We are threatened by a flood of chaos that is slowly approaching.

Nothing we can do will stop

the devastation it will instill on our world. We cannot help but be swallowed by the darkness that
flows so freely in its waters. So what is there that we can do to preserve the emerald greens of
life’s beauty with such horrors outside of us? How can we as a people see this flood in a new
light - something purifying? That is the question of stoicism. How can one transform the world
around him through inner transformation? By this, I simply am alluding to the fact that we all
have our own internal locus of control. Though our omnipotence does not stretch across the
vast ocean of nature’s will and the ways of our society, we still hold power over the totality of our
being. As we begin to focus in on what we can control (our own actions, behaviors, reactions
etc.) we see a new light approaching. You my friend, have become that light - to illuminate the
darkness of the external world with the radiance of your character.
But how can one build the foundation of such a light? With what colors shall he begin to
paint the masterpiece that is himself? Now, to answer these questions we must taste the
sweetness of the virtuous fruits that the stoics have gifted us through their teachings. Shall we
heal our wounds of mediocrity with the venom of the serpent? This is the first cardinal virtue of
stoicism. Wisdom - the ability to navigate complex situations in a logical, calm, and informed
manner. With wisdom, we can integrate order within the animality of our society. We prosper
through knowledge - something which is quite lacking in the spirit of this time. So now we have
become rationalists - no better than Socrates - no worse than Plato. But we must now go further
than a rationalist perspective. We must take into account what life truly offers - the power to feel.
We cannot rationalize morality. The power of the spirit must not be dulled by the intellect!
So then we arrive at the next two pillars of Stoicism - justice and courage. Justice can be
defined as such - treating others with fairness even when you know that they have done wrong.
O’ what unnecessary suffering comes about when we inflict our poison of bitterness unto those
who have done us wrong. This is the product of a toxic one sidedness that has plagued man
since time immemorial. Can you not see that you too have provoked others in the same way
that they have you? Can you not forgive yourself and so others must be punished as well? With
stoicism, one can procure the virtue of justice so that harmony shall rain down from the heavens
unto the forgiving man. With justice comes courage - facing daily challenges with clarity and
integrity. The time has come to leave the womb my brothers! No more shall we reside in the
comfort of maternal warmth! Allow the freshness of the air to fill your lungs when you begin to
climb the mountain. Bathe in the greatness that has always been yours through the gift of
courage! The stars await you my friend, all you need is courage.
And lastly, we have yet to gaze into the aurora of the last flower in the garden of the
stoics - temperance. Temperance - the exercise of self-restraint and moderation in all aspects of
life. For most, this seems to be the final piece of gold that opens the gates to paradise. Balance
my friends, balance! Must we relentlessly indulge in the pleasures of our world without paying
respect to what lies on the other side of the river? Must we deprive ourselves of all good so as
to limit our horizons to only a small fraction of what life is truly all about? To experience the
fullness of life, one must strive for moderation. When one only knows the beauty of Elysium, he
cannot help but feel he has descended to hell when his ecstasy has ended. With moderation,
one can combat these daimons of existence and remain afloat in the world of balance. But I
cannot simply sit here and allow the deceit of the stoics to mar the potential of divinity that we as
a people hold. Climb my friends climb! Begin your ascent into the skies where the clouds await
you! Should you fall, continue on my friend and climb! Must we settle for the filth that is our
humanity? No! No! Thrice no! We shall not! Yes my friends! You too can seize the stars! Gaze
into the open skies! That, that my friends is your destiny! Leave your brothers behind as they
graze in the pasture with the rest of the herd! As Nietszche puts it, “This, however, is -
mediocrity: although it be called moderation.”
Truly, I do not wish to designate another paragraph of how one can implement such a
philosophy into his life. I feel I have exemplified enough what needs to be done. Heed my call or
be lost in the darkness of uncertainty.