Fair enough. Can’t claim to know enough, or to’ve lived enough, to understand stoicism as anything other than Pop Stoicism. That said, seems to me that what you mean by Marcus’ ‘optimism’ above might be, coldly and analytically, described as the wisdom to expect and accept Providence as well as Fate. That might not be optimism at all, which could more easily mean focusing on the good and ignoring the bad. Marcus’s stoicism might’ve been in his knowing about, reasoning with, enduring despite and living through those things.
You can’t take my word for it, though. I seem to be more at home with ideas like Reddit karma than loftier ideas like Instant Karma, or some other, older version of Karma that may’ve come up in class a couple of times.
Fair enough. Can’t claim to know enough, or to’ve lived enough, to understand stoicism as anything other than Pop Stoicism. That said, seems to me that what you mean by Marcus’ ‘optimism’ above might be, coldly and analytically, described as the wisdom to expect and accept Providence as well as Fate. That might not be optimism at all, which could more easily mean focusing on the good and ignoring the bad. Marcus’s stoicism might’ve been in his knowing about, reasoning with, enduring despite and living through those things.
You can’t take my word for it, though. I seem to be more at home with ideas like Reddit karma than loftier ideas like Instant Karma, or some other, older version of Karma that may’ve come up in class a couple of times.