I kept wondering how Hellenistic philosophy applied to today's world as we briefly discussed it this week. I didn't have a lot of time to really go in depth with it, so I included summaries and bumper sticker slogans that could apply, but I still didn't feel like it was enough. So, I thought, why not dig into these different schools of thought on the blog?
First, Epicureans - as we explore most philosophy (and most likely religions as well), there seems to be a denial of pleasure or the association that pleasure is at best, a necessary evil. The philosopher, Epicurus, said that the "best sort of life...is one that is free from pain in the body and from disturbance in the mind." That sounds a rather interesting take for a 21st-century devotee of the good life. There are so many pleasures out there in life that we have been told to stay away from or "wait until you're older." But as we become adults, there are fewer restrictions on indulging your every whim (besides your personal limits of money and time and maintaining a job that gives you that money!). What's to stop you from partying every night? And, in fact, Epicurus "condemned all forms of over-indulgence, and recommended a simple diet." But, as you become an adult and temptations increase, where do you draw the line? Was Epicurus right to withdraw into his garden with friends and live a simple life of pleasure, friendship, and discussion of ideas? How can that work in today's fast-paced, interconnected society? Do you pull a Henry David Thoreau on everyone and go to live in the woods, simply? Or is there some spot in between completing dropping out and total hedonism?
Stoicism - When I think of this, I thought of the British palace guards who tourists like to mess with and try to get them to smile. But stoicism is much more than that, especially when dealing with such an uncertain, unpredictable, and violent world. This particular quote from Marcus Aurelius, one of the last great Roman emperors, could fit perfectly in our time period:
“I shall meet today ungrateful, violent, treacherous, envious, uncharitable men. All of these things have come upon them through ignorance of real good and ill… I can neitherbe harmed by any of them, for no man will involve me in wrong, nor can I be angry with my kinsman…” - Marcus Aurelius
Stoicism doesn't mean standing idly by while crazy stuff happens. I think, in many ways, it has to do with the ways in which you react (or don't react) to all the sensationalist news, Chicken-Littles, and Boys-Who-Cried-Wolf out there in the media. If we believed everything we saw and heard about our world that's dangerous, we'd never get our kids immunized for fear of them getting autism, we'd never buy certain brands of products b/c of an email circulating the globe about the product's danger, and we'd certainly never leave the house for fear of being gunned down by an incel with an AR-15 that he purchased legally once he turned 18.
This article, "The Modern Wimp's Introduction to Stoicism", is rather crude but funny and tries to dispel the notion that being stoic means not flinching when boys get punched in the groin: http://www.primermagazine.com/2010/live/introduction-to-stoicism
Here is a great website that delves deeply into stoicism with 5 recommendations to help you "be more calm and wise": https://www.bfi.co.id/en/blog/stoikisme-aliran-filsafat-yang-membuat-hidup-lebih-tenang-dan-bijak
- However, as Stoics, do we ignore all of the warnings out there about impending doom? Too many people ignored the oncoming freight train of death that was attached to the subprime mortgage bubble, and you see where that got us in 2008 - The Great Recession. Too many people were busy making too much money between 1999-2007 to listen to the Pollyannas saying, "hold on a minute! This isn't a good idea." And sometimes, sifting through the town crier's messages, aren't their messages just a call for moderation? Or to bring it up to the modern day - were the people who refused to wear masks or get a vaccine during the height of the COVID pandemic being stoic? Or were they letting fear get the best of them? Or was there something else motivating them to resist things that could literally keep them safe and prevent their death?
On another subject, if global warming isn't happening exactly as Al Gore said it would, what's wrong with cutting back on our dependence on foreign oil and driving more fuel-efficient cars? What's wrong with getting involved more with the 3 Rs - recycle, reuse, and reduce? I don't know who is correct in the global warming debate (I am utterly convinced that some people are arguing in bad faith on this topic), but there can't be anything wrong w/ America reducing its carbon footprint.
