The Stoics are wrong

Consider the quote below from Marcus Aurelius:

“What are you afraid of losing when nothing in the world belongs to you?”

Is Marcus Aurelius right?

I believe Marcus Aurelius is wrong, likely because of his Stoicism. A Stoic typically strips value from things in an attempt to avoid the fear that comes from the possibility of losing them.

I disagree with the Stoic attitude because it “throws the baby out with the dirty water.” It rejects the possibility of loving things or people for the sake of avoiding fear. But the question remains: What is there in life without the things that inspire us to love and pursue them? What is life without values and the joy we experience from them?

Let’s explore the metaphor I used above—“the baby and the dirty water.”

The Dirty Water

I call the “dirty water” the unpleasant feelings one may experience as a consequence of having values or loving things:

• There can be the possibility of losing what one loves: one reacts with an appropriate level of urgency, becoming vigilant or cautious.

• There can be the likelihood of losing what one loves: one becomes worried or afraid, reacting with greater urgency.

• There can be the near certainty of losing what one loves: one may feel panic or desperation.

The Baby

I call “the baby” the pleasant feelings one may experience as a consequence of having values or loving things:

• There can be the discovery of what you want or love: one may feel desire.

• There can be the anticipation of experiencing what you want or love: one may feel excitement or passion.

• There can be the certainty of experiencing what you want or love: one may feel joy or happiness.

I disagree with the Stoic attitude. Removing values from life may mitigate the issue of fear, but it removes what makes life worth living.

Rational introspection and an honest evaluation of context allow a person to place emotions in their proper place. A rational philosophy provides the framework needed to live a good life—a life in which desire, excitement, passion, joy, and happiness are possible and at man’s reach.