Name: How to Be a Stoic
ISBN: 9780465097951

How to Be a Stoic

An engaging guide to how Stoicism--the ancient philosophy of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius--can provide lessons for living in the modern world. Whenever we worry about what to eat, how to love, or simply how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal is more elusive. In How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired the great emperor Marcus Aurelius, as the best way to attain it. Stoicism is a pragmatic philosophy that teaches us to act depending on what is within our control and separate things worth getting upset about from those that are not. By understanding Stoicism, we can learn to answer crucial questions: Should we get married or divorced? How should we bank in a world nearly destroyed by a financial crisis? How can we survive great personal tragedy? Whoever you are, Stoicism has something for you-and How to Be a Stoic is your essential guide.

What Hacker News says

RamblingCTOMay 2023

Not the commenter, but you can read Epictetus directly, very easy. Otherwise How to Be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci. Don't read any of that garbage from Ryan Holiday.

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lukewritesJan 2021

It definitely has had that effect for some, and I think that the promise of vaccines is probably exacerbating things since there's now the feeling of "I _could_ be out of this if only…".

What's helped me to stay in a positive space and productive during lockdown:

1. Daily exercise. I never worked out with weights before covid, but I bought a kettlebell and the book Simple & Sinister and started doing that routine along with cardio. Makes a huge difference.

2. Any kind of mindfulness. I've read a bunch of books on happiness during lockdown. Most all of them say the same things and suggest the same sorts of mindful practices, so I chose to do some practices based on stoicism and cognitive behavioral therapy. (Recommended reading: Why Buddhism is True, Everything is F*cked [starts good, gets bad], How to be a Stoic, A Handbook for New Stoics, Full Catastrophe Living. Choose any/all and see what you like.)

3. Not reading the news or doom scrolling. I get a covid newsletter each day (https://paulbart.substack.com) and don't read any other covid news. I also got off social media and don't read much about politics/the general shitshow. Basically, things that are beyond my control I pay limited attention to. When I violated this, obsessively seeking out streams & tweets from the storming of the capitol, I wound up having to take the next day off because I was so out of sorts.

4. Connecting directly with friends. I deleted my social media accts this year and started reaching out to old friends directly. First with a bulk email then zooms/phone calls with folks who wrote back. It's been great to reconnect and everyone is happy to chat!

5. Putting strict limits on work. I don't touch it outside of what I've determined to be "work hours". Period.

Good luck. Things can get better.

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walkingolofMay 2018

He is a marketer first and foremost, his Daily stoic book / platform shows that, but there is nothing wrong with that.

If you (as a stoic) want more substance I can recommend Massimo Pigliucci's "How to be a stoic" site (and book) instead.

https://howtobeastoic.wordpress.com/

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walkingolofJul 2017

"How to Be a Stoic" by Massimo Pigliucci.

So far it's really good.

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blatherardJun 2017

You might want to check out Stoicism, the philosophy, which has a lot to say about emotions. How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life by Massimo Pigliucci is a pretty good intro. You can also try diving right into original sources like the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, or the Enchiridion by Epictetus, or something by Seneca. There are many translations for all of these.

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lokarFeb 2026

I’m about 1/2 way through reading “How to be a stoic”, so far its a good introduction.

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