What we’re about
Welcome to Orlando Stoics! We are a very active group, with 3300+ members and 5 meetings a week. Some meetings are online and others are in-person. All classes are free. We also have annual events, like "Stoicon-X Orlando" in November (for the Modern Stoicism movement) and our Winter Social in December (Stoics are allowed to have fun, too).
Why Stoicism? In our world of instant gratification, constant stimulation, and endless distractions, Stoicism offers a novel perspective on life. Interested in developing an unconquerable mind? Stoicism has the answers. We also link ideas to Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Existentialism, Minimalism, and other "lived philosophy" systems. We love in-depth discussions!
If you join our group, feel free to limit the emails and notifications. Since we have new meetings every week, those emails might be too much for your inbox. Feel free to turn them off (go to our meetup page, click "You're a Member", and then click group notifications). You can still check our meetup page for upcoming events, when you want to.
What is Stoicism? It's an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded about 300 BC in Athens. The first teacher was Zeno of Citium. The school taught that virtue (the highest good) is based on knowledge, and that wise people live in harmony with nature. The school also taught tolerance and self-control. Famous Stoics were Seneca the Younger, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. We also study modern Stoics.
The goals of our group:
1. We read the ancient books, plus the modern books on Stoicism.
2. We discuss Stoicism in the media, pop culture, and arts & literature.
3. We compare recurring themes in Stoicism to history, religion, and psychology.
There have always been people attracted to Stoicism. It was a major influence on Shakespeare, JD Salinger, Tom Wolfe, and Nelson Mandela. It’s also attracted political and military leaders, such as Frederick the Great, President Bill Clinton, and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who said he read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations over 100 times.
We hope you will join us. The group is open to the public and has no subscription fee. Stoicism can help you cope with life's stresses, while retaining your ethics & character.
We hope to see you soon!
Upcoming events
103
•OnlineONLINE / ENGLISH: How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
OnlineThis is our series on Donald Robertson’s book “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”. We will learn about the life of Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy practice. As usual on Friday nights, we will cover the book in-depth; see schedule below.
SCHEDULE
10-31-2025 Chap. 7, 1st half, till about p. 234
11-07-2025 Chap. 7 continued
11-14-2025 Chap. 8 (just 1 part)
11-21-2025 FinaleREADING MATERIALS
The book is available on Amazon and other booksellers. Various formats are available: audio, paperback, Kindle. Reading in advance is optional; We will collect highlights from each part of the book in an outline for the meeting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F9YYR62
Time
Meeting time (USA):
7:00PM Eastern
6:00PM Central
5:00PM Mountain
4:00PM PacificFor our international friends,
Please convert time with the free tool
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/Zoom Info
CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88406764752?pwd=eTMrvI3pQ9WrsOFunluyFZ0XKcNoDN.1
Notice: The following numbers may not be correct. If you don't have a computer with a camera or a microphone, then you can attend by telephone. Dial one of these numbers and add meeting ID 865 5984 3870#
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 USIn general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and to use moderation in life overall. We will discuss how Stoic practice can lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, history, other belief systems, and pop culture (books and movies). If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. Our group does NOT discuss religion or politics.
This event is free and open to the public.
16 attendees
The Stoic Social: Fall Fiesta in the Park
Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL, USThe Stoic Social: Join us as we celebrate 54 years as one of Central Florida's longest-running traditions with Fall Fiesta in the Park, presented by the City of Orlando and Cox Media Group! Bring the family and take in the beauty of the season at the heart of downtown Orlando as you stroll around Lake Eola while browsing hundreds of unique artist and crafter booths, food vendors, the AdventHealth for Children Kid's Zone, and live entertainment all weekend long. In 2024, Fall Fiesta in the Park was ranked #14 in the Top 200 Arts and Craft Festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist Magazine! As always, admission to Fall Fiesta is FREE!
The location: Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando. We will meet up at the intersection of S. Osceola Ave and E. Central Blvd, next to the Stardust Bar. There is "free" parking in the Publix garage (Park at your own risk), and public parking at the Thornton Park Central Garage (9 N Eola Dr, Orlando, FL 32801).
