Personifying an ideology

I didn’t know about Stoicism until 2015. However, a skillful observer might have mentioned that before 2015, there were several similarities between how I lived and how the Stoics did.

What they might not have known is that my ideas about how to live were influenced by my experience and that of those around me.

I was often alone, with enough liberty to think and explore nature.

As stoicism became mainstream due to the rise in popularity of the old works of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca, and several modern interpreters got more attention, another keen observer can see that people framed their identities around this philosophy.

Personifying an ideology is dangerous.

You can accept ideologies and avoid personifying them. That way, you can build a life where you take lessons from divergent ideologies and create something of your own making.

If you ask me now, I still won’t identify as a stoic. Although, I have learnt several lessons from the works and lives of those who identify as such. I’ve also learnt from complementary and opposing ideologies.

In the end, I only take what works for me. So can you.

PS: This post isn’t really about stoicism. You can insert any raving or popular ideology or label and the message is still the same. Think about what happens when you personalise a political label.