Avicus Archive

Stoicism + Philosophical Nonsense by MidnightBeats June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

Currently a topic that I am exploring within my English class. We used the book "The Giver" and the 2002 movie "Equilibrium" to further our understanding on the concept (as both stories contain the usage of stoicism).

For those unfamiliar with stoicism, I'll put it in the simplest way possible:
A belief that feelings clouds good judgement. 

Yes, we've heard this story over and over in most movies... and most characters in horribly boring films have a stoic-like (Stoics being those who follow this belief) personality (so technically a very robotic-unbelieveable role), but moving along...

What's your viewpoint on stoicism? Do you agree with the concept or not?

(inb4 leaving for exams heh, so excuse me if i don't reply)

Some useful links:
Equilibrium Synopsis (Spoilers)
Equilibrium Plot (No Spoilers)

The Giver: Plot Overview (Spoilers)
Could not find a spolier-free summery of The Giver.. sorry

RightSide June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

Never heard of this before!

MidnightBeats June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

Never heard of this before!
You've probably heard of the phrase that "feelings alter your actions..." The topic stoicism is just a more in-depth discussion/exploration into that phrase.

RightSide June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

You've probably heard of the phrase that "feelings alter your actions..." The topic stoicism is just a more in-depth discussion/exploration into that phrase.
Yes I've heard of phrase but it's hard to express it.

Zintenka June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

Yeah, I know of this. But for the more non-dictionary-adept, its basically a hardass. 

IMO, I don't believe in this ideal at all and will generally make you an unapproachable person. Why would anyone wanna associate themselves with a guy who looks "dead", in a sense.

MidnightBeats June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

Yeah, I know of this. But for the more non-dictionary-adept, its basically a hardass. 

IMO, I don't believe in this ideal at all and will generally make you an unapproachable person. Why would anyone wanna associate themselves with a guy who looks "dead", in a sense.
Unless the whole community is affected by this concept of being "dead?"
Most movies with a stoicism theme have all of the participants affected by the concept (except for that one small group that dominates the movie).

True, it's hard to find an individual purely engulfed in stoicism...
And that kind of person would be your average party-pooper.

JJTheGuy June 4, 2015 at 5:06 AM UTC

Chivalry anyone?

Riskayyy June 4, 2015 at 6:06 AM UTC

Well, it depends...
You either have someone who is downright upset and that reflects their behaviour and/or actions throughout the day. 
Then on the other hand; you have people who are always seemingly happy, joyous and generally introduce a lively presence. They seem to be happy about their lives and what-not, but they're just putting that "mask of happiness" on to prevent their friends and/or family from knowing how depressed one individual actually is. After all, isn't that what stoicism really is? Enduring the pain and hardships of life without showing one bit of struggle. 

In a sense, it all comes down to the severity of an issue and how sensitive a person may be. Stoicism is something I'll never be involved in. I never want my personal issues and situations get a hold of how I treat my friends, teachers, family, the community and so forth.

About moods:
We can't simply keep the same mood throughout the day, month and future years. Why do we change moods after all?  That particular article; I was reading early today just after my last exam. This article also may be pertinent to this thread.  Just felt like throwing this paragraph in to, well, make contrast between stoic people and "bad mood swings". 
I don't always believe what the internet states, sure, but I myself have witnessed my friends look down upon humanity due to their personal lives being 'corrupt' - as they stated.

Therefore, I believe that stoicism is all dependent how sensitive an individual is.

MLGtino June 4, 2015 at 10:06 AM UTC

In plain honesty I think feelings are what make life worth living. Otherwise it's worthless and pointless.

TheTNTPotato June 4, 2015 at 11:06 AM UTC

"Don't let your feelings cloud your judgement" is also a quote from the anime Dragon Ball Z. It's one of the few that I'll never forget.

I'm actually going to talk about that scene a little bit, since it's a great example on how feelings can make us do things that, in the long run, can either be smart, or incredibly stupid. In that particular moment, the character's decisions were very stupid. If the other characters were weaker, all of them would've died, and the show would've ended there. However, the other character that was involved (she was saved because of the other character's decisions), ended up being a very important character in the third show (GT).

In almost all decisions we make, we feel some sort of feeling. That may be your "gut feeling", or feelings for a person/thing involved. It can be anything, but there is feeling. I don't necessarily think that those feelings cloud your judgment, but they're risky feelings that can either result in either great decisions, or terrible ones. That's why you have to at least attempt to put logic into play whenever you make important decisions.

EDIT: I think I missed the big picture xd Feelings are important, and you should use feelings, and express those feelings. However, you also have to think logically.

MLGtino June 4, 2015 at 11:06 AM UTC

"Don't let your feelings cloud your judgement" is also a quote from the anime Dragon Ball Z. It's one of the few that I'll never forget.

I'm actually going to talk about that scene a little bit, since it's a great example on how feelings can make us do things that, in the long run, can either be smart, or incredibly stupid. In that particular moment, the character's decisions were very stupid. If the other characters were weaker, all of them would've died, and the show would've ended there. However, the other character that was involved (she was saved because of the other character's decisions), ended up being a very important character in the third show (GT).

In almost all decisions we make, we feel some sort of feeling. That may be your "gut feeling", or feelings for a person/thing involved. It can be anything, but there is feeling. I don't necessarily think that those feelings cloud your judgment, but they're risky feelings that can either result in either great decisions, or terrible ones. That's why you have to at least attempt to put logic into play whenever you make important decisions.

EDIT: I think I missed the big picture xd Feelings are important, and you should use feelings, and express those feelings. However, you also have to think logically.
Adults are usually wiser about what they do because their *frontal lobe  is more developed than those of kids. This is the part of the brain that helps control thoughts and decisions.

TheTNTPotato June 4, 2015 at 11:06 AM UTC

Adults are usually wiser about what they do because their *frontal lobe  is more developed than those of kids. This is the part of the brain that helps control thoughts and decisions.
That doesn't take away the fact that feelings do contribute to the decisions you make everyday. We need to use our feelings to make decisions (mainly to make life more interesting), but you also have to think logically. 

*Not sure if you were just supporting the statement or not. Either way, I'll add more ;p

Okiba June 4, 2015 at 8:06 PM UTC

@OP, The Giver was an okay book. The ending kinda sucked. Gud ting it's a series :>

Newcleus June 4, 2015 at 8:06 PM UTC

All I know about this is that Equilibrium has some really cool fight scenes.

MLGtino June 4, 2015 at 9:06 PM UTC

@OP, The Giver was an okay book. The ending kinda sucked. Gud ting it's a series :>
I like it when people say the ending is bad. It's actually kind of funny because nobody knows the real intention of the end.

MidnightBeats June 4, 2015 at 10:06 PM UTC

All I know about this is that Equilibrium has some really cool fight scenes.
o/

DaGoldBrick June 4, 2015 at 10:06 PM UTC

There's absolutely no doubt feelings don't  cloud "good judgement", feelings are something which you can't even program into an AI, it's what makes us human.

an AI, for example, would probably make the best choices you programmed it for.

but would you use the AI to choose risky situations or trust yourself/your feelings, good judgement and judgement aren't necessarily 2 different things as we would choose the best choice available for us, or our friend, or whatever it is (insert Nash equilibrium example here).
If such thing as a "bad judgement" exists, our feelings wouldn't have that big of an impact imo (unless you have a mental illness or w/e).

rip grammar errors, cba to fix, even tho phone typing butchered it all!!