The true Stoic way of life

Nemo Vir Est Qui Mundum Non Reddat Meliorem

When I first moved to Amsterdam to engage in my Masters in European and International Law, I met a number of people from varying backgrounds studying in areas that are extremely diverse and a far cry from the field I found myself in. When I would mention that I was in the process of becoming a lawyer, the same question tended to pop up every time, which is why did you pick law or why do you want to become a lawyer? This therefore provides the crux of this article.

The repeated questioning caused me to ponder a quote that has been at the forefront of my mind for some time now. The line above comes from one of my favorite ever films Kingdom of Heaven which was directed by the peerless Ridley Scott and unfairly marred by studio interference. In the film, the protagonist Balian has the aforementioned line in Latin engraved into a beam in his smithy. When asked what it means by a passing knight Balian responds: “What man is a man who does not make the world better.”

While this is not explicitly a reference to Stoicism, I feel that it hits the core ethos of the philosophy flush on the head. The reason why I chose my career path was to make a difference in the lives of others. To ensure that the part of the world I find myself lucky enough to call home will be a better place because I came through this way. Whether it is in the smallest acts or ones of far greater magnitude if I make a difference in the life of even one other person in a positive manner then it will have been a life well-lived. This may seem overly simplistic when it comes to deciding on a career path that will take a minimum of eight to nine years to complete. Yet this is what I find to be the most fascinating part of Stoicism.

Men like Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus simplified their lives by focusing on the matters over which they could exert some form of control to such an extent that their purpose became clear. We all live for one another and make up a small part of a greater whole. No matter how simple our end goal may be, a clear purpose is key to a well-lived life. The way in which we conduct ourselves around others and the actions or decisions we make in relation to the people we care for alongside people for whom we are unacquainted at that point has a massive bearing.

Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn’t matter. Cold or warm. Tired or well-rested. Despised or honored.— Marcus Aurelius

Every day we are presented with a choice, to do the right thing or not. The ledger is left blank every morning and the choices we make day by day ultimately determine who we are and whether or not we can truly be defined as good people. Or in the words of Balian of Ibellin whether we are a man or something of a lesser nature, given the fact we only have one opportunity at this life this is a challenge we must rise to.

This quote is one that has been close to my heart for many years now and was at one stage set to be my first-ever tattoo. The simplicity of its meaning belies just how much depth and poignancy that can be attached to the underlying message.

Many of us struggle with becoming the right person in this chaotic journey of life. In my own experience coming from my background combined with the tendency of the Irish to fall into the dark trap of melancholy which again I have spoken about in an article, I wrote a number of years ago. I will at times question whether or not I am a good person even despite my best efforts to mold myself into a person for whom those that I care for will be proud.

Yet this simple principle that if you can make the world a better place, even if it is only an incremental or minor change is what counts at the end of the day is an extremely uplifting one. The complexity of a morally grey world can be a difficult one to navigate, even for a practiced stoic. It is worth bearing in mind the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson in this regard,

The essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough — Emerson

No matter how small our actions may seem in the face of the pervading threats of this world, our character is the sole determinant of who we truly are, and as much as outside circumstances can impinge upon us we ultimately decide who we are.

Therefore like Marcus Aurelius taking on the unwanted responsibilities of the Emperorship or Epictetus bearing up under the burdens of slavery with grace and dignity, there are no excuses. We do what we can for those we meet irrespective of whether they are close friends or complete strangers, irrespective of personal cost or loss we do what is required of us. In so doing we forge the world around us through the crucible of personal development.

Our lives are our own and this world is our greatest blessing and also the responsibility which we are engendered with in return for the greatest gift of all. No matter how small and inconsequential our acts may be their bearing upon others can have such an exponential effect on the world around us. Whether this is taking the time to check in on friends who may or may not be struggling, smiling at a stranger, or helping them with directions.

