Very well stated, especially with the present day sociopolitical context.
I normally skip over reading about anger just because true anger is something I very rarely experience. What I do feel a lot though is frustration at things that hinder my intentions. It’s related to anger, for sure, but there are big distinctions. Would Stoicism address this differently than true anger or consider it one and the same?
Good point! Yes, I think frustration would be treated similarly to anger since it is still (in Stoic terms) a misjudgment about the world. You're judging that you must do something or that something must happen when it's not actually possible. Fortunately, the effects of frustration are usually not as socially damaging as the effects of anger, but I think frustration causes a lot of personal stress!
So I would say we could correct this by thinking in terms of aligning with the universe, or to put it simply, going with the flow. Also, of course, focusing on what's in our own power rather than trying to do things that weren't granted to us. (I struggle with that one a lot myself--I feel like I should be able to make things happen in a certain way, when in reality I just don't have the power to force them.) It's incredibly hard to make the judgment call that something is outside of our power, but I think when we learn to correctly identify those situations, we save ourselves from a lot of unnecessary frustration.
Yes, good stuff! The thing about frustration is how sneaky it is. It seems to have its grips fully in me by the time I even recognize it. I suppose that means I’ve already assented to the impression. Your suggestion of a go with the flow attitude is a brilliant antidote. I mean, that’s basically having a smooth flow of life, one of the main goals, right? Thanks Brittany!
Very well stated, especially with the present day sociopolitical context.
I normally skip over reading about anger just because true anger is something I very rarely experience. What I do feel a lot though is frustration at things that hinder my intentions. It’s related to anger, for sure, but there are big distinctions. Would Stoicism address this differently than true anger or consider it one and the same?
Good point! Yes, I think frustration would be treated similarly to anger since it is still (in Stoic terms) a misjudgment about the world. You're judging that you must do something or that something must happen when it's not actually possible. Fortunately, the effects of frustration are usually not as socially damaging as the effects of anger, but I think frustration causes a lot of personal stress!
So I would say we could correct this by thinking in terms of aligning with the universe, or to put it simply, going with the flow. Also, of course, focusing on what's in our own power rather than trying to do things that weren't granted to us. (I struggle with that one a lot myself--I feel like I should be able to make things happen in a certain way, when in reality I just don't have the power to force them.) It's incredibly hard to make the judgment call that something is outside of our power, but I think when we learn to correctly identify those situations, we save ourselves from a lot of unnecessary frustration.
Yes, good stuff! The thing about frustration is how sneaky it is. It seems to have its grips fully in me by the time I even recognize it. I suppose that means I’ve already assented to the impression. Your suggestion of a go with the flow attitude is a brilliant antidote. I mean, that’s basically having a smooth flow of life, one of the main goals, right? Thanks Brittany!