and also more confident 543 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 1: that there is a lot you could go without that 544 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 1: you still have, so you don't need to worry too 545 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:43,239 Speaker 1: much about achievement. You don't need to worry too much 546 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: or get attached too much to money or possessions, because 547 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:50,879 Speaker 1: if all of that faded, you'd still be okay. Even 548 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: just simply asking yourself better questions about your life decisions 549 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: is stoicism. Asking yourself like, why do I want this? 550 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: Is it because of external rewards? Is it because of 551 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: my own desire? That is stoicism. Asking yourself like, who 552 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:10,439 Speaker 1: am I trying to impress? What do I think I'm 553 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 1: controlling by trying to control these things in my life? 554 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:18,319 Speaker 1: That is stoicism. Identifying why or the areas where you 555 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: are overworking people, pleasing, overthinking, and whether that is the 556 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: best logical use of your time is stoicism. A stoic 557 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: practice is like basically anything that lets you be more present, 558 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: that lets you see the world more clearly for what 559 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 1: it is, without self deception, without false ideas of control, 560 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 1: and to just see your anxieties, see your worries, see 561 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: everything that could go wrong, and just get on with living, 562 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:48,360 Speaker 1: and get on with being kind, and get on with 563 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:52,240 Speaker 1: experiencing because oh my god, it's going to sound so cliche, 564 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:54,960 Speaker 1: like tomorrow isn't promised, Like you just have to be 565 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: as present as possible. So I think that's all I 566 00:35:58,080 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 1: have time for. Thank you for listening if you have 567 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: made it this far. This was definitely a very philosophy 568 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: heavy episode. I like to do one of those every 569 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:09,320 Speaker 1: once in a while, but one that I still hope 570 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 1: was enlightening to you. I know you're here for psychology. 571 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 1: I feel like sometimes these go hand in hand. I 572 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,920 Speaker 1: hope you feel inspired to take control of what you can. 573 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 1: I hope you feel inspired to see life more clearly. 574 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 1: It's definitely something I'm trying to do, and I hope 575 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 1: you feel inspired to be a good, fair, courageous person. 576 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 1: That is something I feel very strongly about right now. 577 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 1: I feel like it's one of the only things we 578 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:37,360 Speaker 1: can control in such what it seemingly looks like a 579 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 1: terrible world. So if that is the only thing you 580 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: get out of this episode, that you are good and 581 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: you can prove that the world is good by being good, 582 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:50,240 Speaker 1: that will be enough for me. So I appreciate you listening. 583 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:54,840 Speaker 1: Thank you as always to our research team, including Lucy Davidson, 584 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:58,040 Speaker 1: for her assistance with this episode today, make sure that 585 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: you are following us on Instagram if you have not 586 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 1: yet watched an episode on Netflix. If you're in the 587 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,919 Speaker 1: US or Canada, go and do that right now. We'd 588 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,760 Speaker 1: love to see you over there as always, be safe, 589 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 1: be kind, be gentle to yourself. We will talk very 590 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 1: very soon.