Realizing Self-Control
What is self-control and how should a Stoic look at it? Many people seek self-control, but many inevitably fail in that endeavor. The wisdom passed onto us by the ancient Stoics can help us to better understand self-control and enable us to fully realize it.
Stoicism offers many examples for us to refer to for inspiration. We advise that you pay close attention to the following account of an experience recorded by Seneca, a Roman statesman and Stoic. His recording is based on his “exile to Corsica on the charge of extra-marital relations with Julia Livilla, sister of the Emperor Gaius” and was written in the form of “a letter to his mother, offering philosophical consolation for her grief at being parted from her son”.
Seneca emphasized the importance of preparing oneself for sudden challenges, upsets and changes in life, so that one is not unseated by the shock of their arrival. “One must be like a sentry on guard”, Seneca advised, comparing change to the sudden attack of an enemy ambush. For drastic change “scatters those whom it catches off guard; but those who have prepared in advance for the coming conflict … easily withstand the first onslaught, which is the most violent” (Letter to Helvia, p. 5).
So, what is the significance of this account? Seneca was telling his grief-stricken mother that a person should always mentally prepare themselves for any situation, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Preparation allows a person to retain the composure necessary to face any drastic and difficult change they come across in their lives. However, it should be noted that it is nearly impossible to be 100% prepared for any situation. That is because there are going to be times when things catch us by surprise and are therefore impossible to plan for in advance. Despite the shock we sometimes endure, it is nevertheless still important to retain our composure or to regain our momentarily lost composure. Never let events control you; instead, learn to become the master of these events, even those that are unexpected.
Self-Control in a Global Pandemic
Life is filled with surprises. What is important is how we deal with that shock. The ancient Stoics would probably be deeply disappointed with the world’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. The world was unprepared; people and governments were unprepared, despite repeated warnings from scientists and health officials. Moreover, Stoics would be further sickened by the fact that we had ample warning in the form of other deadly pandemics, such as H1N1, swine flu and Ebola, which ravaged the African continent.
Life is filled with the unexpected. Who would have expected the entire world to be reeling from a global pandemic right now? The lack of preparation “to meet change with a calm, balanced and philosophical response” has proven our greatest mistake in overcoming this challenge. Preparation and self-control allows humans to better handle and overcome any difficult situation. At the same time, Stoics would tell us to not despair; we can still make up for our lack of preparation by taking responsibility and focusing on what we can control, such as wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings. Even without preparation, the practice of self-control can equip us to deal with unexpected situations once they arise
How Self-Control Can Combat Oppression
It is not always easy to overcome the difficulties we face in our daily lives, even if we practice Stoicism. However, Stoicism can be used as a guide to navigate through life in a more calm, wise and logical manner. Some of you may ask: how can we remain in control, or even regain control, when the world is confronted with war, disease and oppression that kills and displaces millions upon millions of humans?
Facing these challenges will not be easy; on the contrary, they will be difficult and challenging. Yet, it is important to strive for change and positivity, as those who thrive in times of darkness simultaneously ensure that panic and division endures. The only way to overcome these problems is not through negativity, but by remaining calm and wise. The strongest union is a united people who are composed and understanding of the events that surround them.
Now, use your imagination and think about the following example. Imagine 1,000,000 people who are calm, wise and in control of themselves. Imagine that powerful energy and how it transmits to others who are good-hearted. Imagine that these 1,000,000 people are also united in a common cause of goodness and change. Now, imagine the fear that develops among those who are not good-hearted, those who are comfortable in a state of ignorance, and those who are divided.
People can always rise from their ignorance to achieve a higher state of awareness and unity. But this fact is often oppressed by those who fear the idea of their citizens being both composed and united. Tyrants fear a people who are capable of rational and moral thought, as oppression fails when people thrive, while tyrants thrive while people are divided and ignorant. This has been seen throughout human history, across all empires, kingdoms, states and countries, both religious and secular, political and apolitical.
For example, numerous regimes have used sectarian politics to keep their people divided. But it is not the sectarian nature of the regime that causes the division; instead, it is the ruling elites’ ability to divide people across sectarian lines. In other words, the elite would use and manipulate sectarianism to stoke division and hatred amongst their people. However, in the right hands of the ruling class, sectarianism can be used for good in order to unite people from all walks of life, since the basic tenets of religion are the same.
The only way to regain control is by becoming aware of our own oppression. However, awareness is not enough to fully overthrow oppression. It is also imperative to understand how to deal with the situation. Stoicism is useful in this situation, as the Stoics would tell us to come up with a strategy in order to confront our problems.
For example, one strategy to overthrow an illegitimate regime would be through elections. These elections would have to be organized by an election committee who has expertise in setting up voting polls. The election would have to be a vote on a constituent assembly, which would be recognized as the provisional and opposition parliament, who would have to draft a new constitution. Additionally, there should be a complete media blackout (local, regional and international) of anyone who was formerly or is currently affiliated with the old regime. It would also be crucial for the constituent assembly to declare themselves the voice of the people, and to ensure the world recognizes the illegitimacy of the old regime.
That is one way the people could take back their country and lives from the corrupt power of the overthrown regime. Of course, the point of that example was to demonstrate the level of detail a Stoic would expect when it comes to planning. Only with that level of thought would you be fully prepared to face your situation, from fighting corruption or surviving a pandemic to taking a job interview. Whatever your situation may be, Stoics would tell us to face that situation with wisdom, reason and self-control. A Stoic’s view on self-control is about planning for an upcoming situation, or being prepared in the event of an unexpected situation. Only by practicing self-control can we properly navigate through all the challenges and surprises life throws at us.
