From the Ashes of a Pandemic Comes a Renewed Commitment to Values
An old story is told by the ancient Roman philosopher Seneca that a great man named Stilbo once had his estate destroyed, his daughters assaulted and his city conquered by a tyrant who then asked Stilbo: "Have you lost anything?" to which Stilbo replied: "Nothing. I have all that is mine with me."
Stilbo, it is said, looked the tyrant in the eye and added: "You have no reason to suppose me vanquished and assume to be the victor."
In other words, Stilbo felt no harm done to him by the tyrant and in so doing, robbed the tyrant of any evil satisfaction he may have hoped for.
But how is it possible to endure great loss and suffering with indifference?
Was Stilbo insane? And why did Seneca tell this story? What lesson, if any, is here - and does it apply to us today?
The ancient stoic philosophers believed that pain - both emotional and physical - while very real, uncomfortable and debilitating, are powerful only if our opinion is such. If I am deeply sad, this is a bad thing only if I say it is bad. But if I see it for what it is - a reaction to an event - can I give it less importance? Can I accept my emotions and by so doing, move on?
It's hard to understand at first - but Seneca believed that physical injury and pain are "of the body" while the mind can remain true to itself. While disaster had befallen Stilbo, his principles and values remained. No beating or torture had the power to change him.
"Shall you say that he has felt no pain either?' Yes, he has felt pain; for no human virtue can rid itself of feelings. But he has no fear; unconquered he looks down from a lofty height upon his sufferings." - Seneca
Other ancient philosophers took this much further, going as far as to say that adversity is the pathway to progress.
Were they alive today, they would have looked upon the pandemic as the opening to a better world - one in which new technologies are produced to mitigate similar disasters in the future, one in which people become closer, and old beliefs and behaviors are challenged.
These ancient scribes did not view the world's horrors including wars as being negative, but instead, as "events" designed to move humanity forward, albeit in a very painful and costly way. (Academics in their day, and centuries later, would disagree with this seemingly cold approach).
While their world view was controversial to be sure - I believe there are lessons we can apply to our own lives, right here and now.
Perhaps it is time for each of us to adopt a set of values that will help ground us, no matter what is happening around us or in the world at large. I believe if we do this, we can reduce the importance of fear and anxiety. We'll have a built in "program" that knows what to do.
“It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” ― Roy Disney
This program is designed to emphasize what is in our control and that which is not. It is immensely empowering to know the difference and act accordingly.
We don't have the power to affect external events but we have 100% power over how we react and how we feel - both determined by our values.
And because values are unchanging, they can give us focus. They provide answers without the need for instruction. If, for example, we have the value of "being kind" then we know what to do when we see someone suffering. We can bring over a coffee to share. We can flash a smile. We can say hello.
We can do all of this no matter the circumstance. No matter the pain, we are ourselves, may be feeling.
Values are within our control. It is there that we must spend our time.
The ancients had what many of us today would view as a warped sense of reality. They agreed that pain and suffering are real. But where they differed from many of us today - is that they did not allow pain and suffering to rob them of their soul and their values.
They preached that being angry, anxious or depressed over things beyond our control is an incredible waste of time and energy. Pointless.
And so - a virus, mean-spirited people, a hurricane or any outside force can not, must not, and will not, change who we are.
This article represents a milestone for me, the 200th long-form post I have submitted to LinkedIn since 2014. While humorous animal videos, beautiful pictures and announcements of awards and other personal achievements garner most of the attention on LinkedIn these days - articles like this one have limited appeal and reach. And yet, I am still at it. Likely because I enjoy it so much. In the coming weeks, I will be investigating other platforms on which to post and will again publish more books on Amazon. My goal is simple: to make my readers, myself included, to think a lot more about why we're here on this planet and how we can make things better for ourselves and others. Thanks for joining me in this journey and may we all recognize, accept and use our incredible inner power.
The author of English grammar book in Amazon, a researcher, legal, Mgt.HR,OB content writer & teacher. Chief organizer at TOEFL & IELTS from ????????,Facebook group since 2015
3 年Cory, in our mundane life we must face with two real stories, values and bread and butter. The more educated you are, the better values you have, true. But, say, you have little education, bread and butter issue will be the great reality. White people entered into the USA/Canada for bread and butter not for mere values once! Millions of Red Indians had been ravaged years after years for the sake of more powers grasped-- more bread, more women, more pleasure--list is unlimited. Few good soul people don't think that way like Socrates, who did not compromise with lie and took hemlock and some of his followers or followers of Jesus, Mohammad (SM) and so on others valued human values by their virtue. What is the rest? Sorry, seems, Chinese don't care for values nowadays but their precedent Confucius. World political era is in a danger zone, be understood now. Fortunately, many people still count values that holds off the third world war only that I guess. My point is don't forget the evil people's power and wills as their sudden power can destroy the earth instantly. In that point of view, I am not a day dreamer philosopher, like, my own one of eldest brothers, a literature student in English, a Canadian citizen in Toronto, since 1995, his one child name is "Seneca" by illumination the Shakespearian light, since 1986, instead of a practical man! Sorry, disclosing a little personal issue there, as I am worried that our philosophical value might be shattered by numerous evil wills. So, balance with practicality and philosophy should be important. For instance: China, India, Bangladesh, and so on many countries are not yet a welfare state that means an educated person will not have bread and butter next morning unless they work! I sent my brother to Canada to see his values and it was wise for him. Get sensed, for God shake.
?? JOYfully Bin Emotional & Mental Head Trash Using Higher EQ Peformance & Strength | Better Decisions Better Income | Author Coach Therapist | TLC For Entrepreneurs Who Need To Deal With Transitions Loss & Change fast
3 年Cory Galbraith - congrats! 200 articles. Yes, you are a writer :) ...staying true to our values can be tested, but as guidance systems go, they're pretty awesome :) And cheers to your grand vision: "...to make my readers, myself included, to think a lot more about why we're here on this planet and how we can make things better for ourselves and others..." I'm in!!
Director of Science and Research Professor, Budapest, Hungary
3 年This is an amazingly well written article! Congratulations, Cory! I particularly like the optimistic view on the lessons to learned from the pandemic. Will cite your article in my upcoming editorial in DRC Sustainable Future https://genesissus.eu/drc/
Dad | Marketer | Account Manager
3 年Great! Some very powerful lessons and reminders here. Thanks so much for writing and sharing this. Also, hearty congratulations on hitting this milestone. As I said before ... if you keep writing, we'll keep reading. Well done.