So What Do We Do?

"It’s hard to argue that we are not beset by many problems as a society. Depending on where you sit, those problems might be different, and that’s its own problem in and of itself. But the good news is that the path to solving those problems is the same, regardless of what you sit: we have to turn to the Stoics, or at least their method of problem solving."Ryan discusses a number of Stoicism-grounded methods that you can use to help deal with the issues of today's society in today's Daily Stoic Podcast.***If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest into it and make it even better. Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: http://DailyStoic.com/signupFollow @DailyStoic:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanholidayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/Facebook: http://facebook.com/ryanholidayYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dailystoicSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. 📢 Share | ⚙️ Manage Subscription

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:06Ryan Holiday?

  Welcome to The Daily Stoic, where each day we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living the good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2,000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoic.com.

• 0:29Ryan Holiday?

  So what do we do? It's hard to argue that we are not beset by many problems as a society. Depending on where you sit, those problems might be different, and that's its own problem in and of itself. But the good news is that the path to solving those problems is the same regardless of where you sit. What? How? We have to turn to the Stoics, or at least to their method of problem-solving. Like us, the Greeks and Romans faced crises and conflict. They faced tyrants and natural disasters, political gridlock and complex situations in which it seemed like no individual alone could make a difference. Well, here are some strategies that they provide us that can help guide us forward today, whether

• 1:13Ryan Holiday?

  we are trying to address systemic racism or environmental issues, foreign threats, political polarization, or a pandemic. Start small, as Zeno said. Well-being is realized by small steps, but that is no small thing. Marcus Aurelius said, "We assemble progress action by action." Turn to leaders with character. Character is fate, the Stoics believed. It's not about voting or supporting politicians that tell you what you want to hear or that you always agree with. What matters more is, are they honest? Are they competent? Are they committed to respecting norms and institutions, which the Romans valued above all else? Work for the common good. That phrase, "the common good," appears in Marcus's writing

• 1:58Ryan Holiday?

  dozens and dozens of times, because that was the job of the Stoic, to care about and serve the whole. When people are fighting only for their own interests, democracy doesn't work. When people come together in coalitions for a common good, there is no better system. Don't be naive. Marcus reminds himself in meditations not to go around expecting Plato's Republic. The fight for public opinion, for votes against evil, is not easy and rarely pretty. Self-righteousness doesn't help either. You have to learn how to get things done and how to get them done. Get informed. The Stoics understood history. They read widely. They didn't just let their emotions lead their opinions. Wisdom is a critical virtue.

• 2:40Ryan Holiday?

  You can't learn that which you think you already know, Epictetus said. Issues are complicated, and anyone who thinks that they aren't is not informed. Be willing to change your mind. Often, what we thought was right turns out to be wrong. Often, what we disagreed with, we find as the facts come in, is less disagreeable than we thought. A Stoic doesn't flip-flop. They grow and improve. Find allies and experts. Marcus Aurelius deferred to Galen during the Antonine Plague because he was the smartest medical mind in the ancient world. Conversely, Cato aligned with Poppy, his former enemy, because it gave him a chance to stop Caesar. Communication is key. There is no leadership, no change, without effective communication.

• 3:21Ryan Holiday?

  Diogenes, an early Stoic, swayed Rome to Athens' side with a beautiful speech about justice. Marcus swayed his soldiers and the Senate during an attempted coup by Avidius Cassius. Words matter. Nothing is more important than what is right. Remember Marcus Aurelius. No excuses for not doing what you know to be right. Doesn't matter if it's hard. It doesn't matter if it'll cost you friends. It doesn't matter if it'll cost you a job or if people yell at you, just that you do the right thing. There are many more strategies we can take from the Stoics, of course, but they all revolve around those core values: courage, justice, moderation, wisdom. No one is saying that moving forward will be easy.

• 4:04Ryan Holiday?

  No one thinks that solutions will be quick or painless. But they are possible if you do the work, if we insist on what's right, if we stay at it with persistence and commitment. Thanks for listening to the Daily Stoic Podcast. If you could leave us a review in iTunes, it helps a great deal. And of course, if you know anyone who would benefit from these messages, please spread the word. Thanks.