Simple Stoic Advice
Cruelty
Cruelty
The beautiful thing about Stoic philosophy is the advice contained within it is just as applicable today as it was when it was first written all those many years ago. We can learn a great deal from interpreting the advice provided and using it to our advantage as we go throughout our own lives.
Today’s quote comes to us courtesy of Seneca:
Quote
“All cruelty springs from weakness.”
Advice
The Stoics believed we were in control of ourselves and our reactions to events. They also believed that we were here for one another. By allowing ourselves to be cruel to one another, say, in a heated discussion, we are potentially allowing ourselves to be overrun by emotions. Seneca, who wrote an entire essay on anger and the pitfalls of it, did not view anger as a strength but rather as a hinderance. And Marcus Aurelius too spoke of the need to “work together like feet, hands, and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are obstructions.” Control yourself first and foremost.
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