Cynics - the ancient Greeks who followed this school of thought often rejcted materialism and strove to live life simply. Cynics today, however, at least the word cynic, generally dismiss peoples' good intentions as having ulterior motives. There is a strain of persistent disbelief and irrational thought that is embedded in the cynical outlook today. With the number of politicians and celebrities that have lied to us while embracing contradictory beliefs or actions, or with corporations saying one thing and doing the other, and our government failing to follow through with its promises, it's no wonder many Americans have become full blown cynics (using the modern sense of the word) and lost faith in American traditions and institutions.
- Has cynicism led to an unhealthy belief in conspiracy theories? When common sense or persistent, reasoned questioing can poke holes in most of the conspiracies almost immediately, why do the conspiracy theories still continue to remain alive? Should we believe in our politicians and leaders and their promises, or just expect them to let us down again? Some comments in this paragraph come from: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cynicism.htm
Skeptics - this school is probably the most easily applicable to today's world because of our almost religious belief and confidence in modern science, which practically demands a minimally and healthy skeptical viewpoint of the world. And in many ways, having a healthy skepticism is helpful for a scientist, philosopher, and in general, being an intelligent human being with all the flood of bogus news out there.
Where skepticism differs from cynics is that with cynics, you've already lost before the battle has begun. You will not be able to convince your cynical opponent, rhetorical or otherwise, of any good intentions, etc. If you win, the cynic will probably claim that the game was rigged, and if they win, you weren't a worthy opponent (can you tell that I argue with trolls on the internet?)
I believe that a healthy skepticism in today's life means many things, but I find it hard to explain it w/o resorting to cliches. "I'll see it when I believe it." "Proof is in the pudding."
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| Craig Damrauer's print from "Modern Art" which I think sums up the art cynic in all of us. |
Your job: Pick one of the four Hellenist schools of thought and explain in 300 words or more how it applies to your life. If you're having trouble just sticking to one school of thought, or you take issue with something I've said here, then by all means, jump into the fray!
Due Saturday night, April 22 by 11:59 p.m.
Enzo -
ReplyDeleteStoicism is one philosophy that applies to my life. To me, stoicism is not about simply ignoring all the doom threats, and ignoring all we see and hear about the world, but hearing them, and not letting the unfounded ones cause alarm. Those that didn’t wear masks during the pandemic were not stoics, they were extreme skeptics of evidence that was proven multiple times. Stoicism seems like it would apply better to today’s world through hearing such crazy statements, and not letting the fear caused by them affect your reason. They would not let fear of stuff stop them from making a reasonable decision. In today’s world, stoicism would have to be combined with a reasonable amount of skepticism, where one would hear these allegations, not get driven by fear in making decisions, and then do some research and/or use unclouded reason to verify or disregard said allegations based on the information. The other examples given in the blog are also good instances where stoicism should have been used. Those that got carried away making tons of money between 1999-2007 were taken over by emotions of greed and joy at how much they were making, and it blocked their sense of reason in thinking “Maybe history has taught us this isn’t a good idea,” and it ended in disaster because that was the only way it could end (the way it was going). Those that refused to wear masks or get vaccinated were acting out of fear. The fear clouded their judgment as they were unable to distinguish their decision from the emotions they were feeling.
This has applied to my life in many instances. I would hear someone say something that would cause concern and perhaps fear, however, I would not let it dictate my actions and compose myself, before researching it further and most of the time finding out there was no cause for worry. Also, stoicism has impacted how I act in situations where there might be cause for fear and/or concern, and I would have to separate my emotions from my decision-making, and be able to act in a way that would calm those around me so as to not send them into a panic, while still being aware of the emotions I am feeling so that I can reason the best way to act to help others.