The Rules: Be kind, be cool, be virtuous!
Event Info: https://www.fiestainthepark.com/
4 attendees
•OnlineONLINE: The Trivium (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) and the medium of Language
OnlineThis week we will examine the Trivium—grammar, logic, and rhetoric—and how it encodes a philosophy of language that shapes thought itself. We will also consider the medium or technologies of language—oral, written, and digital—and how each adds a distinctive depth to the notion of thought. When taken together, the Trivium and these three “technologies” of language reveal transformative correspondences:
Grammar ↔ Oral language → voice, presence
Logic ↔ Written language → inscription, order
Rhetoric ↔ Digital language → performative, persuasive
Grammar and orality, taken together, present the world (or reality) as the spoken word, characterized by presence, myth, and memory. Oral culture depends on repetition and communal participation; meaning is performed, not stored. Grammar, in this sense, becomes the art of relation—the way words live through the voice rather than as rules on a page. Martin Heidegger, in his 1959 work On the Way to Language, described language as “the house of Being”; the spoken word discloses a world before it is ever reduced to text.
Logic and writing, in turn, present the word as a system of inscription, rationalization, codification, and abstraction. Writing separates the word from the speaker, creating both distance and objectivity—the preconditions of logic. Authority shifts from the speaker’s presence to the text itself; the written word becomes the guarantor of truth. Michel Foucault, in his 1969 work,The Archaeology of Knowledge, distilled discourse as a system—writing as a mode of power and a site of knowledge formation.
Finally, rhetoric and digitality, taken together, present the return of the performative word. In the digital age, language is increasingly networked, algorithmically mediated, and entangled with image and text—a new form of orality. Digital media collapse the distinctions between writing and speech, creating a paradoxical simultaneity of immediacy and mediation. The rhetorical dimension reemerges through persuasion, identity performance, and narrative play. Katherine Hayles, in her 1999 work How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics, explores how digital media reorganize the processes of thinking, writing, reading, and, ultimately, language itself.
We hope you'll join Plato’s Cave and the Orlando Stoics for this thought-provoking discussion.
READING MATERIALS
The Trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TriviumMartin Heidegger - On the Way to Language
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heidegger/language.htmlMichel Foucault - The Archaeology of Knowledge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Archaeology_of_KnowledgeKatherine Hayles - How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_We_Became_PosthumanTIMEZONES
For our members in other states:
6:00 AM Pacific Time USA
7:00 AM Mountain Time USA
8:00 AM Central Time USA
9:00 AM Eastern Time USA
In other countries, please convert time using this free tool:
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com
The meeting starts at 9:00AM Eastern Time. After 15 minutes of chat, the presentation starts at 9:15AM sharp.
ZOOM INFO:
CLICK TO JOIN - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83190269900?pwd=Jj1lbWLo3sdhWL830ba4NoF66liJvB.1This group is a combined meeting of the Orlando Stoics and Plato’s Cave members. We enjoy open-minded, respectful conversations. If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree.” The long-term goal is to expand our minds via group discussions.
This meeting is free and open to the public.
5 attendees
•OnlineONLINE: TBD
OnlineTBD
TIMEZONES Meeting time (USA): 7:00 PM Eastern 6:00 PM Central 5:00 PM Mountain 4:00 PM Pacific
For our international friends, please convert the time here: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
ZOOM LINK Click to Start Meeting
Join by phone:
If you do not have a computer with a camera, you can also dial using a phone.
One Tap Mobile:
+13092053325,,81756205936#,,,,*069672# US
+13126266799,,81756205936#,,,,*069672# US (Chicago)Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, other belief systems, and even pop culture (books and movies). Sometimes, "we agree to disagree", but the long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions.
In general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and overall to use moderation in all aspects of our lives.
This meeting is free and open to the public.
8 attendees
Past events
1565
Group links
Organizers
Members
3,710
