I was asked to share a link to a post by another philosopher:
Written by Tracy Llanera, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut.
Everything doesn’t happen for a reason
https://iai.tv/articles/everything-doesnt-happen-for-a-reason-auid-3073?_auid=2020
“Everything happens for a reason,” “it’s meant to be,” “it is what it is.” These cliches express an increasingly popular form of Stoic fatalism. The underlying idea is that “Reality” just is a certain way, determined by God or physics. This superficially tough realism comforts us by absolving us of responsibility: whatever happens was bound to happen. But this makes it dangerous, argues Tracy Llanera. It leads to resigned inaction in the face of geopolitical strife, injustice, and our personal lives. Instead, we must recognize that there is no higher being responsible for us: we must take responsibility for each other and the world we live in.
”…saying that someone who committed suicide for trivial reasons….”
The only people I would excuse, are young people, for example young people who committed suicide because they had read some trash on social media. Darn it, that’s heartwrenching, they didn’t know better, I wish someone had told them: ‘in a few years, you’ll either laugh at these stupid people, or at least you won’t take so seriously what these lowlifes say. Just hang in there, you’ll see.”.
some quick paraphrases of Epictetus that clearly show that Stoicism wasn’t at all saying : ‘hey that’s the way it is. Sit around and do nothing.’ that really stuck with me, because I have reviewed this material many times over the years, and apply it in my own life:
”So, you tell me you want to be a two times consul, or something of the sort. But are you prepared to attend gatherings to please the people who are going to make you a consul? Are you prepared to knock at their door, and then to still be ignored?
You tell me you want to be an Olympic athlete. Me too, by god. But, are you prepared to train in the cold of winter, and the heat of summer, swallowing much dust, taking the risk of spraining your ankles, and then all the same, still lose the contest? So be aware, before you embark on a venture, of the price you must pay to go on that journey.”.
”Like a monkey, you jump from tree to tree, always starting new things, but never completing anything. You must be one man, either good or bad!”. Of course, he had a very low opinion of bad people. But the point is clear, if you give your word, keep it. If you say you are going to do something, then do it. And still, elsewhere he criticizes someone for stubbornly continuing to do what they said they wanted to do, even when new information indicated they should stop. So he didn’t mean to be a stubborn fool, either, but to have personal honour.
And so on. Here’s a practical example of how I apply Stoicism in an active way: normally, when we feel rejected, we take offense. Say that I made a request to someone and I asked them if I could go to their birthday party. That person refuses, maybe they don’t like the way I speak, or whatever. Maybe they don’t like me for no particular reason. The first reaction is to feel even angry. But I imagine what Epictetus would tell me:
”It was YOUR choice to make a request, but THEIR choice to accept it or refuse it. If you don’t want to be refused, then never make such requests of others. And do not expect everybody should like you: in fact, remember that there will always be someone like that, so don’t be too surprised when you find such people.”. Neither I think he meant to be a pushover. You can go ‘No? Fine. Happy birthday. Bye.’. You can ignore them the next time you find them. But don’t break the law, this should never be done. Rejection isn’t breaking the law, people can reject anyone, if done without abuse.
If that doesn’t demonstrates personal responsibility, what does? I can make many other examples like this. If anything, I can safely say that I have never learned anything good before from anyone, parents, schools, least of all, society. How can one learn from mediocrity? Some of the best things, I have learned from the Stoics.
‘That’s the way it is, stop whining’, would say Epictetus. But only for things that cannot be changed, like getting old for example. For all else, he simply presented a choice: you can do something about X, but there’s a price for it. Be aware of that. Consider these things first. Don’t jump into it blindly. If you aren’t willing to pay the price, don’t do it. If you are, then do it, but remember, you might still fail, for no one can offer you any guarantee of success.’.
”Remember, when you go to the baths, you will find people who splash water at you, or spit on the floor, or even insult you. Don’t go there expecting otherwise, and if you don’t like such people, then do not be there.”
