#382. Stoicism 101 | Nancy Sherman
You may have heard about stoicism, in the common parlance, as having a stiff upper lip, sucking it up, grinning and bearing it, suppressing your emotions, etcetera. Or you may have heard of Stoicism, the ancient Greco/Roman philosophy, that has become the de rigeur set of life hacks among millennial self-optimizers.
In this episode, guest Nancy Sherman argues that Stoicism is way deeper than any of that. She will argue that, in fact, Stoicism is kind of the opposite of all the above. It’s a way to truly know your patterns of thought and emotion.
Nancy Sherman is a Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University. She is an expert in ethics, the history of moral philosophy, moral psychology, military ethics, and emotions. Her most recent book is called Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience.
In this conversation we cover the basics of Stoicism, how and why capital “S” Stoicism is often misinterpreted, a meditation practice called “premeditation of evils,” which is far more practical than it may sound, and another practice designed to make you feel “at home in the world”.
Content Warning: There is a brief reference to suicide.
Where to find Nancy Sherman online:
Website: https://www.nancysherman.com/
Social Media:
Book Mentioned:
Other Resources Mentioned:
- Stoicism
- Classical Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
- Seneca
- Nero
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy
- Jack Dorsey
- Agamemnon
- Enlightenment Philosophy
- Sigmund Freud
- Tim Ferris on Fear Setting
- Marcus Aurelius
- Danny Kahneman
- Adam Smith - Enlightenment Philosopher
- Epictetus
- Cicero
Additional Resources:
- Ten Percent Happier Live: https://meditatehappier.com/live
- Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.meditatehappier.com/coronavirussanityguide
- Free App access for Frontline Workers: https://meditatehappier.com/care