Hannah-
ReplyDeleteI think that my ideas align the most with the ideas of skepticism. I am very skeptical about the idea of Hell. I am not sure if it is real or not, since there is no proof of a hell existing. Although I am very skeptical about people and the idea of hell, I would not consider myself a cynic. I don’t believe that people only have bad intentions, and I still believe that there is a possibility that some sort of hell/heaven could exist. I would definitely not relate my beliefs to stoicism. I do question some things, but I don’t question everything that happens around me in the world, and I certainly do not believe everything that i’m told. Ideas such as vaccines giving kids autism, or any crazy conspiracy theories. I believe that everything could be false, but I am not going to spend my time looking into theories and listening to random posts on the internet. But I am also not going to believe that everyone has an ulterior motive for everything they do. For example, if my friend is nice to me, I am not going to immediately jump to the conclusion that they have an ulterior motive to their actions. But, I am still skeptical about the government and their motives. I believe that the government could most definitely be hiding something and that there are things going on secretly in our world that we do not know about. This is why I believe that I am a skeptic but not a full-blown cynic, and why I disagree with the idea that everything you believe is true. I feel that skepticism is somewhere in the middle of all of these 4 schools of thought, which is why I chose it. But I also believe that I can take one thing from each of these schools of thought that fit into my own.
Stoicism is something that I believe matches to my life as it is now. The idea of the stoics and how they value virtue so highly is something that I wish for myself to have, to be able to find happiness in the four cardinal virtues and not need the constant pleasures brought by materialistic objects. The idea of finding happiness through yourself, through wisdom especially is something that I want to work on in myself. For a while I was in a rather difficult headspace and I found myself pulling through said head space with philosophy, trying to understand different things, learning that it’s ok and wise to question things and have a desire to learn. Using my desire to learn different things and begin to understand has helped me thrive in the way of allowing me to make informed decisions in certain scenarios which correlates with the stoics need for wisdom. Following the path of what wisdom allows a person to do there is the stoic idea that we don’t have control over external events and that we only control our thoughts decisions and duties. I believe that this idea of having little to no control over external events has great synergy with what happened during the pandemic. As an individual we had little control over the spread of the pandemic but we did have control over our decisions such like getting vaccines something my entire family did because that was what we believed was right so we made the decision to do so. Along with the decision aspect during Covid there was also the duty part, as a individual it was my duty to stay inside to help prevent the spread of Covid and later on it was my duty(in my eyes) to wear a mask to continue to prevent the spread. Even though I had no control over the external event that was Covid I did what I had to do using my control of my internal thoughts something that relates to what stoics would do themselves
ReplyDeleteStoicism is the philosophy that relates to me the most. In a lot of the decisions that I make, I know not to make emotional because they can affect the outcome of it. I have a lot of control and poise that I carry, and over the years I’ve learned how to control whatever emotion I have. Recently, I have started to accept that there are just things that I can’t change in life. Sometimes things happen that I can’t prevent or even have an effect over. I feel like since I’ve started thinking like this a lot of stress has been relieved from me Whatever I do in life I make sure to think before I do it so that I can prevent myself from having any regrets about why I should or shouldn’t have done that thing. When I was younger I did let my emotions have control of me, and sometimes I would make bad decisions based on the way I was feeling. Stoicism to me also I think applies to how we perceive information and whether we can believe it or not. When people tell me certain facts or even some gossip, the first thing I ask is about what source they got the information from. When I was younger I would believe everything and get scared about things that I really shouldn’t have, and my emotions got the best of me and had me overthinking everything. Another way it relates to my life is when I’m playing basketball. When my teammates make mistakes, I‘ve gotten better at not getting mad at them, and learning to support them and I can see the results because they're not worried about their teammates being mad at them. I think I’ve been very stoic these past few years but didn’t have the right word to describe it.
ReplyDeleteMadison
ReplyDeleteI think Stoicism is the most prominent school of thought for me. I think that because of the world events me and many others have experienced, we have gained a bit more stoicism. For example, I see the local news sometimes and notice something bad is happening, and I don’t really have an emotional effect to bad events that wouldn’t harm me or the people closest to me. If an event is on a global scare or if one of my family members gets an illness, I would be emotionally invested enough to care. However, with stories that don’t have to do with my life or the people in it, I don’t feel like I should get emotional over anonymous bad stories. Almost all of the news shows the bad things happening around us, not the good news. I think as we grow up, we learn how to be more stoic in certain situations. For me, I don’t want to get emotional over things that don’t affect me. Since there’s so many bad things happening around me, should I put in the effort to try to feel bad every time? I do care and feel bad for people who do bad things, but there’s nothing I could do to help their situation; there’s a big difference between being stoic about a situation and being unsympathetic.
