Previous Stoicism

IF YOU WANT TO BE STEADY

“The essence of good is a certain kind of reasoned choice, just as the essence of evil is another kind. What about externals, then? They are only the raw material for our reasoned choice, which finds its own good or evil in working with them. How will it find the good? Not by marvelling at the material! For if judgements about the material are straight, that makes our choices good, but if those judgements are twisted, our choices turn bad.”

- EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES

Summary:

Epictetus explains that good and evil are not intrinsic to external things but arise from how we choose to engage with them. The raw material of life (such as events or circumstances) becomes a source of good or evil depending on how we judge and respond to it. If we make clear, reasoned judgements, our choices align with good, but if our judgements are flawed, our actions may lead to bad outcomes.

Interpretation:

For those familiar with The Daily Stoic, this quote reinforces the Stoic principle that our inner responses to external events are what truly matter. It reminds us that external circumstances are neutral—they are only “raw material” that we shape through our judgments. To live steadily and virtuously, we must cultivate clear, reasoned choices, avoiding the trap of being influenced by misguided perceptions or emotional reactions to the world around us.

 

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