[Practical Stoicism #25] How to manage impressions
Impressions are judgments that press themselves on your mind. Be aware of the labels you attach to events, gently work to remove them, and you'll find that your life flows more smoothly.
Happy Sunday, fellow Stoics!
A large part of Stoicism is managing our emotions and impressions. Many things happen to us from the outside, but how we interpret those events dictates how we experience life.
In recent weeks, I've had many talks with friends and fellow students about meditation, yoga, and our relationship with our thoughts. These conversations were triggered by the fact that I've been led along by some of my impressions, even though I know better on an intellectual level.
In this light, I had to think of Epictetus' words on impressions in his Handbook (Enchiridion) 1.5:
“Make a practice of saying to every strong impression: ‘An impression is all you are, not the source of the impression.’ Then test and assess it with your criteria, but one primarily: ‘Is this something that is, or is not, in my control?’”
What is an impression? Massimo Pigliucci gives us an explanation in his article titled Stoic Psychology 101:
"Impressions (phantasiai, sing. phantasia), pre-cognitive judgments originating from our previous experiences or our subconscious thinking. For example: cats are nice, or cats are selfish; the square root of 9 is 3, or the square root of 9 is 4.
Assent (sunkatathesis), the confirmation, usually at a cognitive level, of the initial impression: cats are indeed selfish animals; the square root of 9 is indeed 3. (Obviously, one can deny assent to other impressions, like that cats are actually nice, or that the square root of 9 is 4.)"
Assent is another word for judgment. Our attention is called to something internal or external, this results in an impression, which leads to judgment, ending with a response. Massimo continues:
"In Stoic psychology, the causal chain connecting these three phenomena looks like this:
Impression > assent > impulse
The impression, then, is involuntary. The assent, however, is the result of reflection (at least in individuals who are prone to reflect on things, otherwise it’s implicit), and so the impulse is voluntary, the outcome of a specific combination of impression and assent. It is in this sense that the Stoics (and modern cognitive psychologists) hold that our emotions are voluntary, because they are the result of proto-emotions (involuntary) and cognitive (or implied) judgments."
This is in line with the notes I took from episode 9 of the Stoicism on Fire podcast:
Things that happen to us (external events) aren’t good or bad for our moral character (the only thing that matters). Only our response to events affects our moral character. Our value judgments determine our responses.
Most think: Event > Response (FALSE)
In reality: Event > Value judgment > Response (TRUE)
Being aware of impressions and our value judgments is the first step in a smooth flowing life. We should meditate on the stories we tell ourselves, and realize we can change our thinking.
This week's newsletter links to the articles that have helped my thinking about impressions and value judgments. If you have any recommendations for further reading, leave a comment on Substack (click the ♡ or the title of this newsletter at the top), or send me an email.
Ramses
Altering Your Reality
Salman Ansari | 1,874 words | 7 min read
This weekend, I had an interesting Twitter conversation with Salman Ansari about meditation and the quantified self. When checking out his website, I stumbled on his article about altering our perception of reality.
How we look at the world is important. As Stoics, we know that how we perceive events around us dictates how we feel. Salman points to Alfred Adler, whose psychological framework shows how we can use our present interpretation of reality as a springboard to the future. In the article, he also touches on anger and why it is a counterproductive emotion.
These are some of my highlights:
Adlerian psychology states that each of us is responsible for our own tasks, and these conflicts are a result of us being confused about who owns which task. To solve this, one must go about a ‘separation of tasks’ to recognize which task they actually own and need to work on. The rest, they let go.
One of the most powerful tenets of Adlerian psychology is the power to change our interpretations of reality. Although we cannot change the past, Adler notes we can change what meaning we assign to past events.
Our subjective perception of the world not only influences how we see the world, it is our world. We can influence the present (and future) by changing how we view the past. This is a superpower that is vastly underestimated.
Anger is never the best tool for the job.
By understanding and liberating yourself, you heal the person you present to the world. In turn, you contribute to the work of healing the world.