Although, I think it’s not as good of an idea to have a stoic view towards everything. It is important to care about the important things in your life, and to not avoid taking action to those important things. Other than stoicism, skepticism has also become more popular for my generation. I also think that the increase in skepticism among people is also because of the media showing bad events, or seeing people break promises or spread lies. Because of this, having the right amounts of skepticism and stoicism can help yourself to focus on the things that make you happy in life while being aware of the dangers.
Out of the four Hellenist schools, I most relate to the skeptics. I have always questioned the ways of the world ever since I could speak. At preschool, they would tell us, “This is red, this is orange,” and I would think, how do I know if my red is your red? Maybe my red is your blue? Maybe that’s why people have different favorite colors, maybe everyone actually has the same favorite color, but they go by different names? Being skeptical, to an extent, of the world around me has shaped how I view the world; I do not just follow what everyone else is doing; I question my parents, society, authority, and the universe. I would not take “because I said so” from my parents. I would need to know why; nothing is “just because.”
ReplyDeleteI am also a bit of an academic skeptic; I have come to terms with the fact that I will never know everything. While I’m alive, I will never know for sure if a god-like being exists (this is a part of my reasoning behind my agnostic beliefs). I will never be able to know if we are in a simulation, in Plato’s cave, in virtual reality, in actual reality, or somewhere else I cannot even fathom. I also occasionally tend to have trouble believing something that cannot be proven. For example, just the other day, my friend was telling me this story about being in the little theater with our other friend, and while they were in there, one of the doors opened and then slammed shut (these doors, by the way, are automatically locked from the outside). She is convinced it was a ghost; being the skeptic I am, do not really know if I believe in ghosts. Sure, some weird unexplained ghostly things have happened to me, but I cannot prove it was a ghost. So until then, I will not fully believe ghosts are real. I would love to believe ghosts are real, especially when those scary unexplainable events happen, but sadly with no proof, I won’t believe in it.
-Ellie
When I was initially debating this to myself, I found myself torn between Stoicism and Cynics, however in the end, I decided on Cynics. The reason I was initially drawn to stoicism was because that’s how I often present myself to others and how a good majority of people would see me due to the fact that I can be somewhat quiet and reserved with what I put out, however when I honestly look at myself, I truly see myself more as a cynic. What really caught my attention when I was going through all of the different schools of thought was its slogan: Wherever you’re at, there you are, and this kind of reminded me of what I tell myself on a daily basis--the idea of ‘whatever happens happens’ or if a stressful event has passed and I still find myself in distress at the thought of what could happen, I tell myself that it’s out of my hands, but the phrase I like to tell myself the most is ‘things just work out for me’ and honestly whenever I tell myself that, they either do work out or I forget about the situation entirely, so it's a win win, but the slogan that the school of cynics subscribes to still stands. No one is ever going to be in the same exact place in life, no matter how close it may seem, everyone is on their own level and dealing with their own battles, so why compare your current life status to another persons? What good is honestly going to come from that? Sure it may motivate you to work harder, but let’s be real for a sec, is it motivating you or is it just stressing you out? Regardless, you don’t have to be happy, upset, or angry with where you’re at in life, you just need to accept that you’re there and plan out where you want to go in the future, and work to get yourself there.
ReplyDeleteLilly
Nathan - Stoicism is a philosophy that applies to my life and probably a lot of people’s lives. For a long time in my life now I have always taken up the philosophy that I can’t control some things. The phrase “shit happens” fits perfectly with my thoughts in this blog. Sometimes, things just happen and you can’t deal with them or you can’t solve them and they’re there just to get in your way or to provide ways to grow. There are so many sayings that can fit in with this one thought and they’re all racing through my head as I type this. Coaches often like to say, “Control the controllables,” so if a bad referee or umpire is making the game hard, don’t get angry and try to fix them. Control what you can control. Once you accept the idea that you can’t be perfect and the perfect game or life won’t happen to you, your life will be better.
