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
102
•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.
14 attendees
•OnlineStoic Resilience and the Art of Living
OnlineThis week we’ll explore what The Meditations teaches about friendship and character. The reading focuses on gratitude for those who shaped one’s moral life and what it means to live with integrity, humility, and care for others.
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that friendship depends on seeing things and people as they truly are. He cautions against imagining them to be different, even when that illusion spares us from the truth that everything and everyone is temporary. Stoic friendship calls us to face reality honestly and to look at the people we care about with understanding, respect, and compassion.
In today’s world relationships are often shaped by distraction, haste, and unrealistic expectations. Stoic teachings offer a steady foundation, showing that real friendship grows from honesty, clarity, and mutual respect. Together we’ll discuss how these timeless insights can help us build stronger, more grounded relationships and communities.
Reading Material
Stoicon 2020 Karen Duffy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYC0XXKZRdk'Stoic Resilience in Face of Illness' by Carmelo Di Maria
https://modernstoicism.com/stoic-resilience-in-face-of-illness-by-carmelo-di-maria/Time (USA)
7:00 PM Eastern
6:00 PM Central
5:00 PM Mountain
4:00 PM Pacific
Convert your time
Zoom Link
Click to Join MeetingJoin 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 welcomes open-minded, respectful discussion on Stoicism and its relevance to daily life, relationships, and personal growth. We explore how Stoic ideas connect to modern philosophy, psychology, science, and culture with the goal of strengthening our character and living wisely together.
This meeting is free and open to the public.
10 attendees
•OnlineONLINE / SPANISH: CARTAS A LUCILIO DE SENECA
OnlineEsta reunión es cada miércoles a las 7 p.m. EST
CALENDARIO
11/5/2025
Carta 54: Séneca se dispone a morir atacado de asma
Carta 58: La frugalidad puede prolongar la vejez, como le sucedió a Platón
11/12/2025
Carta 61: La buena disposición de Séneca para la muerte
Carta 77: Sabiduría y serenidad ante la muerte
11/19/2025
Carta 78: Ante las perspectivas de la muerte
Carta 101: Vivamos cada día con plenitud ante la inminencia de la muerteIV. La muerte
11/26/2025
Carta 4: El temor a la muerte nos distrae de la realización de la vida
Carta 30: Cómo debemos esperar la muerte
12/3/2025
Carta 36: Aprendizaje del desprecio a la muerte
Carta 63: Moderación en el duelo por el amigo muerto
12/10/2025
Carta 70: Frente a la vida humillada, la muerte deliberada
Carta 82: Los falsos silogismos de Zenón sobre la muerte
Carta 99: Debemos perseverar en el recuerdo en la muerte de un ser queridoV. Otras cartas
12/17/2025
Carta 40: El discurso de la verdad debe ser sencillo y sin adornos
Carta 47: Trato humano con los esclavos
Carta 75: Sencillez en el estilo.
Carta 84: En la lectura debemos imitar a lasZONAS HORARIAS
Hora de encuentro (EE. UU.):
19:00 h, hora del este
18:00 h, hora central
17:00 h, hora de las montañas
16:00 h, hora del PacíficoPara nuestros amigos internacionales:
Conviertan la hora con la herramienta gratuita
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/ENLACE ZOOM
HAGA CLIC PARA COMENZAR LA REUNIÓN - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7156108004
Si no tienes una computadora con cámara, también puedes marcar usando un teléfono. Elige uno de estos números y agrega el ID 7156108004#
+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 USNuestro grupo disfruta de conversaciones abiertas y respetuosas sobre el estoicismo y su relación con la ciencia, la cultura, la filosofía, otros sistemas de creencias e incluso la cultura popular (libros y películas). A veces "acordamos estar en desacuerdo", pero el objetivo a largo plazo es mejorar nuestras mentes a través de debates grupales.
En general, el estoicismo nos enseña cómo manejar personas y eventos difíciles, cómo evitar la ira y la preocupación y, sobre todo, a utilizar la moderación en todos los aspectos de nuestra vida.
Esta reunión es gratuita y abierta al público.
1 attendee
•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
11-07-2025 Chap. 7 continued - Managing Anger like a Stoic
11-14-2025 Chap. 8
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.
5 attendees
Past events
1567
Group links
Organizers
Members
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