He wore a toga and spoke Latin. This ancient philosopher can help you survive the anxiety of the 2024 election
CNN
If you’re agonizing over what might happen in this November’s presidential election, consider the wisdom of ancient Stoic philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius, who offer three pieces of advice that still are relevant today.
Some people obsessively monitor presidential election polls. Others ignore any political news like an overdue bill. And a few probably wish they could just press a button and fast-forward past this November. Americans have devised all sorts of strategies to deal with the unrelenting stress of this year’s presidential race. The rematch between President Biden and former President Trump has been called “the most dreaded election in modern political history.” As the two rivals prepare to debate on Thursday, about six in 10 American adults say they are already worn out by campaign coverage. But there’s another way to cope with anxiety about the future — by turning to the past. Mention the Stoic philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome, and it may conjure images of boring, bearded White men in togas who lived thousands of years ago. But sages like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius offer plenty of practical advice for today’s voters who are navigating the relentless grind of this year’s presidential election. Stoic philosophy, which teaches that it is impossible to live a happy life without living virtuously, also talks a lot about confronting one’s worse fears. The definition of Stoicism varies, but bestselling author Ryan Holiday describes it as the a “tool in the pursuit of self-mastery, perseverance and wisdom.” The first Stoic school was founded in Athens by a philosopher named Zeno of Citium around the beginning of the 3rd century BC. Zeno, who lost his entire fortune in a shipwreck, found consolation in philosophy. He later quipped, “My most profitable journey began on the day I was shipwrecked and lost my entire fortune.” We too can begin such a journey, Holiday says. He says that like us, the Stoics also knew something about dealing with loss, political instability and living in a time when many people felt politically powerless. He cites Aurelius, a Stoic follower who became one of Rome’s greatest emperors. He led Rome during a global pandemic that killed at least 10 million people and grappled constantly with war and murderous political divisions.
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