[RcouF1uZ4gsC]

Stoicism always reminds me of the Disillusioned Sensible Man from CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity:

> (2) The Way of the Disillusioned "Sensible Man."—He soon decides that the whole thing was moonshine. "Of course," he says, "one feels like that when one's young. But by the time you get to my age you've given up chasing the rainbow's end." And so he settles down and learns not to expect too much and represses the part of himself which used, as he would say, "to cry for the moon." This is, of course, a much better way than the first, and makes a man much happier, and less of a nuisance to society. It tends to make him a prig (he is apt to be rather superior towards what he calls "adolescents"), but, on the whole, he rubs along fairly comfortably.

>It would be the best line we could take if man did not live for ever. But supposing infinite happiness really is there, waiting for us? Supposing one really can reach the rainbow's end? In that case it would be a pity to find out too late (a moment after death) that by our supposed "common sense" we had stifled in ourselves the faculty of enjoying it.

[hpoe]

See that is an interesting point I've discovered while learning about stocism, and I find the same line of thought from what I understand of Buddhism.

It seems that they are focused on taking away desires, just stop wanting things so much, stop trying to avoid pain and seek after pleasure. Which I agree in large part much of the misery we encounter in our daily life seems to stem from failure to adequately control our more reptilian impulses, but it also seems like the whole philosophy is about completely detaching from things, and as a wise man recently said "The only way to take the grief out of death is to take the love out of life."

I get that it can be less painful, but why optimize for avoiding pain instead of maximizing joy?

[tugberkk]

Stoicism is actually similar to Buddhism in some ways. However, it is about being content. Rich means that you don't want anything else other than you own. This is being content. Stoics say that you have your mind and "reason"; which is the most important thing you can own. Therefore, why do you want some other things? Especially, if its not in your control.