Stoicismul pentru situaiile cnd tehnologia d gre: demersuri antice pentru

circuite moderne
de James Gill

Sfaturi despre cum s evitai crize precum acestea. Sursa fotografiei aici.
n fiecare primvar milioane de americani ateapt cu nerbdare nebunia din
martie. Este denumirea corect pentru practica de pune n competi ie 64 dintre
cele mai bune echipe universitare de bachet n 4 ligi cu meciuri direct eliminatorii.
Anul acesta, ateptam cu nerbdare s facem un mic concurs ntre prieteni i n
familie i mi zoream amicii s compleze grilele de pronosticuri. n toiul ncercrii
de a organiza ceva frumos am simit c m enervez n mod prostesc i pueril,
pentru c cei mai muli dintre aceia care foloseau calculatoarele pentru asta
cumva nu-i aminteau parolele de la e-mailuri sau pentru c imprimanta care n
fiecare duminic scoate fr probleme foaie dup foaie pentru to i cei din grupul
meu de studiu biblic dintr-o dat s-a stricat, i am resim it acut povara de a fi
responsabil cu colectarea mizei cnd am realizat c to i cei din jurul meu aveau
aparate mai bune dect aveam eu pentru ndeplinirea sarcinii prezente. Aa mi-a
venit ideea c aplicabilitatea stoicismului traverseaz barierele de timp i cultur
pentru a servi drept ghid despre cum ar trebui s interac ionm n mod corect cu
tehnologia modern i unul cu cellalt.
Seneca descria mnia drept un acid care poate face mai mult ru vasului n care
este depozitat dect oricrui lucru peste care e turnat. Aceast afirma ie face
parte din nelepciunea universal i poate fi recunoscut de to i, prin urmare de
ce ne pierdem minile cnd aveam de-a face cu tehnologia? Aceasta se ntmpl
deoarece mnia este produsul surprizei i afrontului personal. Combina ia unic
dintre aceste dou lucruri provoac accese incontrolabile de furie oarb. Cteva
clipe de vizualizare negativ pot fi foarte utile pentru eliminarea substratului
precedent din ecuaia furiei noastre. Avem nevoie de cinci minute n fiecare zi ca
s meditm la cele mai rele lucruri care pot s ni se ntmple pentru a ne imuniza
mintea i a o echipa pentru a face fa realit ii. Optimismul este o capcan care
ne ndeamn s ateptm rezultatul cel mai bun. Din pcate, via a ( i mai ales
viaa ce implic utilizarea tehnologiei) abund n situa ii nea teptate. De
asemenea, realizarea c percepia noastr cum c ni s-a fcut ru este cea care

cauzeaz rul este util n eliminarea substratului secundar. Marc Aureliu

spunea, nltur opinia c ai fost ofensat i nlturi ofensa ns i.
Anxietatea este rezultatul ncercrii de a controla ceea ce nu este sub controlul
nostru. Soarta a decis ce se va ntmpla n fiecare zi. Domolirea sincer a grijilor
te ateapt atunci cnd realizezi c evenimentele externe din via a ta nu pot fi
dictate fie c i convine sau nu. Dac vreun termen limit se apropie repede i
soarta a planificat ca imprimanta ta s nu mai func ioneze cu cteva clipe nainte
s ai nevoie s pui un document n minile cuiva important pentru tine, e cazul s
realizezi c evenimentele premergtoare e ecului tu aparent nu erau sub
controlul tu. Nu tu ai ales ca imprimanta s nu mai func ioneze. Este la fel de
adevrat c i percepiile celorlali oameni nu sunt sub controlul tu. Epictet
spunea, Nu exist dect un singur mod de a fi fericit i acesta presupune s
ncetezi a-i mai face griji despre lucrurile care sunt dincolo de puterea sau voin a
ta.
Toi prietenii mei au a intrat ntr-o nou er odat cu apari ia tehnologiei. Nu mai
este vorba doar de presiunea colectiv la care suntem supu i pentru a ob ine
casa, maina sau serviciu perfect. Acum statutul social este, de asemenea,
dependent de aparate i accesoriile lor la fel de mult ca i orice alt lucru material
i vizibil. Panta alunecoas a tehnologiei care se nveche te pe ct de repede
este lansat pe pia, lsndu-ne cu cel mai greu caz de avari ie, plini de datorii
i venic nevoiai. Prin urmare, cum s ne scrpinm, ca s zic aa ? Epictet ne
ofer acest sfat: nelept este acela care nu se necjete pentru lucrurile pe care
nu le are ci acela care se bucur de lucrurile pe care le are. Cea mai eficient
metod de a aprecia lucrurile pe care le ai este s ncerci s te descurci fr ele.
Trimind cuiva o scrisoare prin pot ca s fii recunosctor pentru viteza emailului sau lsndu-i acas telefonul pentru a recunoa te comoditatea
accesului imediat la informaie pot fi modalit i mult mai eficiente de a ob ine
satisfacie material dect s faci o nou achizi ie.
Tutela unor oameni care au trit cu mii de ani n urm este nc aplicabil i
recomandabil n aspecte ale vieii care ne definesc epoca drept modern.
Scopul tehnologiei este s ne fac viaa mai bun i mai u oar i reu e te asta
n multe privine. De asemenea, ne ofer un mediu unic i captivant n care s ne
exercitm pentru dobndirea virtuii pe calea filosofiei stoice. Putem s intrm
instantaneu n legtur cu oameni de pe cealalt parte a pmntului, s ne
facem vecini din oameni cu care nu am fi vorbit niciodat. Avem la ndemn
toate informaiile din toate bibliotecile lumii, ceea ce face achiziia cunotinelor i
a nelepciunii accesibil tuturor, indiferent de localizarea fizic sau poziia
social. Fie c utilizm reeaua Facebook, e-mailurile sau blogurile, c realizm
o prezentare sau completm o gril de pronosticuri, scopul ultim este s intrm
n contact cu ali oameni. Dac este utilizat pentru scopuri morale tehnologia ne
poate ajuta n practicarea principiilor stoice; mai ales idea c fiecare dintre noi
este o manifestare a divinului i ar trebui tratat ca atare. Printr-o practicare zilnic