ReplyDeleteAnother phrase that my friends and I use and people around my age use is, “It’s never that deep.” This phrase basically means that whatever is happening to someone is never that important. We use it for literally everything. I could be 10 minutes late to first hour and I’ll tell my friend and he’ll respond with “It’s never that deep.” It’s never that important. The funny thing is that we now sometimes use it for things that actually are relatively important. If we feel we just bombed a physics test and I tell my friend, “C- incoming,” he could respond with "It's never that deep,” when, in fact, it actually is. While the phrase is often used in situations where it’s not applicable, it is actually a comfort device for us. By tricking ourselves into thinking that something isn’t as important as it actually is, our stress and anxiety levels go way down. Once we accept that we can’t change what has already happened in the past, our life gets better.
I think I have a hard time sticking to one school of Hellenism, but I connect most with Epicureanism and Stoicism, and am the farthest away from cynicism. I definitely believe everything is okay in moderation -- which seems to be an Epicureanism view. Sugary/junk foods are looked down upon, but I think one cookie everyday is absolutely okay for you. Same goes for exercise. Working out an hour daily is great for you, it just turns unhealthy when one starts doing it for 4 hours a day. I dislike when people make it seem like there are only two ways to do something or only two right answers. There are always more ways to achieve something, and I think making two extremes just stresses people out (including myself). I also think the values of stoicism are similar to the values I was raised with. When I would come home from school as a kid and tell my mom about a kid who told me microwaves give you cancer, she would always reply “oh please.” My mom always taught me that regardless of if what I heard was true or not, I can’t live my life in fear of something crazy happening after doing something that is supposed to be harmless. After being raised this way I often find myself telling my friends the same things my mom told me when they try to convince me something bad is going to happen after Tik Tok said the world is going to end tomorrow. One cynicism belief is the idea that someone always has an ulterior motive, even when doing something kind for someone else. I would hate to live life this way as I would never feel comfortable accepting an act of kindness from someone else, and I think I would drive myself crazy thinking everyone is always against me or using me as a pawn in their game. Even if they are, I would not like to know.
ReplyDeleteMikayla
I believe that skepticism, out of the four schools of Hellenism, applies to my own life the best. I am a very argumentative person and I am always in favor of playing devil's advocate. I also require some sort of credible proof before even raking in any idea or fact. I believe that skepticism is very much needed in our present society. With the constant bias and misinformation we come across in the media, we need to be equipped with the tools to spot misleading and false information because it makes up most of our information. I believe we need to question the status quo, no matter how instilled it is in our lives and how practical it may seem. Society was once certain that the sun revolved around the earth, it was a given at one point, and many people didn't even second guess the idea until several skeptics looked for information that proved that theory otherwise. This is a very simple but perfect example to show that certainty is the human version of the truth, and we need to explore many certainties or perspectives to come up with the most accurate one. Despite my beliefs, in practice, I sometimes fail to accept I have been proven wrong, however, I always end up at least trying to understand and accept other people's perspectives eventually. I don't think it is hypocritical of me to think I can prove everyone wrong but am reluctant to accept my own mistakes, I think that that is exactly what a skeptic is supposed to do, never be too sure about the "right answer". However, we see that this concept can be taken to the extreme when we reject cold hard facts, and many people use this philosophy to defend their own false beliefs. It is a very thin line and I believe that only people with a self-critical and self-aware outlook can walk that line, only people who are confident enough to prove themselves wrong, can prove other people wrong.
ReplyDeleteMalena
One school of Hellenistic thought that I've found applies to my life well is cynicism. Based on the discussions we've had in class, I definitely relate more to the classical definition of cynicism than the contemporary redefinition. While I don't tend to doubt people's sincerity, I do appreciate a lack of materialism, and I feel comfort from the idea of "wherever you're at, there you are".