Is Gordon Ramsay the Stoic Sage?
George Popovic | 1,834 words | 7 min read
The title of this article is a bit clickbait-y, and there is no talk about Gordon Ramsay, but I find it a helpful explanation of the Stoic Sage nonetheless. George Popovic explains (using the analogy of a good cook) what characteristics make a Sage, and how we can make a start at becoming sages.
My highlights:
[The Sage] is perfect, not in the sense that anything about his physical form is perfect, nor in the extent of his knowledge (i.e. he does not know everything), but in how he uses his knowledge. He is perfect because his actions are virtuous. His actions are virtuous, as they use the dictates of reason as their standard, which he gleans from his study of nature. With reason as standard, he lives in complete accordance with virtue.
Just as there is an art-form to flute-playing, and that can be learned by instruction, there is also an art of living, and that can be learned from following nature. The Stoic sage is the logical conclusion of a philosophy which holds the assumption that man’s rational nature, his defining feature, can be honed. If this nature can be made better through some process, then it can be perfected.
The sage, however, cannot be understood by a series of definitions alone. The characteristics of the sage are not separable from the actions which define him, and he is understood fully only in context of these actions. The key difference between the sage and the sage-aspirant, as aforementioned, is how they act. In this regard, the sage is said to act virtuously, where as the sage-aspirant does not.
The reasoning faculty of the aspirant is defined by its imperfect experience, whereas the faculty of the sage is defined by its perfected reflection upon experience.
How Self-Care Became So Much Work
Charlotte Lieberman | 1,624 words | 6 min read
Modern Stoicism has become popular largely due to lifehackers who use mental tricks based on Stoic concepts. Even though these exercises help many, there is a danger in putting all attention on the quantifiable self. This thought-provoking article was recommended to me by Salman Ansari, and it shows how working on ourselves can become a trap.
The article reminded me of Zeno's words:
“Well-being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing.”
We need to keep reminding ourselves that small steps count, and to not beat ourselves up when we "fail" to perform a practice.
Here are some of my highlights:
Today, like so much around us, that industry is heavily influenced by tech. Our focus is shifting away from the actual self — our bodies, minds, and spirits — and toward data about the self. With iEverythings around us at all times, we expect our steps to be enumerated, our REM cycles to be recorded, and our breathing patterns to be measured. It’s not enough to just feel better — we need our devices to affirm that we are doing the work.
The Journal of Consumer Research has published research showing that Americans associate busyness and stress with prestige and status. This might explain why counting our steps and recording our exhales are satisfying ways to measure the success of our self-care routine once we leave the office. But in this context, our high anxiety becomes just another thing to “work on.”
If meditation feels like “work,” it can become a restrictive, rather than expansive, practice. Treating meditation as a step needed to achieve the elusive goal of work-life balance keeps us dialed into the linear mindset of “checking things off our list.” If we rigidly commit to a meditation practice without considering how we might react on days when we don’t have time or aren’t in the mood for it, we might end up mired in guilt or self-criticism. This is not to say that if meditation feels difficult, you should just give up. But it’s important to see how this ancient tradition is being commodified by our culture as a tool for improvement. If your to-do-list mentality is a major source of stress in the first place, why add to it? The goal is to create space for yourself, to experience curiosity and explore without pressure. Take a few conscious breaths during your commute, or set an intention for your day before you leave the house.
The Cs of Stoicism
Britanny Polat is a practicing Stoics who keeps providing me with little nuggets of wisdom that are easy to remember. Have a look at this tweet and meditate on it:
A great read for a calm Monday morning. I found the article "How Self-Care Became So Much Work" especially interesting since I often struggle to keep the balance in my personal efforts to grow and improve my wellbeing. I think that I will more often question my initial impulse to do something. For example: When I think I need to post more on Social Media, I will try to interrupt myself and ask "Why do you want to do that?". Most likely I will end up with an answer, that is better for my own wellbeing and growth.