Stoicism is a philosophy with deep roots in antiquity, offering a distinct way of approaching life, particularly how we handle challenges and our emotional responses. Stoicism originated in ancient Greece, founded by Zeno of Citium in the early third century BCE. It later became quite prominent in the Roman Empire, fitting well with Roman culture and ethics, and was adopted by well-known thinkers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It seems Stoicism is even experiencing something of a resurgence these days. At its heart, Stoicism teaches that virtue is the only true good, and vice is the only true evil. Things often considered valuable or harmful in everyday life—like health, wealth, reputation, pain, or pleasure—are considered "indifferents" because obtaining or losing them doesn't necessarily make you happy or miserable. The core idea is that happiness, or _eudaimonia_, comes from within, from cultivating one's rational faculty and living virtuously. A foundational principle in Stoicism is the distinction between what is within our power and what is not. We have control over our thoughts, judgments, desires, and actions, but not over external events, other people's behavior, or even our own bodies in many ways. The Stoic approach is to focus intensely on what you _can_ control – your internal world and responses – and to accept everything else as it is. This aligns with the idea of "Let Them" philosophy, which suggests allowing others to make their own choices without needing to control or influence them. Related to this acceptance is the Stoic view that the cosmos is rational and well-ordered, governed by a principle often called Nature or Providence. Everything that happens is seen as happening as it should. Therefore, resisting what happens only brings disquiet. A key goal is to achieve a state of tranquility, or _ataraxia_, described as a "tranquil flow of life". Achieving this tranquility involves managing, or ideally, extirpating passions or destructive emotions. The Stoics listed various emotions they aimed to abandon, including grief, anxiety, hope, despair, anger, and excitement. They believed that reason is strong only when kept separate from passions. The idea is not to become emotionally catatonic or withdraw from life, but to remove the internal disturbance caused by these emotions. This leads to a state of _apathy_ (absence of disturbing passions) and _eupathy_ (good feelings based on correct judgment). Stoics developed various practices, sometimes called "spiritual exercises," to help internalize these doctrines. This includes daily preparation for encountering difficult people and situations. They advised controlling one's reactions to others' actions, understanding that people act based on their own lack of understanding of what is good or evil. Philosophers like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius even suggested mentally preparing for the death of loved ones by remembering their mortality, aiming not to be disturbed when it happens. The goal is to live life without being disturbed by what takes place. This detached approach to potential loss is a notable characteristic and one that might strike some as cold or lacking in human caring. Despite this emphasis on emotional detachment, Stoicism doesn't typically counsel withdrawing from the world. They recommend virtuous action towards others, viewing it as a duty. This can manifest as a form of solidarity with others, driven by reason or duty rather than emotional desire or vulnerability. It's a solidarity that acts in recognition of the larger whole or the rationality of the universe. Some sources suggest this is a "compassion" that doesn't involve vulnerability to loss, distinguishing it from caring that does. There might seem to be a tension between accepting the world as it is and seeking to change things or help others, but Stoicism frames this engagement as acting in accordance with reason or duty. The ideal Stoic is the "sage," a figure who has achieved perfect wisdom and virtue. Becoming a sage is described as a radical and instantaneous change to a state of perfection, an "unshakeable tenor" or character. The sage possesses stable, secure knowledge of human and divine matters and lives in perfect accordance with the rational nature of the cosmos. This ideal sage does everything rightly and is free from wrong opinions. However, the Stoics generally acknowledged that the sage is extremely rare, perhaps never actually found in reality. Even Socrates, whom the Stoics greatly admired and saw as a model, was presented as striving for wisdom rather than claiming to possess it fully. This recognition of the rarity of the sage adds another layer to understanding their practical advice, suggesting it's more about making progress towards an ideal than claiming to have arrived. Historically, Stoicism is linked to Cynicism, sharing an emphasis on austerity and living in accordance with nature. However, Cynicism often involved a more radical, confrontational stance. Stoicism is often contrasted with Epicureanism, another major Hellenistic school, which focused on pleasure as the good and friendship. Both traditions, however, emphasized self-care and developed practices for navigating life. Stoicism also differs from Aristotle's ethics, which recommended the moderation of passions rather than their extirpation. Some philosophers have offered critiques of Stoicism. Hegel viewed it as a response to oppression, a retreat into inner freedom, but found it lacking because it cut thought off from the real world and resulted in vague generalities and abstract freedom. Nietzsche saw a tyrannical impulse in Stoicism, an attempt to force reality to conform to their rational ideal. Critics also questioned how Stoics could claim indifference to things like health and wealth while still recommending choosing 'preferred indifferents'. The perceived coldness and potential for suppressing natural human emotions are also points of discussion. Despite critiques of its extreme ideal, the Stoic focus on managing one's reactions, finding internal freedom, and pursuing virtue remains a powerful philosophical path. Contemporary approaches, like Foucault's interest in Stoic-based practices of the self, suggest drawing inspiration from Stoic techniques for self-cultivation and achieving autonomy, even if not adopting the entire Stoic doctrine or its goal of complete invulnerability. The "Let Them Theory" is presented as aligning with the Stoic focus on controlling only one's own actions and responses. In essence, Stoicism is a rigorous philosophy focused on internal control, emotional resilience, and living virtuously in a rational universe. While the ideal of the sage may be impossibly demanding, the principles and practices offer a robust framework for seeking tranquility and meaning by focusing on what is truly within one's power.