ReplyDeleteFor whatever reason, money has always made me vaguely uncomfortable. I don't like large displays of wealth, and since I'm a musician, I doubt I'll get many opportunities to be personally wealthy either--similar to a philosopher. Anti-materialism suits us just fine for both practical and psychological reasons. While I'll admit that I love having stuff as much as the next person, most of my favorite objects are ones with sentimental value, or reminders of an important experience. The Epicureans and the cynics both recognized the value of prioritizing social connections and getting out into the real world to live your life, and I tend to agree. I value the possessions I have not only because of what they literally are, but because they're often just placeholders for the things I truly love, rich experiences and memories with others.
I also love anti-materialism because it means you can pack up on a whim and go anywhere--wherever you're at, there you are. Especially during this phase in my life, which involves a lot of packing and transitioning as I prepare to leave for college, that idea is comforting. I see two interpretations of it. One is that rather than fight life's circumstances, it's better to accept, adapt, and keep moving forward. Wherever your're at, that's where you are. so you might as well get things going. I struggle with adaptability and acclimating to change, so it can be hard to remember that the way things are is the way they are for now, and the best thing to do for myself is often just to get the ball rolling again.
The other interpretation is that wherever you go, you carry your greatest asset with you. There YOU are. The idea of living a Diogenes-like existence of marching to the beat of my own drum across the countryside is very appealing, but for that one has to be self-reliant. I am my greatest asset. I know exactly what I need, all my preferences, what's best for me in any given circumstance, and how I like my eggs. Maybe not ALL the time, but you get the idea. Thinking about it like this makes me feel less uncertain in new scenarios, and it makes being by myself more fun. I think that learning to value yourself as your own greatest asset and caretaker is key to living a simpler, more fulfilling life, and choosing the path that's truly best for you as a cynic, or a human being.
Ella
I think I mostly fit with Skepticism because even though the other person told us something it might not be right for example, if someone told us that another person did something bad how could I believe this person if I didn’t have the proof that he actually did it ? The person who told me that maybe just said that because he didn’t love this person and wanted me to hate him and make all the other persons be against the other. Another example would be for the Guinesses world records, if somebody had told me that a man had solved a Rubik’s cube on a skateboard I clearly wouldn’t believe this person BUT because someone has seen the man doing it, then, it must be true. I also like to ask questions of why things are in a certain way like why the water is clear when we hold it but when we look at the sea it’s blue? Or even how do we know when we were babies how to do some things because they didn’t teach us that so is it from our memory or something like this ?
ReplyDeleteOne of the schools I wouldn't fit in is Stoicism because I let my emotions have a lot of control on myself. I can’t just stay, say nothing and listen to someone who is screaming at me because maybe I did something wrong even though I maybe didn’t. I really would like to fit in this type of school because it would be maybe better for me how to control my emotions and I could think rationally of the situation, maybe find a solution to the problem. An example of something that can happen in my life is for example in math if I have a bad grade and my friends tell me that it’s okay that’s nothing I can just wait for the next test, for me that’s not possible to relate because there was some problems in mathematics before and now I’m always worried about my grades in mathematics fearing the reaction of what my father would say or of the teachers that would be disappointed.
Clara
Phares Assaf
ReplyDeleteThe Hellenistic school of thought that resounded with me the most would be the skeptics. Growing up, as childish as it sounds, I have always felt the need to question everyone task assigned to me; if I felt the task didn't have a visible purpose, then I usually dreaded completing it. Now growing up, I will admit I haven't entirely changed. I understand now that as a kid growing up, there are some things in life that your parents, family, or other peers may make you do, and you just gotta do it. Regardless, I feel deep down that each person should make choices, with respect to others, that will ultimately lead to their own happiness. We only know that we have one life, and as long as you aren't interfering with others, I feel we should be able to do this; if it leads to your demise, however, it is indeed your own fault. Furthermore, I feel the questioning of life and death, time, God, or any other strange phenomena is the most interesting course of action, as some things apply to all of us. Even though some things we may never know, the important part is standing up for yourself and questioning it with your own head. Don't just take others' words for your own; do your own research, reflection, and idea building. Hey, if you think hard enough, you may even become famous for it like all of these ancient philosophers. On another note, it can be very frustrating trying to discuss topics with those that are not open to changing opinions, and I feel that everyone should always be willing to at least hear one another out. Feeling like your ideas are the correct ones is quite normal, but I think you may find yourself surprised when you hear an idea or thought process you didn't think of but enjoy.
