Perfection vs. Mastery
It’s interesting to find that some people who study Stoicism have become concerned with how it is being interpreted today. They wag a finger at the self-help industry, as though encouraging others to help themselves by building an efficient philosophical foundation is a bad thing.
Seneca wrote to Lucilius and educated him on Stoic principles. Marcus Aurelius kept a journal of his thoughts that just happened to align with Stoicism. The Enchiridion, which consists of Epictetus’ precepts, wasn’t created by the man himself but by his disciple. Which leads to my point: these ancient writings were collected and published for the general public (of their time and ours) to read for ourselves. To educate ourselves.
Possibly even to help ourselves.
Stoicism sprouted from roots in Cynicism. Zeno, the man who founded the school and took its name from the architecture under which he taught, was a Cynic. He lived an ascetic lifestyle, devoid of luxuries. The Cynics frowned upon anyone who lived lavishly. Zeno originally believed that people were only motivated by material possessions and self-gratification. When Zeno founded the first Stoic school, he based his teachings on his knowledge of Cynicism, but with a concentration on living a virtuous life. Instead of scorning luxury and pomp, he would endorse such external things as a supplement to virtue.
Basically, Stoicism is Cynicism with a positive twist.
A Modern Slice of Humble Pie
As far as how Stoicism is being purported today, I am not concerned. Those who truly honor the philosophy will understand it and use it appropriately. They will implement it in their lives and purpose to ultimately guide those who are often lost.
We all need guides, coaches, mentors. However, the 21st century doesn’t support asceticism, at least not very well. Zeno had wealth but lived an ascetic life due to his roots in Cynicism. But just because the father of Stoicism lived such a lifestyle doesn’t mean those of us who agree with his teachings have to follow his exact suit.
Even Siddartha Gautama himself tried out the ascetic method and thought it wasn’t for him (never mind all the other ascetic monks who berated him for finding his own way). A lifestyle devoid of luxuries, wealth, and comfort does not a Stoic/Buddhist/Cynic/insert-any-school-of-thought-that-isn’t-asceticism make. It’s the fundamental principles of that philosophy that matter most, and how they are applied to everyday life.
The key is to practice humility and temperance (moderation in the consumption of all things). It’s difficult to do that when we live in a society that thrives on consumerism. But, as the saying goes, “the obstacle is the way”. If you incorporate the concept of “less is more” into your practice, it will become much clearer.
I cannot control how another applies Stoicism to their life. Their life is their own. I can only control what I do.
Now, what I can do is educate them to the best of my ability and applied knowledge. But even then, how far would I get? How much of it could the other person understand? Insert any quote by your favorite ancient Stoic about how one leads by example and not by their word. I can personally attest that leading by example will not win you any favors with those who are emotionally compromised. The meticulous student will observe how it’s done and comprehensively apply it.
“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” — Epictetus
Stoicism is not my philosophy, and I am by no means the perfect Stoic (as discussed in my last article). I have been lax in mindful presence before, and chances are I may be lax again. Life is known to throw many curveballs. But does that revoke my Stoic card? Why should it? I am Stoic in practice, not identity. I have not practiced it consistently enough to say I have perfected my daily training. And while I have not read nearly enough about it from other practitioners, no amount of acquired knowledge will make me a better Stoic practitioner myself.
I have not quite reached the “Disciplined” rank, as I am my own observer and my own harshest critic. There is no external god of Stoicism around to keep me humble. No Marcus or Seneca busts to look disappointingly at me for falling short (though having one might prove supportive). I have to do it myself. And that right there is the challenge every person must face, no matter the discipline: mastering first the ability to catch yourself slipping back into old habits.
“Mastery … a person’s comprehensive knowledge or skill in a subject or accomplishment allows the person to recognize when he or she is veering off track from their goals, and implement the correct actions to get themselves back on track.” — Adrian Bilyk
If one analyzes the fundamental definition of perfection, it is essentially “flawlessness”. Are you flawless in your routines? Every day, on the hour, not a minute more or less?
No. You are not. And neither am I.
As stated before, life will throw us a curveball from time to time. In our pre-pandemic life, we all had to start working by a certain time in the day, but a faulty commute would throw a wrench in our plans to get to the office on time. The fault is either a poor public transit system or a traffic accident on the freeway. In our current circumstance, the fault could be in the poor Internet connection that cuts us from a Zoom conference. One would then be enticed to dig deeper into why these things happened. But in a perfect world, there would be no such thing as flaws or faults. And that’s just not natural.
Sometimes I break a mental sweat when managing my time between household duties, getting work done, and self-care. The only routine I have in place is taking my dog out every morning upon awakening and every night before bed, and making dinner at 6pm every night, and usually I’m off by about 30 minutes. It’s not a flawless routine, but the fact that it still gets done that way every day means I’m proficient. Also, if you’re breaking a metaphorical or physical sweat, then you understand that it means you are putting in the effort in whatever you are doing.
That is the secret to mastery: Effort.
There is no effort in perfection. Everything is fluid. There is no obstacle to overcome. No challenge. Nothing to learn. Just … nothing.
If perfection is the destination, mastery is the journey. You meet many adversaries in Life, be they people or situations, and you are called to arms to mitigate them. Strife is necessary for people to improve. It is progress. One may not need philosophies like Stoicism, but it can certainly help. And everyone could do with some level of support.
