I've been reading much of the Stoics lately. About their wisdom, their kindness, their justice, their courage.
About their role with nature as rational animals, about their resilience and temperance.
I may even consider them to be the epitome of living; the peak of humanity; the most enlightened and virtuous state of being before the Nirvana.
They talk about control, recognizing outside matters and controlling internal ones; but I may disagree, in some sense, with some of it.
As far as I understand Stoicism, I am only in control of myself --my emotions, my thoughts, my actions--, and I can only TRY to influence external factors, but never control them... And of course, here is where I get political:
Would a Stoic consider themselves political if it's technically not within their individual control?
Is a Stoic not in control of agreeing or disagreeing with policies? Is a Stoic not in control of demanding, searching, and enacting justice? Is a Stoic not in control of revolting, protesting, and disrupting? Is a Stoic not in control of cutting himself off from the system, and from wanting the system to change? Is a Stoic not in control of being angry at injustices and and hauling molotovs in response? Is a Stoic not in control of raising his voice at those poisoning the waters and cutting down the forests? Is a Stoic not in control of cutting down the guillotine rope?
To answer myself: No, a Stoic is not in control of many of those. A Stoic may only try to influence those factors, and even the ones in their control, many such actions are not in accordance to the Stoics virtues, hence not being a true Stroic one who does it.
But even in absolute futility, I think it's much more important to uphold true justice and respect for nature than it is to live by a code that limits, although beneficially, your interaction with the universe.
