A review by inquiry_from_an_anti_library
A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Is This An Overview?

Having a philosophy of life can prevent an individual from mis-living life.  To not waste the chance one has at living.  By having a philosophy of life, an individual can find effective strategies to attain life goals, and adjust behavior to increase the likelihood of attaining the goals.  The goal of the Stoics was to live a virtuous life, a life of tranquility.  Tranquility found through a lack of negative emotions.  The Stoics did not want to remove all emotions, just to limit the effect of negative emotions.  Stoics practiced preventing and overcoming negative emotions, rather than repressing emotions.  Stoicism is a cure for negative emotions that prevent a joyful existence.  Stoic methods can help an individual handle social relations, insults, grief, anger, fame, luxury, and various other aspects of life.

 

The Stoics use various practices to find tranquility such as negative visualization.  Thinking of a potential loss can create behaviors to prevent the loss, and find appreciation of what the individual has.  Negative visualization overcomes hedonic adaptation.  Stoics practice voluntary discomfort, voluntary self-denial of what they have or can have.  Voluntary self-denial prepares the individual for situations in which they are not voluntarily deprived, provides an appreciation for the comforts they do have, and builds willpower that develops self-control to enable freedom to choose one’s behavior.  Stoics create an appreciation of each day when reflecting on mortality.  But they do not worry about what they cannot control, such as mortality, as that would be futile.  Stoics focus on what they can control, such as the state of mind.  Finding contentment by changing oneself.

 

How To Explain Stoic Philosophy?

A Stoic practice of negative visualization, thinking about a potential loss, can change behavior to prevent the problem.  If the problem was inevitable, then the person can be emotionally prepared to handle the problem.  People are insatiable, for when what is wanted is obtained, the happiness derived is adapted to.  Adapting to happiness reduces the effect of happiness, causing the individual to want more.  Through negative visualization, people can think of losing what they do have, which makes them understand the value of what they have. 

 

Stoics reflect on mortality, the finite time they have available, to bring about an appreciation of each day.  To make the day fulfilling and productive, rather than waste the time they have available to them.  Reflecting on mortality changes the state of mind when carrying out activities, to not take their experiences for granted.  Stoics think about what they have control over, as that can lead to a change in a future situation.  They avoid thinking about things they cannot control, as that would be a waste of time.

 

Caveats?

The author uses and updates Stoic claims, which are given a complex understanding.  The Stoic claims can still be misunderstood, and the application of some methods can harm rather than improve a situation.  The claims made provide a foundation, but need to be adjusted and improved upon using local, tacit experiences and cultural values.

 

Claims provided on the effect of Stoic values and why people avoid Stoicism, have stereotypical reactions.  Stereotypical reactions based on age and other social features.  Stereotypical reactions are popular in the media, but are not representative of people’s diverse views. 

 

The explanation for why a philosophy of life is needed, can be effective, but makes life appear static.  As if a chosen goal, one chosen earlier, cannot change.  That all of life needs to be about strategies for accomplishing the goal.