INDIFFERENCE

QUOTE OF THE DAY:


“To live a good life: We all have the potential for it. If we can learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.” – Marcus Aurelius





To live by this quote is to be unshakable by trivialities.


I decided to start my first blog with this quote not only because of the enormous strength and impact it has if applied to one's life but also to clarify a vital concept about Stoicism that it is NOT a passive philosophy evoking indifference for the sake of not caring, for that is not what stoicism is about.

A stoic by definition is a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.

A stoic doesn't always have to be indifferent. In fact, a stoic SHOULD NOT be indifferent to things that relate to the four pillars of stoicism: virtue, courage, temperance, and wisdom, as well as to anything affecting oneself internally. 

Indifference is a temporary choice or attitude regarding a certain situation or circumstance.

The saying is not to be indifferent. There is a qualifier. That is being indifferent to things that make no difference. The implication is that if it does not fall within that subset, then you shouldn't be indifferent.

Stoicism is about caring about the right things. 
The things that truly matter: 
your intention,
your character,
your approach to situations and how you view them,
and only things WITHIN YOUR CONTROL.

For instance, let's imagine the following scenarios:
  • Getting sick on a very important day? No problem things could've been much more serious or worse and I'm still the same. No complaints.
  • Getting cut in line by another person? I'm calm and I choose to shrug it off, for an extra minute will not dictate how my day goes. ( Note: you are to speak up if you can as this is not a passive attitude. But if not, I'm indifferent.)
  • Someone gets on your nerves and agitates you? I'm unaffected. I choose how I view things and how to react. Furthermore, this says more about them than me anyway.
UNSHAKABLE. 

Anything that is outside of my control does not and will not affect me, for it makes absolutely no difference to who I am and to things that are inside my control. I choose not to let this disturb me for it makes no difference.

AMOR FATI


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