Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Stoics pursued a mental state called ‘apatheia’ (from which the English word ‘apathy’ derived). They saw this mental state as a condition for living according to nature; the latter is a Stoic’s ultimate goal and virtue. However, the word ‘apathy’ in contemporary language has a different meaning than the Greek ‘apatheia,’ as ‘apathy’ has a pretty negative charge, pointing to a state of emotional numbness.
The Stoic meaning of ‘apatheia’ is different, as it refers to a mind that isn’t disturbed by the passions (or “patheia”), not the absence of emotions altogether. So, being ‘apathetic’ in the Stoic sense means ‘being undisturbed by the passions’ or ‘equanimity,’ a pleasurable state in which we feel emotionally calm and content. But what about the opposite, namely, being ‘pathetic?’ This video explores the roots of patheticness, the harmful consequences, and how we can avoid being pathetic through the lens of Stoic philosophy.
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Seneca bust: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S%C3%A9n%C3%A8que_Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Hautefort_16.jpg
Seneca portrait: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portret_van_filosoof,_staatsman_en_toneelschrijver_Lucius_Annaeus_Seneca_Seneca_(titel_op_object),_RP-P-1888-A-13694.jpg
Epictetus: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Discourses_-_Epictetus_(illustration_1)_(9021700938).jpg
Cartouche Epictetus: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cartouche_met_een_citaat_van_Epictetus_Variarum_protractionum_(..)_(serietitel),_RP-P-1888-A-12644.jpg
Epicurus: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greece_from_the_Coming_of_the_Hellenes_to_AD._14,_page_257,_Epicurus.jpg
Nervous young woman: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_young_woman_is_sitting_in_a_chair_reading_a_story_which_ha_Wellcome_V0040287.jpg
#stoicism #epictetus #stoic
00:00 - Intro
01:24 - What makes us pathetic?
06:10 - Pathos expained
10:43 - How to stop being pathetic?
The Stoics pursued a mental state called ‘apatheia’ (from which the English word ‘apathy’ derived). They saw this mental state as a condition for living according to nature; the latter is a Stoic’s ultimate goal and virtue. However, the word ‘apathy’ in contemporary language has a different meaning than the Greek ‘apatheia,’ as ‘apathy’ has a pretty negative charge, pointing to a state of emotional numbness.
The Stoic meaning of ‘apatheia’ is different, as it refers to a mind that isn’t disturbed by the passions (or “patheia”), not the absence of emotions altogether. So, being ‘apathetic’ in the Stoic sense means ‘being undisturbed by the passions’ or ‘equanimity,’ a pleasurable state in which we feel emotionally calm and content. But what about the opposite, namely, being ‘pathetic?’ This video explores the roots of patheticness, the harmful consequences, and how we can avoid being pathetic through the lens of Stoic philosophy.
Support the channel:
✔️ PayPal: paypal.me/einzelgangerco
✔️ Patreon: patreon.com/einzelgangster
✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC
(Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)
🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa:
youtube.com/user/jus7y
Purchase Stoicism for Inner Peace (affiliate links):
📘 Paperback: amzn.to/3wB9iHb
💻 Ebook: amzn.to/2RdjbKV
Purchase Unoffendable (affiliate links):
📘 Paperback: amzn.to/2RJYfti
💻 Ebook: amzn.to/35e23a5
Merchandise:
🛍️ Shop: teespring.com/stores/einzelgangerstore
🛍️ Merchandise design by Punksthetic Art:
youtube.com/user/JRStoneart
Creative Commons (attributions):
Seneca bust: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S%C3%A9n%C3%A8que_Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Hautefort_16.jpg
Seneca portrait: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portret_van_filosoof,_staatsman_en_toneelschrijver_Lucius_Annaeus_Seneca_Seneca_(titel_op_object),_RP-P-1888-A-13694.jpg
Epictetus: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Discourses_-_Epictetus_(illustration_1)_(9021700938).jpg
Cartouche Epictetus: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cartouche_met_een_citaat_van_Epictetus_Variarum_protractionum_(..)_(serietitel),_RP-P-1888-A-12644.jpg
Epicurus: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greece_from_the_Coming_of_the_Hellenes_to_AD._14,_page_257,_Epicurus.jpg
Nervous young woman: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_young_woman_is_sitting_in_a_chair_reading_a_story_which_ha_Wellcome_V0040287.jpg
#stoicism #epictetus #stoic
00:00 - Intro
01:24 - What makes us pathetic?
06:10 - Pathos expained
10:43 - How to stop being pathetic?
