Wu wei is what happens when one understands the nature of existence. It's not something you can make yourself do. It's something you've always done, which is kind of the joke. Wu-Wei is what you realize you were always doing when the delusion of separation finally collapses in on itself.

It's like the dude learning to learn on land in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall".

I use paradigm as a spelling word. I hope that’s okay 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

This is so far from Wu-Wei that it's insane. I just came to this sub and now I don't trust it.

You don’t actually “need” a god to understand the Serenity Prayer. It’s fairly straightforward logic. As an atheist, I understand what it means.

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Yeah, those unemotional Stoics.
"Whoever then understands what is good, can also know how to love", a statement by Epictetus combining the emotional commitment of justice with love towards others. Marcus Aurelius extended this to all that one meets: "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart", and Seneca The Younger noted that "Joy comes to us from those whom we love even when they are absent".

There's a lot of love going around among these unemotional Stoics. Why is that?

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> Wouldn’t it be better, if my $20,000 road bike has been stolen, to allow me to be angry?

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I wonder if they've checked their privilege recently.

I never got why he equated paradigm to mean exemplar. For a while I thought it could be a typo (or even a mistake) from paragon, but surely would have been caught in later revisions.

I agree with you; and yes, pop culture’s interpretation of stoicism is a bit skewed towards suggesting to not feel any emotions at all, as if that’s some sort of a bad thing. I never read anywhere in the ancient stoic texts where it said not to feel one’s emotions. Rather, the stoics’ point was for one to not react, or give in, to the emotions one is feeling at the moment. But then pop culture is often short-sighted when it comes to interpreting philosophy.

Interestingly, cognitive behaviour therapy’s roots are in part taken from Epictetus’ teachings on stoicism. One of CBT’s main tenants can be simply expressed in the words of Epictetus, in which he states “men are disturbed not by things, but by views which they take from them.” I consider this one quote of Epictetus, all by itself, as being worthy of practicing in everyday life.

My last comment is in regards to Donald Robertson’s book, The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychology. In his book he explains the origins of stoic therapy, as was practiced in Roman times, and how it directly influenced modern CBT therapy. It’s quite enlightening and worth the read if someone is so inclined.

Also worth reading is, https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/fixing-families/201910/what-stoics-can-teach-us-about-mental-health?amp

It makes sense - that's the word's etymology from the original Greek. Prefix para- + "that-which-is-shown", basically. In modern Greek, παράδειγμα simply means "example".

You've got it backwards. The serenity prayer is stoicism with extra baggage.

A stoic wouldn't ask a god for these traits; a stoic would understand that a god is one more thing outside of their control and instead work to develop these traits within themselves without the need for a god.

Beyond a critical point and time it often becomes denotatively defined as correct, which is not always what we mean by 'correct.' In terms of clarity or consistency the popular choice often is wrong. If one takes issue, specifically, with the popular usage of a word, then obviously the meaning of 'correct' is functional, not denotative. So the reminder that lexicography follows vernacular, while true, is meaningless in that context.

Why is Kuhn "controversial?"

This is generally true and true of English, but language is also political and academic to varying degrees, so it can in fact be fixed in place. Many languages, particularly ones that are strongly tied to specific nations or groups, are governed in some degree from the top down, with institutions that regulate the development of a language. The Académie Française, Royal Spanish Academy, etc.

Well, virtue ethics and deontology are kinda arbitrary so not that great at refuting or supporting such a claim either way.

But I do agree the consequentialist and even positive utilitarian would have much better counter arguments based on the quantity and quality of current existence.

Aladeened and aladeen pilled

Wittgenstein too.

I like your opinion.

I think there is a division of what stoicism historically was and the version of it we see implemented today.

I agree with the people saying his criticisms of stoicism aren't completely in line with the historic writings but at the same time I feel it is applicable to the pop-culture stoicism being thrown around today.

I'm personally of the opinion that I think the "pop culture stoicism" is a load of self help BS and I see where the OP article author is coming from in that respect. It in my opinion tells people to bottle things up without providing the philosophical groundwork to actually deal with those emotions and successfully move on.

Before someone replies to me "that's not stoicism" that's kind of my point. This isn't directed at Marcus Aurelius and the reality is 99% of people aren't going to read actual philosophy books they get their "Stoicism" second hand from the internet or culture.

I liked what Neil Durrant wrote about Nietzsche. About how the true key is to allow ourselves to experience human emotion then channel it/incorporate it into ethical action.

I'm not giving advice to anyone else but I found at least for me that emotionality is just another facet of our humanity. To be the most "complete" human possible we have to use those emotions not suppress them.

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We greeks still use the word 😅

Παράδειγμα is used as “example”.

You're sleeping if you haven't seen Paradigm Shift

thank you for your response

Aladeened.

Yeah whoever wrote this article hasn't got a clue lol.