The Stoic Warrior - Analyzing Conflict in Modern Times
Jan 8, 2024
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This podcast explores the Stoic perspective on war and conflict, highlighting the importance of practicing stoicism and only engaging in war as a last resort. It contrasts personal conflict response with a nation's response, examines the behavior of prison guards in parallel to real-life situations, and emphasizes the stoic perspective on peace and proportionality in responding to threats.
Stoics view war as a last resort and emphasize the importance of peaceful resolutions based on just causes and proportionate responses.
Stoics advocate for facing the realities of war without despair, condemning wars driven by greed and revenge while promoting peace based on ethical reasoning and human dignity.
Deep dives
Stoic Perspective on War and Peace
Stoics approach the concept of war and peace from the perspective of philosophy, specifically Stoicism. They emphasize the Stoic concept of cosmopolitanism, which sees humans as equal beings who can live together peacefully. Stoics argue for peace, as war is seen as unfortunate and a last resort. Marcus Aurelius, a stoic and Roman Emperor, recognized war as a necessary defense of something one believes in. Stoics view war as only justified when fighting for a just cause and emphasize proportionality of response. The ultimate goal for Stoics is peace, but they acknowledge that achieving peace can be challenging.
The Irony of Marcus Aurelius and Stoic Warrior Ethic
While Stoics value peace, Marcus Aurelius, a famed stoic and Roman Emperor, wrote meditations during his time on the battlefield. Stoics historically have been skilled warriors, but they view war as unfortunate and always strive for peace. Stoic warriors fight not for personal gain or validation, but for something they truly resonate with. Stoics understand that peace is best achieved through engaging with opposing viewpoints, rather than solely talking to like-minded individuals. Stoics see the importance of addressing conflicts through peaceful means, while recognizing the realities of warfare in certain situations.
Challenging Modern Wars from a Stoic Perspective
Applying Stoic perspectives, many modern wars do not meet the criteria for a just war. Stoics require a just cause, just intentions, a last resort, and proportionality of response. Stoics emphasize self-preservation and recognize the need for defense, but argue that many wars are driven by greed and desire for power. Stoics do not force their ideas on others, but lead by example and respect diverse perspectives. They challenge the logic behind wars based on emotional motives, such as revenge, greed, and the desire for power. Stoics advocate avoiding wars and pursuing peaceful resolutions.
War through a Stoic Lens
Stoic thinkers, such as Seneca, condemn war as a result of human greed and cruelty. They emphasize facing the grim reality of war without falling into despair or depression. Stoics appeal for a logical approach before engaging in warfare, considering just causes and proportionate responses. They criticize the approach of attacking others simply for power or territory, viewing it as illogical and lacking in ethical reasoning. Stoics reject revenge as a motive for war and advocate for peace as the ultimate resolution. Upholding human dignity and respect for others should guide actions in conflicts, both on personal and international scales.
Images of buildings reduced to rubble, lives ruined, and devastated families seem to regrettably flood our screens as conflict wages on all across the world. Armed conflict is nothing new to society, and many Stoics historically have been participants in these events. Marcus Aurelius was one of the best military commanders the Roman Empire saw, and he wrote much of Meditations while planning for or actively on the battlefield.
However, as militaries across the world preach Stoic values to their soldiers while hurting "enemy" countries and civilians alike, there is an important distinction to be made about the Stoic warrior: war is a last resort. Join us this week as we discuss how Stoics have viewed war throughout history, some criteria that would call a Stoic to fight, and how we can use these lessons to bring about a peaceful resolution to current conflicts.
Additionally, we have some exciting updates for the upcoming year! First and foremost, we are now officially streaming our podcast on Rumble. Be sure to check us out there if you haven't already. Secondly, we will add TWO individual stoic readings weekly, but ONLY on our audio streaming services, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc. YouTube and Rumble are omitted. Follow us on all platforms for updates and engagement opportunities, see the show behind the scenes, and join the Gen Z Stoic community. Thank you for listening.