Blair -
ReplyDeleteI identify with a multitude of the different schools of thought we have explored, however, I would like to specifically focus on Stoicism. While today we may have a different general meaning for the word stoic, the way it was used in ancient Greece is what I try to live by. However I don't think it necessarily means living without acting on your emotions, but rather not letting your emotions cloud your judgment. I can recognize that I have a plethora of emotions, and even get angry about them, but then I can continue in my life and not let it divert my day too drastically. that is what I feel the general dogma of stoicism is, at least for me. I recognize this might be synonymous with professionalism, having a dialect between personal feelings and realistic situations, however, I would disagree as well as agree. While stoicism is necessary within a professional environment, I would not necessarily say that what I try to live by is definite professionalism. I would like to separate my emotions from my actions in both the workplace as well as my personal life. I feel that by being able to keep a level head, I would end up getting the most out of my life. Whether or not I do this daily is a different question, however, I would like to try to implement this way of thinking, as well as this general way of behaving, in my life more so than it already is.
One of the 4 Hellenistic philosophies that best applies to my life is skepticism. Skepticism is a Hellenistic philosophy that was composed of people who did not trust their senses. These people believed that the future is uncertain so thus they should enjoy the present. They also believed that everything is in doubt. The philosophy of skepticism also had a little bit of fate tied in, with the belief that whatever is gonna happen will happen and there is no way to control it. In this day and age, we are taught to question and be skeptical of everything. To not trust anything, and to always wonder about the reasoning behind something. We also live in a world, where misinformation is a prominent threat. It is very heard to distringuish what is real and what is not. This has become especially problematic with the emergence of technological advancements that make it increasingly difficult to differentiate between misinformation. This is similar to how the skeptics questioned the reliability of their senses. Often the misinformation and propaganda are purposeful and are used to create chaos and ruin people's trust in their leaders and government. This era of misinformation has led to increased skepticism by our current generation. Some people in my generation have become skeptical that significant issues will never be fixed. These include long-lasting issues such as climate change, gun violence, women's rights, and systemic racism. With no trust that our leaders will solve these issues, skepticism arises. As identified in the times of Hellenistic philosophy, skepticism played a prominent role in how people viewed the world. This perception of the world continues in the minds of those in my generation. This view may be even more prominent now than in Hellenistic times because of the relatively new emergence of misinformation and ineffective leadership. In conclusion,
ReplyDeleteNina
I believe that each person has a different answer. Personally, I try to leave the past in the past. If there's nothing to gain from letting your emotions escape and there's nothing you can do to change what has already happened, then why cry over spilled milk? On the other hand, there are many situations when emotion is acceptable, and even healthy. When a loved one passes away, or maybe after a breakup its alright to look back on the past and reflect. However, one must understand that the world will move on, and whatever cruel twist of fate occurred, it doesn't neccesarily have bearing on the present. In those situations, after a period of grief, you eventually must leave those emotions, maybe even learning from them.
ReplyDeleteI’ve taken a special interest in Epicurus’s philosophy on happiness. In fact, I’m planning on purchasing and reading The Art of Happiness when I get the chance. From my limited understanding of his philosophy, it seems like it would be especially important in today’s society. In the handout we were given in class, it says that Epicurus strived to “weigh short term pleasure vs. long term pleasure,” which ties into one of the three fundamentals of his philosophy. When we look at the epidemic of sites like Tik Tok that are designed in a way that kills attention span and releases short-term dopamine, it becomes obvious why this philosophy (or versions of it) might be the way to go.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I believe that Epicurus’s philosophy about material possessions is especially important in a capitalist society. I recently had a conversation with one of my friends about this. He said, “The saying that money can’t buy happiness is bull***t.” Having recently learned about Epicurus as well as drawing from my personal experience, I objected. As an example, he told me that something like a Bugatti would make him pretty happy, to which I told him that that’s only short-term, material happiness and it doesn’t fill the soul. When he told me that everything costs money in our society, I eventually came to the conclusion that the very nature of capitalism actively works against us when it comes to achieving true happiness. This became even more apparent when I connected it to the decline in interest in humanities. It seems like people are opting for short-term happiness (joining the capitalist system) rather than long-term happiness (seeking out humanities). Obviously I don’t think that there shouldn’t be any businessmen and women, but there’s a huge gap between people interested in STEM/ business and arts/ humanities.
