What is the dichotomy of control?
Epictetus opens his Enchiridion with: "Some things are up to us and some are not." Your judgments, intentions, and actions are yours; other people's opinions, the weather, your health, and your wealth ultimately aren't. Stoics trained themselves to stop pouring emotion into what they couldn't control. The name comes from the Stoa Poikile, the painted porch in Athens where Zeno taught.
How is Stoicism used today?
Epictetus's line that "we are disturbed not by things, but by our opinions about things" directly inspired Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck in developing cognitive behavioral therapy. Marcus Aurelius's Meditations remains a favorite of executives and athletes, and "negative visualization"—imagining worst cases in advance—is a classic Stoic exercise.
FAQ
- Does Stoicism mean suppressing emotions?
- No. It means correcting the faulty judgments behind destructive emotions, not becoming emotionless.
- Where should a beginner start?
- Epictetus's short Enchiridion and Marcus Aurelius's Meditations.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-25
References
- Epictetus. Enchiridion, 1–5.
- Marcus Aurelius. Meditations.
- Robertson, D. (2019). The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (2nd ed.). Routledge.