The Philosophers: Stoic revival

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Vox Media Podcast Network

Society & Culture, News, Politics, News Commentary, Philosophy

4.6 • 10.8K Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2022

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sean Illing talks with author Ryan Holiday about Stoicism — a philosophy with roots in ancient Greece and which flourished in early imperial Rome — and how it can help us live fulfilling lives today. In addition to explaining what Stoicism is and how we can practice it, Holiday addresses the critical idea that Stoicism is a philosophy for elites, unpacks some of the parallels between Stoicism and Buddhism, and explains how being in touch with our mortality can relieve some of our modern anxieties. This is the fourth episode of The Philosophers, a monthly series from Vox Conversations. Each episode will focus on a philosophical figure or school of thought from the past, and discuss how their ideas can help us make sense of our modern world and lives today. Check out the other episodes in this series, on Albert Camus, Hannah Arendt, and pragmatism with Cornel West. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews writer, Vox Guest: Ryan Holiday (@RyanHoliday), author; creator of Daily Stoic References to works by Stoics: Zeno of Citium (c. 334 – c. 262 BC) (about whom much is known from Diogenes Laërtius, c. 3rd c. AD, in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, VII) Epictetus (c. 50 – c. 125 AD): The Encheiridion (or Handbook) of Epictetus; The Discourses of Epictetus Seneca (c. 4 BC – 65 AD): Dialogues and letters Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 AD): Meditations (Penguin Classics ; MIT Internet Classics Archive) Other references: The Daily Stoic podcast with Ryan Holiday Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman (Portfolio; 2020) Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday (Portfolio; 2021) Courage Under Fire: Testing Epictetus's Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior by James B. Stockdale (Hoover Institution Press; 1993) "Self-pity" by D.H. Lawrence The Stoic Life: Emotions, Duties, and Fate by Tad Brennan (Oxford; 2005) How to Be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci (Basic; 2017) Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience by Nancy Sherman (Oxford; 2021) Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by: Producer: Erikk Geannikis Editor: Amy Drozdowska Engineer: Patrick Boyd Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for today's show comes from Slack.
0:04.6	A digital HQ in Slack brings your teams, partners and tools together in one space.
0:10.3	Slack helps companies stay flexible, accelerate projects and keep teams aligned, so work just
0:16.4	works.
0:17.4	How exactly?
0:19.2	Organised projects in channels work across time zones with huddles and clips and even streamline
0:24.5	partnerships with Slack Connect.
0:26.7	However you work, Slack is the flexible digital HQ for organised and efficient teams, no matter
0:32.9	where they're logging in from.
0:34.7	Get started at slack.com slash DHQ.
0:38.3	Slack, where the future works.
0:40.8	Hey, this is Sean Elling.
0:47.2	Before today's podcast, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be taking over as the
0:51.8	full time host of the show this fall.
0:55.4	This past year has been great.
0:57.5	We've learned a ton and I am so excited to play a larger role.
1:02.2	We'll keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you've come to expect and hopefully much, much
1:07.4	more.
1:08.6	As always, thank you for listening and stay tuned.
1:13.2	Hey, it's me again, Sean Elling and I'm your host for the Philosophers.
1:21.0	A series from box conversations about great thinkers and their relevance today.
1:43.8	Stoicism is having a bit of a moment.
	...

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