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Stoicism for Anger
Anger feels like energy aimed at a problem, but Stoicism treats it as a judgment we make, not a force that makes us. The fix is not to suppress the feeling but to question the story we tell about what offended us — most of what enrages us is interpretation, not event.
Stoic ideas for this
“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations
“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“The greatest remedy for anger is delay.”
Seneca · On Anger
“Anger is a short madness.”
Seneca · On Anger
Put it into practice
A Stoic tool is only useful if you actually use it. Try this small loop the next time anger shows up:
- Name it plainly. Say what is happening without the story you are adding on top of it.
- Split what’s yours from what isn’t. Invest your energy only in the part you can actually choose.
- Do one small thing. A single deliberate action today beats a week of intending to.
Related ideas
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