The Strong Stoic Podcast #357 - Gandalf, Stoicism, and the Wisdom of the Grandfather
Mar 4, 2025
15:57
If we think of wisdom and stoicism as embodied in an elder figure, it’s often someone like a grandfather—calm, patient, slow to anger. Grandparents tend to be forgiving, knowing that life is long and that small mistakes aren’t the end of the world. They let things slide. They slip their grandchildren candy when the parents aren’t looking. They offer guidance without the intensity of immediate responsibility.
But before you can become a grandfather, you must first be a father.
Fathers (and parents in general) are different from grandparents because they are deeply involved in the daily development of their children. They discipline. They set rules. They get frustrated because they are directly responsible for molding their children into functioning adults. The stakes feel higher because they are.
This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
But before you can become a grandfather, you must first be a father.
Fathers (and parents in general) are different from grandparents because they are deeply involved in the daily development of their children. They discipline. They set rules. They get frustrated because they are directly responsible for molding their children into functioning adults. The stakes feel higher because they are.
This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com