Strengthening Your Resolve: Why It's Not a Sign of Weakness
In a world where strength is often equated with emotional detachment, two historical figures, Marcus Aurelius and Michael Collins, challenge this notion. Both men, one a Roman Emperor and the other an Irish revolutionary, were known to have cried without self-consciousness, defying the stereotype of stoicism as emotionless.
Marcus Aurelius, a proponent of Stoicism, was not considered weak according to the philosophy he espoused. Stoicism does not demand the suppression of feelings but rather teaches mastery over one's responses and living in harmony with reason and virtue. The Stoics, including Marcus Aurelius, were strong because they maintained control over what was important and what they had to do, despite their emotions.
His *Meditations* reveal a man deeply committed to self-examination, discipline, and moral improvement, without any arrogance or claim of perfection. Marcus Aurelius exemplified this ideal by striving to act virtuously and rationally in alignment with nature, reflecting strength rather than weakness. What would there be to admire in a stoic who was emotionless?
Michael Collins, Ireland's great hero, was not immune to tears, according to his biographer, Frank O'Conner. Recording all of Collins' crying instances would give the impression of hysteria, but he was not hysterical. Instead, Collins' emotional honesty highlights his authentic striving toward virtue and reason under the demands of leadership and life, consistent with Stoic ideals of endurance, wisdom, and self-reliance.
Both Marcus Aurelius and Michael Collins are examples of individuals who exhibit the virtue of discipline despite their human emotions. The virtue of discipline is considered important, as evidenced by the book about it. It is not wrong for Marcus Aurelius to express his emotions through crying occasionally, nor does it imply dwelling in self-pity.
People in earlier centuries, including Marcus Aurelius and Michael Collins, seemed to cry without self-consciousness. Marcus Aurelius was not repressed or overly concerned with public perception. Tears of grief do not make Marcus Aurelius weak; never leaving one's house is a different matter.
In conclusion, Marcus Aurelius and Michael Collins, despite their emotional displays, were not weakened by their feelings. Instead, they embodied the Stoic ideal of strength through control and discipline, demonstrating that emotional honesty and human vulnerability can coexist with resilience and integrity.
References: [1] Irvine, A. (2008). The Stoics. Oxford University Press. [2] Long, A. A., & Sedley, D. N. (2002). The Hellenistic Philosophers. Cambridge University Press. [3] Gill, M. (2010). The Structured Self in Hellenistic Philosophy. Oxford University Press.
In these instances, Marcus Aurelius and Michael Collins exemplify that emotional honesty and human vulnerability can coexist with resilience and integrity, disputing the notion that strength is equivalent to emotional detachment. Their lifestyles, marked by discipline and self-examination, align with ideas of education-and-self-development and personal-growth, highlighting the importance of mindfulness in cultivating a strong character.
Through their emotional expressions and authentic striving toward virtue and reason, both figures challenge the stereotype of stoicism as cold or emotionless, proving that strength can be displayed not only through control but also through emotionally-healthy relationships.
