Reasons not to worry How to be Stoic in chaotic times

The early Greeks and Romans lived in times filled with plagues, death, inequality, floods, and political strife. Sounds a lot like the 2020s! To navigate our troubled times, Australian journalist Delaney turns to the work of the Stoics, ancient philosophers including Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus. The Stoics focused on the virtues of courage, self-control, wisdom, and justice, and acknowledged that we can only manage our own character and reactions to and treatment of others because everything else lies outside of our control. Pondering heavy topics including mortality, relaxation, disasters, anxiety, and moderation, as well as some more contemporary concerns like social media and FOMO, Delaney offers some uncomfortable but useful teachings. For example, she reminds us of the importance of acknowledging that everything in our lives, including health, relationships, and wealth, are being "loaned" to us and will eventually be recalled. Though (or perhaps because) she has some qualms with certain Stoic principles, Delaney is a great guide to their philosophy in that she recognizes the difficulty of putting it into practice. For example, she admits to her own struggles with moderation, and willingly ponders the application of stoic principles today. She shares personal experiences along with quotes from the ancients to assess our world and the sense of desperation that seems so pervasive.