Podcast Summary:

The Daily Stoic – Why EVERY Generation Rediscovers Stoicism | Mark Manson & Ryan Holiday
Date: December 7, 2025
Guests: Ryan Holiday, Mark Manson, Stephen Hanselman (co-host), with discussions from Dan and other guests

Main Theme

This episode explores why Stoicism, an ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, keeps resurfacing through history as a source of wisdom, resilience, and self-mastery. Ryan Holiday and Mark Manson dive into Stoicism’s recurring appeal to generations of leaders, thinkers, and ordinary individuals—especially in turbulent times—linking its principles to modern psychology, historical events, and enduring self-help traditions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stoicism's Enduring Appeal Across Generations

[05:21–08:24]

• Stoicism has long been a “secret weapon” among elites—from ancient philosophers to Enlightenment thinkers and political leaders like the Founding Fathers.
• Its role as a “governor” for ambitious, talented individuals was highlighted, suggesting it offers grounding for those groomed for power or success.
• Stoicism resurfaces during turbulent times because when the world feels uncontrollable, people turn inward for self-mastery.
  • Quote: “When the world feels like it's out of control, people are like, ‘Oh, I got to get better at controlling myself. What's the smartest stuff ever written on that topic? It's from Greece and Rome.’”
    – Stephen Hanselman, [07:34]

2. Stoicism and Christianity: Deep Interconnections

[08:24–10:04]

• Early Christian thinkers, including Paul and Thomas Aquinas, were influenced by Stoic ideas.
• There are accounts of direct interaction, e.g., Paul studying Stoicism in Tarsus and engaging with philosophers in Athens.
• Stoic wisdom was absorbed into Christian doctrine and reemerged in the Renaissance with the proliferation of texts.
  • Quote: “Even in the early days they were like engaging and interacting with each other less contentiously than we might imagine.”
    – Stephen Hanselman, [08:55]

3. Stoicism Pop Culture & Historical Influence

[10:04–12:14]

• Stoic ideas permeated Western culture, often through literature, e.g., Shakespeare and the popular play "Cato," a favorite of George Washington.
• The Serenity Prayer, often mistaken as ancient, reflects Stoic, Christian, and Buddhist wisdom intermingled—a testament to Stoicism’s universal truths.

4. Stoicism as Resilience: James Stockdale’s Story

[12:14–13:32]

• Navy pilot James Stockdale survived imprisonment during the Vietnam War by drawing on Stoic philosophy, specifically Epictetus.
  • Quote: “Supposedly as he's parachuting down into what he knows is going to be imprisonment, possibly death. He says, ‘I am leaving the world of technology and entering the world of Epictetus.’”
    – Stephen Hanselman, [12:32]

5. Stoicism and Modern Psychology

[13:32–17:40]

• Stoic frameworks closely align with cognitive behavioral therapies developed by Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis.
  • The three-part Epictetus model—Desire, Action, Assent—parallels CBT’s focus on thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.
  • Journaling and “narrative therapy” echo Seneca’s approaches to reevaluating one’s experiences and thoughts.
  • Quote: “There's a shocking amount of overlap... Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis, who did REBT, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, they do credit the Stoics with a lot of that.”
    – Guest Expert, [15:06]
• Philosophy in the ancient world functioned similarly to modern therapy or support groups: ongoing, practical, communal.

6. Limits of Ancient Stoicism and Updating for Today

[19:24–24:15]

• Stoicism isn’t perfect for all psychological issues, especially severe emotional or mental health cases—though it excels in "cognitive reappraisal."
  • Quote: “Where I feel it lacking at times is on the more of the emotional side... When you are consumed frequently by anger or when you are so sad you can't get out of bed, how do you work with that?... Probably until modern times.”
    – Dan, [20:54]
• Ancient Stoics often responded to contexts of war, mortality, and social obligation; our modern focus on happiness and meaning adds nuances they didn’t address.

7. Stoicism’s Rediscovery in Modern Times

[26:35–28:49]

• Modern repopularization is partly enabled by tools like social media, podcasts, and accessible books for a wider audience.
  • Holiday credits Robert Greene’s method of illustrating timeless truths with relatable stories as shaping his own approach.
  • Practical framing of Stoic wisdom (i.e., “The Obstacle is the Way,” “Ego is the Enemy”) meets people’s latent needs.

8. Internet Stoicism, Bro-culture, and Backlash

[30:26–34:41]

• The mainstreaming of Stoicism introduces distortions: some “faceless channels” on social media reduce Stoicism to “brocism” or macho productivity hacks.
  • Quote: “If your interpretation of stoicism is that it'll help you be a better sociopath, you're getting it totally wrong.”
    – Stephen Hanselman, [32:13]
• Despite some misreadings, the hosts prefer broader exposure and engagement, even if only partial, to ignorance.
  • Stoicism’s popularity still lags far behind philosophies like Buddhism, suggesting there’s much potential left.

9. Core Stoic Ideas Summarized (The 80/20 Rule)

[37:09–39:15]

• The essence: You cannot control what happens, only your response—which is always an opportunity to practice virtue (courage, justice, self-control, wisdom).
  • Quote: “You don't control what happens. You control how you respond to what happens... It fucking sucks that you have cancer... And now, what are you going to make of this?”
    – Stephen Hanselman, [37:09 & 38:08]
• The virtues become most relevant in adversity.
• Stoic texts (Meditations, Seneca, Epictetus) should be revisited throughout life; their meaning deepens as we change.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• [07:08] “It's almost like history's self help.” – Dan
• [12:32] “I am leaving the world of technology and entering the world of Epictetus.” – Account of James Stockdale
• [16:57] “Philosophy was this ongoing thing, more similar to what a therapist's role is in someone's life.” – Stephen Hanselman
• [23:13] “Not until Gandhi, that we're like, oh, you don't have to, like, kill and murder someone that you disagree with. There's, like, other ways of producing political change.” – Stephen Hanselman
• [32:13] “If your interpretation of stoicism is that it'll help you be a better sociopath, you're getting it totally wrong.” – Stephen Hanselman
• [38:08] “It fucking sucks that you have cancer. It fucking sucks that someone just stole all your money... And now, what are you going to make of this?” – Stephen Hanselman

Important Timestamps

• [05:21–08:24] – Stoicism’s secret role among elites and its resurgence in turbulent times
• [08:24–10:04] – Stoicism’s influence on Christianity and the Renaissance
• [10:04–12:14] – Stoic ideas in Western literature and popular culture
• [12:14–13:32] – The James Stockdale story: Stoicism in crisis
• [13:32–17:40] – Direct impact on modern therapy and psychology
• [19:24–24:15] – Where Stoicism falls short emotionally and how perspectives have shifted
• [26:35–28:49] – Role of modern media in Stoicism's popularity
• [30:26–34:41] – Internet “brocism,” misreadings and why inclusion still matters
• [37:09–39:15] – The 80/20 of Stoicism: Virtue in adversity, daily application

Conclusion

Stoicism endures not because it is trendy, but because its simple, fundamental advice—control what you can, respond with virtue, revisit wisdom often—offers repeatable value for every generation. The episode draws clear connections between ancient philosophy, Christianity, psychology, and modern self-help, illustrating why Stoicism is “your favorite person’s favorite philosophy.” Ryan Holiday and guests argue Stoicism’s worth lies not in perfect doctrine, but in ongoing, practical application—especially during life’s greatest challenges.