Posted on January 30, 2022

"Stoicism is not impossible, but it sure is demanding."

—Massimo Pigliucci, How to Be a Stoic

To practice Stoicism, one has to be always on guard. It’s constantly having to keep a virtuous life, with temperance, courage, wisdom and justice on every decision. This is not to say it is difficult to do so: after a while it just becomes a habit. Nonetheless, the alternative seems far easier—even though it’s not as rewarding in the end.

Most times it’s not about actively choosing not to take the Stoic route. Instead, it’s about following the current flow of people around you, which might not be very virtuous. It’s in those cases where I find it demanding: when you have to hold your moral ground above all else. I’ll keep working on doing so, because I want to, and because I can.