Across the centuries, academics in their ivory towers tried to assume ownership of philosophies such as Stoicism and tried to guard it as part of their exclusive domain. As developed by Seneca, Zeno, and others, the philosophy of Stoicism was never intended to be isolated as a remote, sterile intellectualization.
Those sages first promulgated Stoicism as “an operating system for the difficulties and hardships of life,” and that is how it should remain.
A Stoic Story: Recognizing Your Power
During the 1960s, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter was a leading middleweight title contender. Carter was unjustly convicted in a triple-homicide case. In jail, he never ceded power to the warden or guards. He maintained his independence and his identity. Carter—and not the authorities—held control over his mind and spirit. He spent his time in prison working on his legal case.
After 19 years, Carter got his verdict overturned. Once released from prison, he never looked back.
