On Control

All of us desire something--more money, a perfect body, the admiration or validation of others. Yet these desires often go unmet or, worse, the very things we seek most to avoid happen instead. Even when we do get what we want, the satisfaction they bring often fades quickly, leaving us wanting more. And still, we usually continue to stake our happiness on getting the things we want and avoiding those we don't want, no matter what pain or disappointment it brings. Is there anything we can desire that could provide lasting happiness?

In this session, we'll explore the central concept of Stoicism from which every other detail of the philosophy unfolds: the dichotomy of control. It makes two simple assertions: first, that some things lie within our control while others do not; and second, that we ought to focus our time, energy, and resources on what lies within our control. We'll use this idea to investigate what, if anything, is truly worthy of our desires.

Join us for the first in a series of conversations designed to explore how philosophy can move beyond abstract theories and intellectual banter in order to become a powerful force that we can harness to shape and transform our lives.

Resources:
-A few focused quotes from Stoic authors relevant to the dichotomy of control.
-Short video breaking down Epictetus's approach to philosophy.

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Though it's highly encouraged to arrive close to 18:30 in order to have more casual conversation before we jump into the discussion, the actual conversation won't begin until around 7:15. Please arrive by 7:15 as not to distract from the flow of the conversation, but if you must arrive later than please be considerate as you enter.

A note on attendance: If you need to cancel, please do so more than a few days before and change your attendance status before the day of to be considerate both of the host's effort and also others who would liek to attend. Repeated last minute cancelations or no-shows will result in your being placed in the waiting list for future events.