Amazing Feats We're Capable Of!
In a recent podcast episode on The Daily Stoic, Dr. Laurie Santos delved into the timeless teachings of Stoic philosophy and its applicability to contemporary life.
Dr. Santos, a renowned psychologist and professor at Yale University, drew on an exercise from Epictetus to illustrate the principles of enduring happiness through wisdom and cooperation. She emphasized the importance of virtues like justice and temperance, and contrasted the idealized view of ancient Rome with the realities of societies then and now, which faced challenges in fully realizing cooperative values.
One of the key insights from Dr. Santos is that Stoicism promotes happiness that is independent of material wealth, focusing instead on wisdom and virtue as the path to a good life. She also cautioned against romanticizing ancient Rome, acknowledging its social inequalities and systemic problems despite Stoic teachings.
The Stoic emphasis on human cooperation is a valuable lesson for modern society, particularly as it grapples with unpredictability and social cohesion. Dr. Santos' work, rooted in psychology and happiness research, complements and updates Stoic ideas by connecting them to modern understanding of human nature and social behavior.
In a thought-provoking experiment, Dr. Santos presented a scenario involving predators locked in an airplane for several hours. She noted that human beings, despite their inherent differences, are capable of cooperating at a level that no other species has ever managed, even in challenging circumstances like the pandemic.
This capacity for cooperation is evident in the resilience and cooperation of modern society, which has surpassed the response of Marcus Aurelius' Rome during the Antonine Plague. The achievements of modern society, from the invention of airplanes to the establishment of international organizations that manage air travel, are a testament to the power of human cooperation.
Dr. Santos' happiness course at Yale, the most popular in the 300-year history of the school, is a testament to the relevance and appeal of her teachings. The podcast episode featuring Dr. Santos is a must-listen for anyone interested in exploring the connections between ancient wisdom and contemporary insights on cultivating resilience and cooperative social behavior in today’s complex world.
The resilience and cooperation of human society should be appreciated and celebrated. Modern politicians may have failures, but they have eradicated or addressed injustices such as slavery that the Founding Fathers could not. The connections and kindness within modern society are a valuable resource that should be embraced and built upon. International alliances and coordination are a significant achievement of modern society, not imaginable by the Founding Fathers.
The Stoic duty of individuals is to model bipartisanship, neighborliness, and cooperation. As we navigate the challenges of modern society, the lessons of Stoicism offer a timeless guide to finding happiness, building resilient communities, and working towards a better world.
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