Stoic philosophy beautifully explains the idea of controlling what is within our power. Interestingly, this mirrors the Indian philosophical concept from the Bhagavad Gita — “कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन” — which teaches that we have control only over our actions, not the outcomes.
Anxiety often arises from attachment to results. Both Stoicism and Indian philosophy suggest detachment (वैराग्य) as a solution — not indifference, but inner steadiness.
Similarly, the Stoic idea of observing thoughts aligns with Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, where the mind’s fluctuations (चित्तवृत्ति) are to be witnessed without identification.
Different civilizations, same timeless wisdom: control the self, not the world.
> It convinces you that the social world is a panopticon with you at the center, everyone watching with forensic attention, cataloging your failures, measuring your trembling hands against some Platonic ideal of confidence.
Funny, real-world panopticons are designed so the prison guard at the center can monitor all of the prisoners. The panopticon of anxiety flips the script, where the prisoner is trapped in the center. The guards (i.e. the gatekeepers who wield the authority, the batons, and the privileges) are in the cells, looking toward the center.
> Gradually, through sheer accumulated evidence, your threat-detection system recalibrates. The situations that once felt existential- the parties, the hangouts, the conflicts, the high-stakes conversations- become ordinary ground. You grow acquainted with fear, even friendly with it. You stop viewing your anxiety as a character flaw and start seeing it as resistance in the gym- a weight that, when lifted repeatedly, builds strength.
It sounds like you're advocating for de-sensitization training. I put myself through this as a younger man, and it worked well for me. If anyone reading The Stoic Manual has trouble putting the advice into practice, let me ask you this. Who is more admirable: the person who is fearless, or the person who overcomes their fear through great effort?
Society will tell you that fearlessness is the ideal, and will regale you with stories of bravery and heroism in life-and-death situations. It's easy to assume that brave heroes are free from the fears that plague us mere mortals. But how do you know that unflinching, unhesitating action is borne out of an *absence* of fear?
You don't. From the outside, an *absence* of fear looks exactly the same as someone who has overcome their fear through great effort. The difference in outcomes, however, is that an absence of fear breeds recklessness. Feeling the fear, and doing it anyway, is one of the definitions of courage.
So if you feel like you've reached a palpable wall of anxiety that's stopping you from doing what you *know* you should do but *feel* like you can't, remind yourself of another definition of courage:
> Courage is when you feel the fear, but you remember that something is more important.
I like that definition of courage. It doesn't require knowing the outcome or what will happen next. It mainly requires that you prioritize your values and take action in a way that reflects that.
- weighing the humiliation of failure against the comfort of invisibility.
This perfectly captures the lived experience of social anxiety in only the way a writer can. I used to struggle with social anxiety, and this was exactly the dance I experienced with each opportunity for interaction I passed up. The invisibility did come with a comfort and safety.
I teally liked this. Of course, im going to jave to read it again, and again. It's a revelation, but it also tajes practice.
Stoic philosophy beautifully explains the idea of controlling what is within our power. Interestingly, this mirrors the Indian philosophical concept from the Bhagavad Gita — “कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन” — which teaches that we have control only over our actions, not the outcomes.
Anxiety often arises from attachment to results. Both Stoicism and Indian philosophy suggest detachment (वैराग्य) as a solution — not indifference, but inner steadiness.
Similarly, the Stoic idea of observing thoughts aligns with Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, where the mind’s fluctuations (चित्तवृत्ति) are to be witnessed without identification.
Different civilizations, same timeless wisdom: control the self, not the world.
This was beautifully written and highlights vital principles for all aspects of life. Thank you for putting out such great content!
Excellent!!
An excellent take on fear and anxiety. Do it anyway! 👏👏👏
Love this 🤍
> It convinces you that the social world is a panopticon with you at the center, everyone watching with forensic attention, cataloging your failures, measuring your trembling hands against some Platonic ideal of confidence.
Funny, real-world panopticons are designed so the prison guard at the center can monitor all of the prisoners. The panopticon of anxiety flips the script, where the prisoner is trapped in the center. The guards (i.e. the gatekeepers who wield the authority, the batons, and the privileges) are in the cells, looking toward the center.
> Gradually, through sheer accumulated evidence, your threat-detection system recalibrates. The situations that once felt existential- the parties, the hangouts, the conflicts, the high-stakes conversations- become ordinary ground. You grow acquainted with fear, even friendly with it. You stop viewing your anxiety as a character flaw and start seeing it as resistance in the gym- a weight that, when lifted repeatedly, builds strength.
It sounds like you're advocating for de-sensitization training. I put myself through this as a younger man, and it worked well for me. If anyone reading The Stoic Manual has trouble putting the advice into practice, let me ask you this. Who is more admirable: the person who is fearless, or the person who overcomes their fear through great effort?
Society will tell you that fearlessness is the ideal, and will regale you with stories of bravery and heroism in life-and-death situations. It's easy to assume that brave heroes are free from the fears that plague us mere mortals. But how do you know that unflinching, unhesitating action is borne out of an *absence* of fear?
You don't. From the outside, an *absence* of fear looks exactly the same as someone who has overcome their fear through great effort. The difference in outcomes, however, is that an absence of fear breeds recklessness. Feeling the fear, and doing it anyway, is one of the definitions of courage.
So if you feel like you've reached a palpable wall of anxiety that's stopping you from doing what you *know* you should do but *feel* like you can't, remind yourself of another definition of courage:
> Courage is when you feel the fear, but you remember that something is more important.
I like that definition of courage. It doesn't require knowing the outcome or what will happen next. It mainly requires that you prioritize your values and take action in a way that reflects that.
- weighing the humiliation of failure against the comfort of invisibility.
This perfectly captures the lived experience of social anxiety in only the way a writer can. I used to struggle with social anxiety, and this was exactly the dance I experienced with each opportunity for interaction I passed up. The invisibility did come with a comfort and safety.
The Bene Gesserit knew the deal’