"I see this pattern often in high-functioning people: executives, lawyers, physicians, and academics who believe they're doing something noble by staying "objective" at all times. They pride themselves on not taking things personally, on remaining logical in conflict, and on moving past feelings quickly. Over time, however, many of them report a subtle erosion of connection. There is an inverse relationship between their sharpening moral certainty and thinning relationships as their empathy becomes conditional."
"This is not what the Stoics intended. Classical Stoicism was never about emotional suppression. It was about emotional literacy and self-governance. The Stoics understood that emotions arise automatically, shaped by biology and experience, and that wisdom lies not in denying those reactions but in choosing how to respond to them. Reason was meant to work with emotion, not against it."
Stoicism was never meant to eliminate emotion; it intended to cultivate emotional literacy and self-governance. Emotions arise automatically from biology and experience, and wisdom requires choosing responses rather than denying feelings. Rationality functions best as a tool that partners with emotion, not as a posture that suppresses it. Excessive reliance on detached objectivity can create distance, reduce clarity, and erode empathy and relationships. High-functioning professionals often display moral certainty alongside thinning personal connections. Emotional restraint differs from emotional regulation; discernment and responsibility toward feelings preserve judgment, empathy, and the richness of life.
Read at Psychology Today
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