Peace from Stone Cold

By Warren Glodove, STEM 1201

Happiness is not specified by any situation, circumstance or person. It should not
be tied up to anything or anyone in particular but to the persona’s own identity. This
mentality was long practiced by the ancient Greece and Rome in the early parts of the
3rd century, BC. In those times, people's primary concern was to avoid living an
unfortunate life. But with all the war that was happening within those times, they needed
to order their way of thinking in such a manner that it would promote increased life
satisfaction. This was where Stoicism manifested.
Stoicism is the ancient school of philosophy which taught a specific way of life. Its
main focus was on living a virtuous life, maximizing happiness and reducing negative
emotions. This way of living was founded by Zeno of Cituim. This lifestyle is advisable for
it allows a person to take the negative feelings they experience, and turn them into
thoughts that give them peacefulness and perspective on life (Denning, 2017). Denning
also added that Stoicism is very practical and uncomplicated that a person can take action
from the moment he or she hears the advice.
Furthermore, Stoicism does not assure once practiced, there will be no disruptions
to a person’s tranquility anymore. In the other hand, Stoicism promotes these disruptions
because loosing control, allows the environment to react to the changes the person is
developing and it paves a clearer way for tranquility.
Moreover, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, a statesman, a dramatist, and a writer
practiced Stoicism and it allowed him to propose the idea that everything takes up space.
Even things that are acquired for free, it may be physical, mental or emotional space. In
line with this, Stoics believe that a person should practice poverty. This is how a person
can get ready for adversity and become an expert in coping with life's ups and downs.
Comfort can become a form of slavery because it makes a person constantly think that
somebody can take away what he has.
In general, more does not assure good (Fried, 2018). Peace, happiness and
fulfilment can be achieved also by less. Choices are what stoics believe is the way to get
a shortcut in life.