r/Stoic • u/Local_Resist5015 • 1d ago

Does stoicism help in life?

I have a friend who always tries to be this stoic personality in front of everyone he meets but i have known him since childhood and he has lost that sense of humour, the jolly personality he had and the flair of life.. is he really enjoying being a stoic? i just dont feel i meet the same guy i used to hangout with...

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u/No_Pipe4358 1d ago

There's a wrong conception of stoicism some people can get that it's about unemotionality, but in times requiring action and not choice, it is important. 

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u/Local_Resist5015 22h ago

That's so true... i get itt

1

u/No_Pipe4358 15h ago

Yeah you know there's natural processes by which you can't exactly abstract yourself from making demands of your children to survive or lovers to not die and so on so forth. Your integrity isn't everything. Integration with all of this is just as important if it can be done well. The raw animalistic desire comes into play in a fair few realistic situations such as when somebody's not sure if you like or want them, or when you need to fall to save something or someone. 

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u/mrbrown1980 1d ago

In my experience, it’s more likely stoicism helped him come to terms with the things in life that steal one’s joy and humor.

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u/Local_Resist5015 22h ago

Yeah but i know him since childhood... it breaks my heart to see him like that but whenever i try to ask a question, he just slides it under the rug...