Stoicism – What is the modern appeal of this ancient philosophy?

For those of us who haven’t kept up with the Stoicism revival, let’s do a meetup to learn some of the basics of Stoicism and figure out whether this philosophy is for us. In recent years, Stoicism has seen a surge in popularity, with advocacy from entrepreneurs like Jack Dorsey, athletes like Tom Brady, and self-development gurus like Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday. However, as our book this month argues, Stoicism isn’t just for tech-bros, sport stars and influencers; it offers valuable insights for anyone seeking a more peaceful and balanced approach to life.

Book: Reasons Not to Worry – How to be Stoic in chaotic times (2022) by Brigid Delaney

Former Sydneysider and writer Brigid Delaney had the serendipitous timing of diving into Stoicism not long before the Covid lockdown began in Sydney. The closure to travel was soon after getting her dream travel-writing gig. D’oh! Her subsequent book is both funny and insightful, and documents her systematic exploration of key Stoics ideas, often through debating a fellow explorer friend on walks along the Bondi to Bronte shoreline during the outdoor exercise periods we were limited to at that time. Key thinkers such as Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius are all included, along with a lot of practical advice.

While there are many books on this subject, ours has been praised by, among others, Russell Crowe, and he was like a son to Marcus Aurelius…so ¯\(ツ)/¯. However, while this personal journey into understanding Stoicism makes the book accessible and less dry, it may not work for everyone, and you are welcome to try any of the many alternative books out there, some of them I’ve listed below. The main thing is to get a handle on the key principles and practices of Stoicism.

So join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6.30pm Monday, November 4th at the far-end of the 2nd floor at the Keg & Brew Hotel, Surrey Hills. The Keg & Brew is close to Central Station and the Light Rail.

The American presidential election is one day after this meetup, and, depending on your political standpoint and the result, you may want a good dose of Stoic principles and practices to help reduce your despondency and doomscrolling!

Hope to see you there.

p.s. PLEASE ADJUST YOUR RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to people if there is a waitlist.

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Feel free to share any useful resources on Stoicism in the comments section. I mainly focus on Delaney here.

Podcasts

• ABC Radio National interview with Delaney (54 mins):

Brigid Delaney on the gift of the Stoics

• The Guardian podcast interview with Delaney (52 mins):

Brigid Delaney on how the Stoics taught her not to worry

• The first 52 mins of the audiobook. A good way to tell if you will like the book. (And remember if you have Spotify Premium, you get 15 hrs of free audiobook time):

Reasons Not To Worry - Opening 1hr

Written

• Delaney summarizes 10 Stoic attitudes and practices that helped her life:

10 tools of ancient philosophy that improved my life

• Delaney’s top 5 insights in the Next Big Idea Club:

Stoic Wisdom for Living a Life Full of Meaning

• Stoicism 101 website by Massimo Pigliucci:

Stoicism 101

• Three articles critical of Stoicism:

3 reasons not to be a Stoic (but try Nietzsche instead)
Why I am not a Stoic by Mariana Alessandri
Why you shouldn’t be a Stoic by Julian Baggini

• Alternative (audio)books:
  - How to be a Stoic (2017) by Professor Massimo Pigliucci. Also available on audible by this author is the course: Think like a Stoic - Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World (2021). The PDF that comes with it is especially useful.
  - Probably the two most well-known popular authors behind the current resurgence of Stoicism are Ryan Holiday (The Lives of the Stoics, 2021; The Daily Stoic, 2016) and William Irvine (A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy, 2008).