A transcript of author Phil Van Treuren discussing the concepts of “good” and “bad” in Stoic philosophy, and Stoicism’s view of possessions, money, health and other “externals.”
Stoicism teaches us that we should only use the labels “good” and “bad” for the stuff that’s 100 percent under our control. Completely under our control.
And that’s only three things: our attitudes, our judgments, and our responses to stuff that happens around us. Classifying other stuff that’s external as good or bad (or similar labels) is just bestowing them with powers that they don’t really have.
The stuff around us can be classified in many different ways, but the only things that are “good” and “bad” to us should be our attitude, judgments and responses.
Stoicism on Possessions, Money & Other Externals
Stoics think that possessions, money, physical abilities, our circumstances — and all other external things to our own choices — aren’t really intrinsically good or bad at all. They don’t have an intrinsic value.
Instead, the good can be found in how we judge and utilize and respond to those external things.
There are some external things we might prefer over others . . . I would prefer to have lots of money rather than no money at all; I would prefer to be healthy rather than sick; I would prefer to have lots of friends rather than have everyone dislike me.
But in the end, the stuff that we find meaning and happiness from shouldn’t come from those external things.