a acestor principii atunci cnd laptopul meu nu func ioneaz conform naturii sale,
eu continui s funcionez conform naturii mele.
James Gill este deintorul a dou diplome n domeniul religiei i se ocup de
implantarea unei mici biserici n East Tennessee unde i ncurajeaz pe ceilal i s
triasc simplu i plini de compasiune. James lucreaz cu copiii i i plac
drumeiile, grdinritul, lectura i muzica american veche.
Sursa articolului: https://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/stoicismtoday/2015/08/08/stoicismwhen-technology-fails-ancient-steps-for-a-modern-path-by-james-gill/
Traducerea realizat dup textul original din limba englez de ctre Constantin.
Toate drepturile aparin autorului articolului.

Stoicism When Technology Fails: Ancient

Steps for a Modern Path
by James Gill

Advice on how to avoid such fits as this. Sourced here.

Every spring millions of Americans eagerly await March madness. It is appropriate
nomenclature for a practice that pits 64 of the top ranked college basketball teams against
each other in a four conference single elimination bracket. This year, I looked forward to

a little friendly competition between friends and family and urged those that I love to fill
out brackets with me. In the midst of trying to organize something enjoyable, I
experienced silly and childish negative emotions because the people that used technology
the most somehow couldnt remember their passwords for required email accounts, the
printer that reliably churns out a sheet for everyone in my Bible study group every
Sunday suddenly went on the fritz, and I felt the weight of being our pool commissioner
most keenly when I realized that everyone around me had a better device than I did for
completing the task at hand. It occurred to me that Stoicisms applicability crosses time
and cultural barriers to serve as a guide for how we should correctly interact with
technology and each other.
Seneca described anger as an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is
stored than to anything on which it is poured. This statements universal wisdom can be
recognized by all, so why do we all lose our minds when dealing with technology? It is
because anger is the product of surprise and personal injury. It is the unique combination
of both of these things that causes uncontrollable fits of blind rage. A few moments of
negative visualization can be very helpful in the elimination of the former substrate for
our anger equation. If we take five minutes each day to meditate on the very worst things
that can happen, we have immunized our minds and equipped them to deal with reality.
Optimism is a trap that urges us to expect the best possible outcome. Unfortunately, life
(and especially life that involves technology) is rife with the unexpected. Also, realizing
that it is your perception that injury has occurred that is causing your anger is helpful in
elimination of the second substrate. Marcus Aurelius said, Reject your sense
of injury and the injury itself disappears.
Anxiety is the result of trying to control that which is not in our control. Fate has decided
what will befall you on any given day. Unaffected relief from worry awaits when you
realize that the external events of your life cannot dictate whether or not you are happy.
If a deadline is quickly approaching and fate has it in store for your printer to stop
working moments before you need to place a document into the hands of someone
important to you, realize that the events preceding your seeming imminent failure were
not in your control. You didnt choose for the printer to stop working. It is equally as
true that the perceptions of other people are not in your control. Epictetus said, There is
only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond
the power or our will.
Keeping up with the Joneses has been launched into a new era with technology. It is no
longer just the perfect house, car, job, or family that people feel societal pressure to
obtain. Now social standing is also dependent upon devices and their accessories as
much as anything else material and visible. The slippery slope is that technology expires
almost as quickly as its released, leaving those with the worst cases of avarice in debt
and constantly wanting. So how can the itch be scratched, so to speak? Epictetus offers
this: He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices
for those which he has. The most effective way to appreciate the things that you have is
to try to get by without them. Sending someone a letter through the mail to be grateful
for the speed of email or leaving your phone at home to acknowledge the convenience of

immediate access to information can be more effective for your material satisfaction than
making a new purchase.
The tutelage of men that lived thousands of years ago is still applicable and advisable in
the compartments of our lives that define our era as modern. Technologys purpose is to
make our lives better and easier, and in many ways it does. It also offers a uniquely
challenging environment in which to practice the attainment of virtue through Stoic
philosophy. We can connect instantly with people halfway across the globe, making
neighbors out of people that never would have spoken. We have access to all the
information in all the worlds libraries at our fingertips, making the pursuit of knowledge
and wisdom accessible to all regardless of physical location or social position. Whether
we are Facebooking, emailing, blogging, constructing a presentation, or filling out a
bracket, the ultimate goal is to connect with people. If used for virtuous purposes,
technology can aid us in practicing the tenants of Stoicism; chiefly the idea that everyone
is a manifestation of the divine and should be treated as such. Through daily practice of
these tenants, when my laptop doesnt work according to its nature, I can still work
according to mine.
James Gill holds two degrees in religion and leads a small church plant in East
Tennessee where he encourages others in compassionate and simple living. James works
with children and enjoys hiking, gardening, and reading and old time Americana music.
https://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/stoicismtoday/2015/08/08/stoicism-when-technologyfails-ancient-steps-for-a-modern-path-by-james-gill/