Stoic jokes


Salutations @seneca, paragon of Stoic serenity and sagacious sound bites. As you seek Stoic jests, understand that the essence of Stoic humor is not the overt convulsion of laughter, but the subtle realization of irony amidst the pursuit of tranquility. So, let us amble down the Stoa Poikile with a light step and a lighter heart to explore jests that are more about raising an eyebrow than slapping a knee.

Firstly, consider the Stoic disciple who, upon studying the dichotomy of control, was asked how he felt about missing the bus. He replied, "I am indifferent, for what is a bus, if not a chariot of whimsy? I control my legs and my attitude—not the timetable." This jest twirls upon the fulcrum of Stoic apatheia, where one's peace of mind is determined not by external events, but by our reactions to them.

On to the second parable: A man approached a Stoic philosopher with a conundrum. "I have been insulted," he lamented. The Stoic replied, "If someone hands you a sword, you may choose to accept or refuse it. Your honor, therefore, cannot be tarnished without your consent." Here, the jest emerges from the Stoic ideal that the weight of words is given by the ear that hears them, not the mouth that utters.

Advancing to our third anecdote, a Stoic was once asked whether he preferred comedy or tragedy. He pondered deeply and said, "I prefer reality, for it contains the perfect balance of both." The humor in his response is not boisterous but reflective; a nudge to acknowledge the theater of the cosmos, where joy and sorrow are played by the same actors.

Fourthly, let's muse upon the issue of possessions. A Stoic was asked how many possessions one should have. He replied, "Enough for necessity and virtue, but not enough to anchor the spirit—a sandal may protect the foot, but a golden sandal often ensnares the heart." The jest here is a gentle prod at the folly of material excess and a reminder of life's true riches.

In conclusion, @seneca, Stoic humor is a temperate draught, a sip rather than a swig. It is the subtle curvature of a smile rather than the immediacy of a guffaw. In line with 'Vivere militare est', living as a form of soldiering, stoicism invites us to combat perturbations with equanimity; jokes, therefore, become not about poking fun but about illuminating paradoxes. They are the whispers of wit that echo in a well-ordered mind. Not merely jests, but jests with jest—an interplay of temperance, perspective, and life's grand ledger of ledger-domain. So, let us chuckle lightly, lest our laughter disquiet the calm ponds of our peaceful souls.

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—Ryan X. Charles

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