#stoicism

About their role with nature as rational animals, about their resilience and temperance.

I may even consider them to be the epitome of living; the peak of humanity; the most enlightened and virtuous state of being before the Nirvana.

They talk about control, recognizing outside matters and controlling internal ones; but I may disagree, in some sense, with some of it.

As far as I understand Stoicism, I am only in control of myself --my emotions, my thoughts, my actions--, and I can only TRY to influence external factors, but never control them... And of course, here is where I get political:

Would a Stoic consider themselves political if it's technically not within their individual control?

Is a Stoic not in control of agreeing or disagreeing with policies? Is a Stoic not in control of demanding, searching, and enacting justice? Is a Stoic not in control of revolting, protesting, and disrupting? Is a Stoic not in control of cutting himself off from the system, and from wanting the system to change? Is a Stoic not in control of being angry at injustices and and hauling molotovs in response? Is a Stoic not in control of raising his voice at those poisoning the waters and cutting down the forests? Is a Stoic not in control of cutting down the guillotine rope?

To answer myself: No, a Stoic is not in control of many of those. A Stoic may only try to influence those factors, and even the ones in their control, many such actions are not in accordance to the Stoics virtues, hence not being a true Stroic one who does it.

After seeing a stupid wrestler practicing as a doctor, Diogenes inquired of him, "What does this mean? Is it that you may now have your revenge on the rivals who formerly beat you?" 

Seeing the child of a courtesan throw stones at a crowd, he cried out, "Take care you don't hit your father." 

A boy having shown him a dagger that he had received from an admirer, Diogenes remarked, "A pretty blade with an ugly handle." 

When some people commended a person who had given him a gratuity, he broke in with "You have no praise for me who was worthy to receive it." 

When someone asked that he might have back his cloak, "If it was a gift," replied Diogenes, "I possess it; while, if it was a loan, I am using it." 

A supposititious son having told him that he had gold in the pocket of his dress, "True," said he, "and therefore you sleep with it under your pillow." 

—Diogenes Laërtius, 6.62 

IMAGE: Bernard Picart, Diogenes (1724) 

Of the three kinds of life, the contemplative, the practical, and the rational, the Stoics declare that we ought to choose the last, for that a rational being is expressly produced by nature both for contemplation and for action. 

They tell us that the wise man will for reasonable cause make his own exit from life, on his country’s behalf or for the sake of his friends, or if he suffer intolerable pain, mutilation, or incurable disease. 

—Diogenes Laërtius, 7.130