Today, I denounce stoicism, I denounce modern philosophical tenets founded by European men.
I’ve tried and retried to capture my thoughts coherently, but I failed. So I’ll let my haphazard but authentic text messages to a friend take the stage, think of it as a contemporary ‘dialogue’ a la Socrates.
Q: [Redacted] said something to me yesterday that gave me final resolve [something that’s been] on my mind a lot lately.
Which is that dominant (European) modern philosophy, centered around logic, rationalism, empiricism and utilitarianism. As well as the revival of Stoicism, originating from Greek and Roman MEN – are not made for women.
I’ve studied the Stoics for 6 years Seneca’s letters of a Stoic, Epictetus’ discources, and Marcus Aurelius’ meditations. And modern continental philosophers for more, trying to emulate their rationality and stoicism — and suddenly I’m thinking. What the hell?
What made us think our rationality is rational, given our very extreme limitations as individuals, and give intersubjectivity?
Most of all. How can you expect us to be Stoics when we are BUILT to care, feel, and love deeply?
If a loved one were to die today (*knocks wood*), I would not sagely think that “I shall take only my portioned lot of the feast and let it move on.” (Epictetus, or one of them). I will bloody grieve and not get over it for the rest of my life, and I don’t want to get over it.
Even most renowned female philosophers, such as Simone de Beauvoir, whom I despise, write about feminism in relation to men, never passing the philosopher’s Bechdel test, and whom I think of as what today would be a pick-me girl. And yes, there are exceptions such as Hannah Arendt, who while primarily writes on political theory, tread but lightly on human nature.
I’ve a theory that the Philosophy of women must tend towards the mystical, and those whose works are known, preserved, and recognized, must be of value to the church.
Back to [redacted] – she really put the final nail into my denouncement of male-centric philosophy.
[A conversation led me to say] “yeah, you’re born stoic. But she said no, is 练出来的 (trained from life), but with my child I can’t be stoic, you see that’s who I really am.”
So to be woman is to suffer extreme love, which is our gift and our curse, and that modern philosophy completely negates, forcing us to go against our nature to suffer less.
I feel like my eyes are opened suddenly, I’ve always tried to be male in thought but I’m not.
I’m disgusted now at my 25 year old self thinking, wow, Foucalt and Kant and Rousseau were Enlightened geniuses, when in fact they were men who were not equipped to manage their feelings, and thus couched it as raison, räisonieren, reason, as ‘the state of nature’, as ‘utilitarianism’.
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That’s all I have.
Tomorrow, I start over. I start with women who write not in an axis with men, nor within the structure of men (including the church). I start with Simone Weil. Then, I will read across the waters into other continents.
Q 