The attitude of staying calm and not showing strong emotions, especially in difficult situations; also a philosophy that teaches self‑control and acceptance of what you cannot change.
From Greek “Stoa,” meaning porch, because the philosopher Zeno taught in a public porch called the Stoa Poikile. His followers became known as Stoics, and their ideas as Stoicism.
Stoicism isn’t about feeling nothing; it’s about choosing what deserves your emotional energy. The core move is powerful: focus on what you can control (your actions, your attitude) and stop being dragged around by what you can’t.
Stoicism, as a philosophical tradition, has been historically associated with male philosophers and often interpreted culturally as endorsing emotional restraint, especially for men. Modern gender norms have sometimes misused 'stoicism' to pressure men to suppress emotion and to devalue emotional expression, which is stereotypically associated with women.
Use 'Stoicism' precisely for the philosophical school or as a neutral term for resilience, and avoid reinforcing gendered expectations that some genders should be more 'stoic' than others.
["emotional resilience","equanimity","calm under pressure"]
Women philosophers, writers, and practitioners have engaged with Stoic ideas, applying them to care work, social justice, and everyday life, even when excluded from formal philosophical canons.
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