[Practical Stoicism #22] Useful Stoic podcasts about history, death, and kindness
Happy Saturday!
Lounge chair? Check. Coffee? Check. Headphones. Check.
Headphones? Yes, this newsletter is a podcast special.
In recent months, I've fallen in love with several Stoic podcasts. For a long time, I only read Stoic content, but listening to conversations between Stoics has given a new dimension to my practice. By hearing the voice and human emotion of fellow practitioners, Stoicism feels much closer now. It's difficult to describe, but I'm certainly thinking about philosophy a lot more.
One of the goals I have with Practical Stoicism is promoting content made by other Stoics. The amount and quality of Stoic episodes is increasing rapidly, and I find myself taking notes during many episodes. To think through the Stoic content I consume, promote others, and hopefully help readers gain some more insights as well, I will do a weekly roundup of podcast episodes that catch my attention.
Starting next week, Friday, I will post a roundup on PracticalStoicism.com with my favorite podcast episodes of that week, along with my notes on each. I will put a link to the posts in the Saturday newsletter.
By taking notes and sharing them, I hope to introduce more people to Stoic wisdom and start the discussion in the comment section. By externalizing our thoughts, you force yourself to think more deeply about the material. You can teach yourself and others with your insights. Let's learn from each other.
Now, a sneak peek of what's to come. This is the first installment with episodes by Matt van Natta (Immoderate Stoic blog and Good Fortune podcast), Steve Karafit (The Sunday Stoic podcast), and Stephen West (Philosophize This! podcast).
Please let me know what you think of the material and this format. If you have suggestions for podcasts that I should check out, send me an email or a tweet.
Enjoy your Saturday and the content!
Ramses
Good Fortune #18: Conflict
16 minutes | Audio | Transcript
Matt van Natta is back with his podcast! For many practicing Stoics, Matt is the person that introduced them to Stoicism. He's the author of the Immoderate Stoic blog and the excellent book The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism.
In episode 18 of Good Fortune, Matt talks about conflict and teaches us a few mindsets to handle and avoid conflict with others. Two tools we have to our disposal are kindness and faithfulness (Discourses 4.5):
"What then has been given to you with which to meet this attack? If you seek to act like a wolf, you can bite back and throw more stones than your neighbor did. But if you seek to act like a human, examine your store, see what faculties you brought into the world? You brought no faculty of brutality, did you? No faculty of bearing grudges, did you? When then is a horse miserable? Not when he can't sing "cuckoo!" but when he can't run...Does it not follow then that on the same principles, a human is wretched, not when they are unable to choke lions, but when they have lost their kindness and faithfulness?"
A few of my takeaways:
How Stoics respond to conflict.
A Stoic would say: "What conflict?"
Stoics know that we can only control our own actions. What do we strive for? Excellence. Be excellent in your reactions.
Tools we have in conflict, according to Epictetus (Discourses 4.5):
Kindness
Faithfulness
The Sunday Stoic #161: The Fear of Death
20 minutes | Audio
The Sunday Stoic is the first Stoic podcast I discovered and started listening to regularly. Apart from the content, I also take inspiration from Steve's focus on the Stoic community. He not only shares his insights into Stoic philosophy but also invites listeners to share their ideas and philosophical routines. In between segments, Steve jams on his guitar and gives you a moment to let things sink in a bit. What else do you need?
In this episode, Steve meditates on death and shares useful exercises shared by his listeners.
I liked the practical exercise from listener Hannah: What is something nice you can do now for your future self? What is one small, silly thing you can do right now that will make life a little bit easier for your future self? Think parking your car, laying out your clothes for the next day, cleaning up your room, etc.
A few of my takeaways:
According to Seneca, we should free ourselves from our fear of death. When we are able to do this, many possibilities open up.
According to Epictetus, we should free ourselves from our aversion from what's outside our power. Death is undoubtedly outside our control; it's inevitable.
How Marcus Aurelius overcame his fear of death:
Reflect death is part of the natural chain of events.
Go with the flow until it's time to go.
The world you're leaving when you die is filled with people that annoy you. Death is a release.
Remember that your troubles are in your mind.
Don't be a puppet to your passions. Think about your last hour on earth to remind yourself things will end. This will be your drive to keep your emotions in check.
Be the best person you can be in the limited time you have. Seize every moment.
Philosophize This! #11: The Hellenistic Age Part 2 - The Early Stoa and the Cynics
43 minutes | Audio | Transcript
Stephen West is the history teacher you wish you had in high school. He not only retells history brilliantly but he also clearly explains the ideas of the philosophers in his stories. Stephen's 5-part series on Hellenistic philosophy introduces ideas from Socrates until early Christianity. Two episodes in the series are about Stoicism.
Starting in episode 2, Stephen tells the story of Zeno and how he came to find the Stoic school. He then proceeds to explain the basics of the Stoic philosophical framework. As this is a podcast for a general audience, Stephen doesn't expect you to know anything about Stoicism yet. However, I was surprised to hear how deep he goes into the core Stoic ideas and what the implications are for the practitioners.
I recommend you listen to all five episodes in the series but listen to part 2 (episode #11) and part 3 (episode #12) if you're looking to deepen your understanding of Stoicism.
Stephen also provides transcripts for every episode. Check out the links below.
Audio: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Transcripts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
A few of my takeaways:
The Cynics
Cynics believed a life worth living is a virtuous life. We need to be in harmony with our own nature and our place in nature.
Cynics taught that our desires are imprinted by those around us, by society through social conventions. By taking a step away from society, we have a shortcut to happiness because we're cut off from desires that are imprinted on us by others. According to Cynics, the more we do this, the happier we'll be.
Cynicism was an evolution of Socrates' teachings, and Stoicism was an evolution of Cynic teachings. Cynicism contains many lessons that we can find in some way in Taoism.
Zeno
Zeno visited the Delphic Oracle and was given the advice to "take on the complexion of the dead."
As a result of the Oracle's advice, Zeno read ancient books on philosophy.
Zeno shipwrecked around 311 BCE outside of Athens.
Zeno liked many of the Cynic ideas but was missing physics and metaphysics. Zeno wanted to ask abstract questions, and that is something the Cynics were not interested in.
Stoic physics
Basic elements, as believed by the early Stoics: earth, water, air, fire.
Active elements: Air, fire.
Passive elements: Earth, water.
The basic elements are transformed to create everything in the universe.
The cosmos is cyclical, so everything that happens is the best way it could unfold.
A Stoic wouldn't panic during a zombie apocalypse. Stoics would be the survivors, and they would accept their fate regardless of the outcome. Stoics make use of their rationality and don't mindlessly follow the crowd. A Stoic thinks what is the best step to take for him and the universe in every moment.