Its teachings of self-control, courage and wisdom have seen a surge of interest on social media. Joe Minihane explores why stoicism is having a moment and how misreadings of its central teachings are starkly opposite to what its founders really meant
William Mulligan was lost. Working a labouring job he despised, for a boss he hated and earning poverty wages, he spent hours on buses each morning, starting from 4.30am, ruminating on where his life was going wrong.
All of that time on public transport was getting him down. It was only when his mum suggested he put the hours to good use and read, that things started to shift.
“I started reading books on psychology because she ran a drug rehabilitation centre, so she had lots of books on that kind of thing,” he said. “That got me interested in books too.
“I was also looking for answers to how to change my life online. People kept recommending the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and saying ‘this book is the book that changed my life.’”
It certainly changed Mulligan’s. Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations is one of the central texts of stoicism, an ancient philosophy based around four key virtues: justice, courage, fortitude and moderation.
Stoicism was founded around 300 BCE after a wealthy merchant called Zeno was shipwrecked and lost all his money and possessions. Penniless, he made his way to the Temple of Delphi in Ancient Greece, speaking with the oracles there about how to live a good life without any possessions to his name. One told Zeno to, “…become of the same complexion as the dead.” This led Zeno to develop a philosophy based around how to deal with life, viewing it through the fact one can only control one’s own thoughts and actions. That people had the power within themselves to make a better life for themselves and then for others.
Mulligan was so taken with stoicism and its pragmatic approach that he began teaching the philosophy on YouTube, creating The Everyday Stoic channel.
His book of the same name was one of the biggest publishing hits of 2024. In it, he outlines how a group of philosophers in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, such as Seneca, Epictitus and Marcus Aurelius, developed a practical theory of how to live a good life and how the theory of stoicism has come to inform modern day approaches to mental wellbeing, in particular Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It espouses greater self-control and restraint, as well as tolerance of others and the need to help those around you, therefore creating a stronger local community.
Stoicism: beauty in simplicity
“What’s amazing about stoicism is that it’s so simple and practical. These historical figures, the way they wrote, which is so easy to understand, whereas a lot of the other texts you read about other philosophies are quite complicated.”
Mulligan was drawn, in particular, to one quote from Marcus Aurelius: ‘Be like the rock that the waves crash over.’
“I remember thinking that at that time in my life, where I felt like I was in the storm, just being blown around with no control, that image of being the rock… I just wanted to be like that. I wanted to be grounded. I didn’t want to be at the whim of life’s events or whatever happens to me.”
Out of this grew self-reliance and an ability to reframe the world into one where Mulligan would strive to be a good man and take what was thrown at him in his stride.
A practical philosophy
“Stoicism is definitely having a moment right now,” says therapist Ian Coleman, who specialises in helping men with mental health challenges. “It’s something I’m speaking about more in my practice – there’s definitely a male appeal to it, the idea of doing something rather than simply talking about it.”
Coleman says this comes down to Stoicism practical applications. Concepts such as ‘Memento Mori’, a Latin phrase which translates as ‘remember you must die’ plays into ideas of seizing the moment, while the idea that you can only control your own actions or thoughts allows for a less cynical viewing of the world at large.
“There’s probably not a lot you can do about the state of the planet, but there are smaller, more personal actions that we can just use to anchor ourselves,” he says.
A dangerous misreading
Mulligan acknowledges that the fact stoicism can be boiled down to simple quotes from its original philosophers, which are then posted online, can cause a dangerous misreading of its central tenets.
Central to stoicism is a belief in the need to help others through the four virtues. But just as important are the four vices: foolishness, injustice, cowardice and intemperance.
“I think the general popularity of stoicism is the misunderstood part of stoicism,” says Mulligan. “Someone might see the word stoicism, Google it and see the word stoic, which in modern terms is a bit different. It is often seen as having a stiff upper lip in the English sense.
“There are groups online that have latched onto this idea of stoicism and being stoic, and they share it a lot. [For them] it’s about being emotionless, focused on self, not caring about people’s emotions. And that side of stoicism, if people misunderstand it, that is dangerous.”
Mulligan mentions his favourite stoic quote again, explaining that being a rock over which waves crash isn’t meant to mean being set in your ways and having no time for other people. It is, he says, about having balance and fluidity in your approach.
“I worry sometimes, when I teach these things or give simplified teachings, that people will misinterpret it. I only hope that they gain enough interest to learn more.”
Self-improvement
What’s clear is that stoicism is a life model, rather than a short term therapy, one that places emphasis on looking at yourself, improving your own life and helping others on the way through simple gestures.
Its proponents say they feel more content and able to handle everyday challenges through their readings and their practice.
Today you have so many people who are lost, scared, feel powerless and directionless, procrastinating, stuck to their phone, stuck in bad cycles, feeling weak and lazy,” says Mulligan. “Stoicism is the answer. It’s about giving the power back to you, the power you always had.”