Jack
Zane-
ReplyDeleteFor some reason half of it got cut off the first time I posted it.
While I find all three Hellenistic methodologies interesting, and agree with elements of all of them, I'm going to write my response on the stoic school of thought. Its a great source of comfort to tell yourself "so what", that happened, it was meant to happen, and now I can move on. More accurately, its not a source of comfort, but the lack of a necessity for that comfort. I aspire to be stoic myself, especially when I experience misfortune or receive bad news. However, while the concept of stoicism isn't hard to grasp, it can be difficult to put that theory into practice. Stoicism is about controlling your reaction, and the expression of your emotions (rage, sadness, etc...), but even if you can control those emotions, how do you know which to express and which to keep to yourself? Furthermore, sometimes reaction is helpful, and even necessary. How do you know when to react at all?
I believe that each person has a different answer. Personally, I try to leave the past in the past. If there's nothing to gain from letting your emotions escape and there's nothing you can do to change what has already happened, then why cry over spilled milk? On the other hand, there are many situations when emotion is acceptable, and even healthy. When a loved one passes away, or maybe after a breakup it's alright to look back on the past and reflect. However, one must understand that the world will move on, and whatever cruel twist of fate occurred, it doesn't necessarily have bearing on the present. In those situations, after a period of grief, you eventually must leave those emotions, maybe even learning from them.
Honestly, I’ve found that each school of thought share valuable aspects that one can take away into their life. Like my dad, I have found a lot of interest in Stoicism over the past couple of years and that idea of cool, calm, and collected in a way that allows you to live your life in a humble matter is definitely something that I like to try and participate in. But along with this calmly manner in one’s way of living, I think that it is important to be slightly Epicurean. This way, you can find pleasure in everything you do and gain some sort of free will along with it. Now, that’s not to say that blowing all of your money on tequila every weekend is a smart idea, but the “do what makes you happy” slogan directly relates to Epicureans and to me as well. Along with the idea of doing what makes you happy, as well as living a rather simple life, Cynics definitely touch base on this - but to some extremes. Cynics had no interest in materialistic things and I think in such a materialistic world today this is an important value to hold onto. Yet, as I did say ‘extremes’, Cynics do often take on the modern day role of conspiracy theorists and I definitely don’t like those people! Also the idea that Cynics have “lost the battle before it begun” just isn’t for me, I will fight to the end. This “never quit” mentally is what brings me to the idea that I also found value in Skepticism. I always say “question everything” because honestly, who knows right from wrong, it’s all perspective. Being optimistic and skeptical depending on the situation is a necessity in one’s way they go about life. I think in the end that striving to be the best person you can be is important. Everybody just needs to love everyone, and whatever philosophical school of thought will bring people to that, then follow it with pride.
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn
I personally agree with stoicism the most. Being a young black male in an unpredictable, dangerous, and scary society that already has its back turned and wrong eye for me, I have very little room for error in life. The second I slip up the slightest bit especially in a public area I could possibly go to jail, lose my life, or anything in between those lines. That being said, If i were to lose my temper or show too much emotion in specific situations, there would likely be a horrible outcome. Stoicism helps me accept all the flaws of myself and the world around me instead of hating it because I choose when, where, and how I react. Because of that same reason, I agree with the Epicurean belief. Me being able to free myself from pain or disturbance helps me focus on the clear route and life and not go down the wrong path. Being at peace in the mind allows me to make decisions with a clear head and not over or under think. I can analyze situations and choose what option is best for me to thrive.
ReplyDeleteBryce