Posted on January 26, 2022

"Stoicism, in other words, was not meant to be worn on your sleeve."

—Massimo Pigliucci, How to Be a Stoic

It seems so simple, but at the same time it is not trivial nowadays. We live in a time where people have the urgent need to show off different qualities—being real or imaginary ones—as a means to satisfy a need for recognition. I find it striking that this is not subjected to the youth. I remember about 15 years ago, in a dinner with family friends—some even around my grandmothers’ age—, the conversation seemed like a table tennis game where most ‘grown-ups’ went back and forth to mention what they do and how they do it, with no follow-ups whatsoever. Sometimes people not only wear their thoughts and actions on their sleeves, they also hold the sleeve up close to you while reciting a monolog about it.

Stoicism, however, suggests otherwise. It’s a philosophy about actions, about a state of being and going off about your life. Stoics let other people notice what they do and how they do it, with no need to show off the methods, or even less the results. I’ve found this to be easier said than done. For instance, when talking to a friend or a colleague, it feels impolite to be less detailed than the other. Nonetheless, I will attempt to not succumb to that way of social pressure—nor others—, and let my actions speak for themselves, because I want to, and because I can.