Instagram reels on stoic ideals have
become the new oracles of wisdom guiding people toward a more fulfilling life.
There is a growing and thriving trend of revisiting stoic philosophy, which
has its roots in ancient Greece. The page ‘Daily Stoic’ by influencer and
author Ryan Holiday has garnered millions of followers. Another, called ‘Paths
of Stoicism’, is about to touch a million followers. Although reels often get
blamed for shrinking our attention spans, they are here to stay — and the ones
on stoic ideals are the silver lining to this otherwise dark cloud.
The Romans’ version of stoicism is rapidly gaining popularity on the social
media platform— Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca are some names that
get thrown at you when you fire up your screen. Why has this ancient
philosophy, which espouses self-control, gratitude, and the impermanence of
life, become such a rage now?
The primary reason is the modern hustle culture, which promotes not only
increased productivity, outcomes, and rewards but also achieving such goals at
the cost of a deteriorating work-life balance and burnout. I am a part of this
culture myself, and stoic tenets have helped me make sense of things that are
important. Of course, it is always better to read the literature on stoicism,
but exhaustion and deadlines make even the thin books appear dense and
impenetrable. And as counterintuitive as it might sound, I take recourse to
reels. “Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s
left and live it properly,” says a post by Daily Stoic, quoting Aurelius.
Another goes like this: “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality
of your thoughts.” A post by Paths of Stoicism shows an anime character in
deep rumination. Protect yourself from your own thoughts’ it reads. The
page uses classic anime characters such as Ippo, Guts, Goku and Vegeta and
adds a quote on introspection, discipline and gratitude. These quotes make me
pause and reflect on my mortality; I feel grateful for life and youthfulness
and move forward with a realisation that life is transitory.
Not out of sight
‘Memento mori’ (Latin for remembrance of death), a seemingly foreboding but
liberating idea, is present all across these pages. Death, which may painfully
inch closer to us or strike suddenly, makes the pressure and the anxiety of
work and life seem inconsequential.
An old adage comes to mind: Out of sight, out of mind. And if I cannot refer
to Stoic tenets regularly, I might forget the virtues that they seek to teach
me. I, also, cannot can’t carry Aurelius’ Meditations everywhere I go, but I
always have my cellphone with me and can visit these pages whenever I want and
whisper ‘memento mori’ to myself, be it good times or bad.
But let us not go to the extremes of life and death. How about taking a break
when you’ve ground yourself enough on the corporate millstone? Stoic reels
have you covered there as well: “Just as rich fields must not be forced… so
constant work on the anvil will fracture the force of the mind,” says a post
by Daily Stoic, quoting Seneca. Such nuggets of wisdom are available precisely
because social media has become accessible and makes one realise the
importance of taking a break.
More to the trend
Stoic philosophers’ aphorisms and quotes are being popularised through the
democratising power of Instagram. But there’s more to the trend – it can
arm us against the politics of divide, hate, and bigotry. Narratives that
rally people under the clarion call of solidarity on the lines of caste,
creed, or ethnicity can give rise to hatred against the ‘Other’. These social
silos drown individual reason and incite dangerous sentiments that may have
disastrous consequences.
That is where stoicism — and reels — can help.
The philosophy helps the individual develop their reasoning capabilities and
virtue. Instead of fixating on external circumstances, one shifts their focus
on how they react to reality — a kind of self-introspection that’s much
needed today. That is how we will able to reflect on our blessings develop our
character and keep the individuality alive when it is easy to be devoured by
dangerous social ideas. Reels on Stoicism can help us develop these virtues by
being at hand when we need them to be.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)