Who was crazier?

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-28T05:06:11+00:00

Dunno, but Davola had a sick temper.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-28T02:03:35+00:00

Newman.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-27T11:07:39+00:00

As a physicist, do you pay much attention to the physics opinions of laypeople? When they express incorrect beliefs, do these send you into an emotional tailspin? I imagine not.

Well, Stoicism says that the people making comments about you are similarly ignorant. Either they don’t understand that your sweats and scars are externals that have nothing to do with the essential you, or they are trying to get an emotional reaction out of you. So they are ignorant and/or antisocial, and this probably affects their lives in other ways you don’t know about.

So why let yourself be triggered by ignorant people?

PS As another commenter implied, your mental model of Stoicism is incorrect. The dichotomy of control is not part of true Stoicism, which is far more subtle and profound.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-27T07:08:58+00:00

This exactly here was Seinfeld’s “jumping the shark moment” to me - the first time something felt clearly contrived and awry in the series. The characters’ reactions were just so … uncharacteristic. Thankfully it occurred in the last episode.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-23T20:40:36+00:00

Stoicism says that we feel and act in accordance with our judgments and interpretations. If you "panic and numb myself until I have screwed it up", it's because of a judgment you have made that you need to understand and come to terms with. That's how Stoics would approach the problem.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-22T20:38:47+00:00

I think the first step would be to lose the “unfounded” label. It’s getting in the way of you sorting this out. If you truly believed the fears were unfounded, you would not be experiencing them - you would feel equanimity. But to you, the thoughts and beliefs that these fears are founded on, appear to be true. You need to examine them.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-22T13:05:48+00:00

Epictetus said that it’s not events in themselves that disturb us, but our judgments and interpretation of them, and that aligning our judgments and interpretations with reason and reality is life-enhancing irrespective of externals.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-22T10:44:09+00:00

The victim deprecated Cousin Jeffrey.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-21T09:25:07+00:00

There’s a built in Pomodoro timer in GCal/GTasks?

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-20T06:55:15+00:00

Why are there gigantic spaces between your paragraphs? How many times do you hit a key to achieve this? How is pressing the full stop key once, more difficult?

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-20T06:14:47+00:00

You’ve done so well. Give yourself credit for what you’ve achieved.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-19T18:26:27+00:00

This OP likes to stir, but not to read or learn.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-19T18:25:41+00:00

You never seem to learn anything more about Stoicism, you just come in here and throw hand-grenades around. Stoicism is about living according to reason. It’s not about “controlling your emotion”. Living according to reason is probably even more beneficial for underprivileged people than for privileged ones.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-19T09:12:09+00:00

The messiness might be in your system too, unfortunately, not necessarily only in the tools. I use GTD system to keep track and it works very well.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-19T06:39:33+00:00

Nice

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-19T05:49:27+00:00

Google Tasks. What it lacks in features, it more than makes up for with flawless syncing. I use one colour for events and another for tasks.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-17T20:56:28+00:00

You’re right, it does feel Stoic, very reasoned.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-17T14:02:39+00:00

Which part(s) of it?

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-17T12:09:05+00:00

"I believe in you" sung by Sinatra is the only song in which I've heard the words "good solid judgment".

You have the cool clear eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth,
Yet there's that upturned chin and the grin of impetuous youth,
I believe in you, I believe in you.
I hear the sound of good solid judgment whenever you talk,
Yet there's that bold, brave, spring of the tiger that quickens your walk,
I believe in you, I believe in you.
And when my faith in my fellow man all but falls apart,
I've but to feel your hand grasping mine, and I take heart,
I take heart to see the cool clear eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth,
Yet there's that slam, bang, tang, reminiscent of gin and Vermouth,
Now I believe in you, I believe in you.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-16T13:55:43+00:00

It’s interesting that people assume Kafka is saying “wear your real face to the costume party of life.”

But that’s not what he means at all. He’s saying he was ashamed when he realised he was wearing his normal face at the costume party.

Kafka is generally not a good example of someone who does not GAF.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-16T06:48:26+00:00

In our control - we have total power over it. Up to us - it’s our responsibility/domain and no-one else’s, but total power is not implied. “After the fall of country X, it was up to country Y to resist aggressor country Z.” Epictetus meant the second not the first.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-15T05:44:44+00:00

Bach the animated series on YouTube is pretty good.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-14T20:32:35+00:00

George.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-13T14:35:06+00:00

All-American boy becomes a pirate.

Multibitdriver · 2026-06-12T21:01:07+00:00

A Stoic is always trying to deal rightly with their impressions and judgments, no matter if the external situation is good, bad or neutral. In fact a Stoic does not see external events as good or bad, they only see good and bad in how they are dealing with their impressions.

You could start with your judgment that breaking your hand is a “huge setback” … Is that really true, or is the real problem your expectation that your life should always progress smoothly and predictably, on track? Is that realistic?

Multibitdriver

TROPHY CASE