This can supremely be applied to the use of that stupid ‘social media’ today. Every fool nowadays is whining about how offensive was (or their perception interpreted it necessarily so) someone who posted some stupid thoughts on Tok Tok (sarcasm intended) , or whatever.
I can just imagine what the masterful Epictetus would say:
”Slave. Why do you whine and moan about what every fool in there is saying? You do nothing else than reading what they write, and expect that they write different, and pleasing, things, instead of learning something useful from healthier and more educated people.”.
I have already deleted my Facebook, Whatsapp, etc etc, years ago. I only use email. I mean, why does everybody thinks they HAVE to use ANTIsocial media? The world was fine without it, why should it change for me now. Keep the good, out with the bad. Thank you, Master Epictetus. Thank you, Seneca.
”Resign to the things that cannot be changed. What else you expect to do?”. Sure, that might not apply to all, for example, it doesn’t apply to leaders, or politicians, for their job IS to change something, otherwise why are they politicians?
But for the majority, I love this devastatingly powerful insight from Epictetus: ‘A philosopher should never move a finger, unless necessary.’. Meaning, don’t do unnecessary things, worthless things. Or even better: do only necessary, worthwhile, and useful things.
I fail to see how can anyone go wrong with this knowledge. Perhaps, I purposefully leave out some flaws about the Stoics, for example their idea of suicide, is too easy. Then again I am sure they agreed with Plato saying that someone who committed suicide for trivial reasons, for example the wife left them, or because of ‘unrequited love’, and such silly things, ‘should be shamefully buried in the middle of nowhere, and despised’.
Because, the Stoics would say, your wife can leave you. The person you desire, might not desire you. Always, always remember what is in YOUR power, and what is NOT, and be totally unconcerned about what is not.
Sure, not always easy to do the latter, but what a difference it still makes in many cases. When I learn or read something, I always follow the advice Bruce Lee gave (I attribute it to him, but it might be that he learned it from someone else, and no shame for that) :
‘Take what you need, and throw away the rest.’.
”These cliches express an increasingly popular form of Stoic fatalism. ”.
I believe I have read everything the Stoics wrote and ‘wrote’, and the only instance where I have found this ‘cliche’, is in the ‘discourses’ by Epictetus. Even then, he doesn’t say it with the dumb confidence it is said today by common people (i.e. people who haven’t read any philosophy. I mean, can we agree that philosophy is uncommon?). He seems to be saying: ‘the world is like it is, because the gods decreed it, Deal with it.’, end of story, and then he moves on to, indeed, our own doing, actions, and thoughts. Also, if I remember well, the Stoics believed in gods, but they said the gods aren’t concerned with us. Because they are gods. It would be as if I pass by a tree and become concerned with what ants are doing.
Whereas, common people today say ‘this happened for a reason’ to mean: ‘Wow! Isn’t that great? We are SO important, and to God no less, that this must have happened for a reason! He cares about us so much! There’s no other explanation! See you later.’.
So it seems a bit bizarre to blame the Stoics for something (or anything) that all the common people today ARE saying as a cliche. In other words, I don’t think there’s any connection between what the Stoics said, and what the crowd says, although it appears to be the same thing. It’s as if a child and a master uttered the same word.
As far as I know, the Stoics were very fastidious about personal responsibility. For everything else one can do – nothing – about, they said ‘the gods decreed so’. I guess it was the ‘that’s life’, said today.
That’s how I understand the Stoics, anyways. I guess different people interpret them differently. Respectfully.
I think this is right. Have thought so for many years. Things happen, often through chance , luck, probability, etc. *reason*, in these instances has no meaning in its’ usual sense. The adage or aphorism is archaic; was archaic from its’ beginning. Thanks for posting this. I gave up on expounding the subject, years ago. Most people want what they have got when it involves paradox or metaphysical postulation(s) they have no interest in challenging. It takes more brain effort than they wish to expend.