Past and present are outside our control

I bought "A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy" back in 2011. Soon after, I'd read most of it, then set it aside. Now I've finished the book. 

It's an interesting look at ancient Stoicism from a modern perspective.

The author, William Irvine, is a Professor of Philosophy who, unlike most academic philosophers these days, believes philosophy should have something to say about how we should live our lives -- which is how the ancient Greeks viewed philosophy.

Here's some passages regarding the past, present, and future that I like. Somehow I'd never really grasped that while the past is out of our control, so is the present. Only the future is uncertain and potentially controllable.

We should be fatalistic with respect to the external world. We should realize that what has happened to us in the past and what is happening to us at this very moment are beyond our control, so it is foolish to get upset about these things.

...In your practice of Stoicism, you will also want, in conjunction with applying the trichotomy of control, to become a psychological fatalist about the past and the present -- but not about the future. 

Although you will be willing to think about the past and present in order to learn things that can help you better deal with the obstacles to tranquility thrown your way in the future, you will refuse to spend time engaging in "if only" thoughts about the past and present.

You will realize that inasmuch as the past and present cannot be changed, it is pointless to wish they could be different. You will do your best to accept the past, whatever it might have been, and to embrace the present, whatever it might be.

Here's what the above-mentioned "trichotomy of control" means.

According to the Stoics, we should perform a kind of triage in which we distinguish between things we have no control over, things we have complete control over, and things we have some but not complete control over; and having made this distinction, we should focus our attention on the last two categories. 

In particular, we waste our time and cause ourselves needless anxiety if we concern ourselves with things over which we have no control.

Comments

[S]

“We should realize that what has happened to us in the past and what is happening to us at this very moment are beyond our control, so it is foolish to get upset about these things.“

That’s a subtle twist on perspective that could have a profound impact on one’s life—present and future. The idea that the past is now out of our control is liberating.

We have control over our attitude and perspective to some degree. I guess the biggest and most beneficial aspect would be letting go of regrets and resentments.

[S]

Stoicism is a very practical philosophy. I found this especially helpful:

Epictetus on Love and Loss: The Stoic Strategy for Surviving Heartbreak

“Who is good if he knows not who he is? and who knows what he is, if he forgets that things which have been made are perishable, and that it is not possible for one human being to be with another always?”

https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/08/26/epictetus-love-loss/

The problem with most religions and spiritual practices is they don’t offer up any practical guidelines on dealing with emotion. They just say, “do your meditation” or “have faith” or “pray about it”.

[Christine]

Yes, basically you're discussing mindfulness, and "stoicism" if attainable, can be a healthy way to live. How do you factor in trauma and other types of problematic brain hardwiring that would certainly need to be addressed before this state of "stoicism" can be approached.

[S]

@Christine

Too much for me to summarize right now. I’ll have to write a more detailed response when I get to my computer. But if you’re really interested I’ve include some helpful links that I believe answer your question:

https://medium.com/stoicism-philosophy-as-a-way-of-life/stoic-philosophy-as-a-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-597fbeba786a

https://wwnorton.com/books/the-stoic-challenge

https://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/6/29/1397640/-Stoicism-for-Trauma-Survivors-Part-1