On Stoic Philosophy, Wisdom, and Love | Donald Robertson

In his book Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, author, therapist, and stoic philosopher, Donald Robertson, writes:

"The Sage conquers his passions by becoming stronger than them not by 

eliminating all traces of emotions from his life. 

The Stoic ideal is therefore not to be ‘passionless’ in the sense of being ‘apathetic’, 

‘hard-hearted’, ‘insensitive’ or ‘like a statue’ of stone or iron. 

Rather, it is to experience natural affection for ourselves, our loved ones, and other 

human beings. 

And to value our lives in accord with nature."

In today’s conversation Donald will dive deeper into what Stoicism is, and 

what it's not.  

He'll shed light on how Stoicism in popular culture is often misinterpreted -

Inappropriately distilled into messages that tout self-discipline and personal 

responsibility, yet at the same time leave out what the stoics may have valued most:

Wisdom, 

justice, 

and love for humankind. 

We’ll also explore the possibility, and practices that might support us in living into 

Marcus Aurelius’s conception of the Ideal Stoic:

Meeting our lives, our work, and our relationships increasingly from a place that is 

free of passions, 

and full of love. 

For more on Donald Robertson, his books, podcasts, and other work please visit Donaldrobertson.name

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Imperfectionism and the Art of Living Well | Oliver Burkeman
• On Wholeness, Service, and Enduring Happiness | Stephanie Harrison

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