Stoicism is one of those things that is often misunderstood. Either you think of it as a state of mind that involves silent old men who never talk about the war or it’s a shiny new life hack adopted by tech bros who think cold showers and embracing the fear will help them get richer quicker.
Stoicism is not about squashing down your feelings, nor is it about honing your awesome self through denial; this is an ancient philosophy that focuses on character: being a good, decent person and standing up for your principles. Philosophy professor, author and podcaster Massimo Pigliucci gives the example of Malala Yousafzai.
Pigliucci's weekly podcast Stoic Meditations are minutes-long nuggets of wisdom from Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius et al designed to help you reflect on everything from friendship and preparedness to the reasons why the pursuit of fame and money are not Stoic values and how a little knowledge of philosophy is a dangerous thing.
