Review of Complexity Theory & Stoicism

Greetings! This discussion custom tailored to the specific interests of the most recent group who attended the previous meeting. This group was highly engaging and it was a lively interesting discussion This discussion is going to focus on a Review of Complexity Theory and Stoicism.

Links to youtube and readings forthcoming.

This was the time and day that was available for the Cherry Hills Library. Hope it works for all.

Review of Complexity Theory and Stoicism
Sunday Feb 15, 2026 2:00-4:00 See below for overview of Stoicism.

## 🌿 What is Stoicism?

Stoicism is an ancient Greek–Roman philosophy about how to live well by aligning your thoughts and actions with reason, virtue, and acceptance of reality.
It teaches that:

• You cannot control events
• You can control your judgments, choices, and character

Happiness comes from mastering the second, not fighting the first.

### Core Stoic principles

### 1. Control what you can

> “Some things are up to us, some are not.” — Epictetus

Up to you:

• beliefs
• decisions
• effort
• attitude
• integrity

Not up to you:

• other people
• outcomes
• reputation
• weather
• illness
• luck

Stress = trying to control what isn’t yours.
Peace = focusing only on what is.

***

### 2. Virtue is the only real good

Stoics say character matters more than comfort.
Four virtues:

• Wisdom – clear thinking
• Justice – fairness and service to others
• Courage – facing difficulty
• Temperance – self-control

External success (money, praise, position) is “preferred,” but not necessary for a good life.

***

### 3. Accept reality (Amor Fati)

Love fate, don’t resist it.
Instead of:
❌ “Why is this happening to me?”
Shift to:
✅ “How do I use this well?”
Obstacles become training.

***

### 4. Train your mind daily

Stoicism is not theory — it’s practice:

• reflection
• journaling
• reframing setbacks
• imagining difficulties ahead of time
• gratitude

***

# 🏛 Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE)
Roman Emperor + Stoic philosopher
He ruled during:

• wars
• plagues
• political instability

Yet wrote personal notes to himself on staying calm and ethical.
These notes became Meditations.
Important:
Meditations was not written for others — it’s his private self-coaching journal.
So it’s raw, practical, and honest.

***

## His main ideas

### 1. Do your duty

Focus on your role and perform it well.

> “At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: I have to go to work as a human being.”

For him:
Leadership = service, not ego.
(As someone supervising ~100 people, this mindset fits strongly — leadership as responsibility, not status.)

***

### 2. Don’t take things personally

People act from ignorance or fear.

> “When someone does wrong, they harm themselves.”

So:

• don’t get angry
• stay steady
• correct calmly

***

### 3. Your mind creates suffering

Events are neutral.
Your interpretation creates pain.

> “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but your estimate of it.”

Change the estimate → change the experience.

***

### 4. Remember impermanence

Everything passes:

• praise
• criticism
• life itself

This shrinks ego and anxiety.

> “Soon you will have forgotten everything; soon everything will have forgotten you.”

Not depressing — freeing.
It helps you focus on what actually matters: character.

***

### 5. Be kind and cooperative

Humans are social beings.

> “What is not good for the hive is not good for the bee.”

Act for the common good.

***

# 🧠 Stoicism in one sentence

Do the right thing, control your reactions, accept what happens, and keep your character steady.

***

# 🔧 Practical daily Stoic habits (very applicable for leaders)

Morning:

• “What is in my control today?”
• “What challenges might happen?”

During the day:

• Pause before reacting
• Ask: “What would virtue look like here?”
• Focus on effort, not outcome

Evening:

• What did I do well?
• Where did I lose composure?
• How can I improve tomorrow?

(Journaling like Marcus did is extremely effective.)

Here are a few questions if you would like to ponder:
1. Does living a Stoic life restrict Emergence?
2. Is restricting Emergence in one's life required to stabilize one's experience and thereby one's existence?
3. Does Emergence occur where complex systems exist within the confines of a stoic existence?