In my own experience, the outpouring of kindness and emotion which was expressed by friends and family prior to my move stands as a testament to the impact this line from a mere movie in conjunction with Stoicism has had upon my life. Even when we do not realize it we are having an impact on those around us that can never truly be appreciated unless we take the time to trust in and have faith in the journey.

For people who are struggling or finding themselves spiraling due to a situation, they are now forced to deal with this can make all the difference. Reaching out and showing some form of kindness, resiliency or grit can inspire others to engage in such acts, to bear up under difficult circumstances, or even to lend a hand to someone else in the future. This butterfly effect of sorts can never fully be quantified and therein lies its true beauty. The issues that face this world; political uncertainty, climate change, war, and much else seem so far beyond our measure that it could make anyone question the point in taking part in such acts. Yet it is these seemingly minor decisions and actions that ultimately make positive change possible and benefit those around us either directly or indirectly.

Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What God desires is here [points to head] and here [points to heart] and what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man — or not.— Knight Hospitaller

In doing good such good is also reflected upon us, through the perfection of our character, the deeds we engage in, and the people we help also inadvertently aid us on the lifelong journey in pursuit of a virtuous life. This is a day-by-day process as I have highlighted above and how my favorite character from Kingdom of Heaven the Knight Hospitaller so eloquently reflects in the above passage.

I would recommend that individuals be kind to themselves when engaged in this process. Yes, there will be bad days particularly given how stressful and difficult things are in the current environment. It can sometimes feel as if we have not become who we should have been and in the process lost sight even of who we once were.

Irrespective what remains the most important thing to remember is that the present is a great gift and every moment we are given is another opportunity to turn things around. To become who we should have been and to make our corner of the world what it should be. Therefore as a result there can be no excuse to allow our circumstances to push us to lash out in anger at others or even worse engage in a form of apathy towards the wellbeing of those around us.

The world reflects what we project upon it, it can seem cruel and cold, yet at the same time, the interconnected whole of which we are all a part is filled with instances of ordinary men and women who did the right thing in their situation and changed the world for it. Our own situation may not be so dramatic, yet in striving to be better in striving to make things better we too change the world for all those around us and those yet to come.

Stoicism is a wonderful philosophy one which I love to share with others, given the transformative effect it has had on my life. Yet it remains a fundamentally misunderstood philosophy in many instances, which I highlighted in my last article which pits the Hellenic philosophy against self-help gurus.

Yet in listening to Ryan Holiday’s Daily Stoic podcast some time ago in which he interviewed the amazing Sharon Lebell, a wonderful turn of phrase was used to highlight the only proper way to practice Stoicism. Sharon stated that her job in bringing philosophy to this generation was to rescue philosophy from the philosophers.

Stoicism must be applied and implemented into our lives, it is not sufficient to learn of such concepts and pat ourselves on the back for having read another work of some form of historical importance. Rather we seek the perfection of our character through action, constant effort, and fighting to make the world we live in better.

We do what we can, where we are, while we can, and at the end of the day that is the deciding factor. With each and every act of self-sacrifice, kindness, or perseverance, I can assure you the Stoics of old Marcus, Epictetus, Rufus, etc. will be left satisfied that the philosophy they held so dear to their hearts is still having a positive impact on the world. Rather than it being followed by mere observers of a world drifting ever onward.

Just to conclude I again hope that this piece has been of help to even one person who accidentally clicks into it. Stoicism has had such a wonderful effect on my life and in the modern-day when it is so easy to coast by and remain uncertain as to what our purpose in life is, the simplicity and clarity which the Stoics provide is empowering.

The core message that I aim to convey is that we owe a duty not only to ourselves and others but to the world at large. We have all been given such a tremendous opportunity to be able to effect real change upon our surroundings and it would be a true shame to find ourselves nearing the end of our days not having striven to make the journey a small bit easier for others or to leave a better world to inhabit for those yet to come. Work to be a better person than yesterday, to create a better world than the one we inhabited a day past, and in the end that is your only true concern and what makes you a good man or woman come the close of day.

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”— Anne Frank