Overview of This is The One Thing You Don’t Accept
This Daily Stoic episode (Backyard Ventures) contrasts Stoic acceptance of events beyond our control with a firm refusal to accept injustice. While Stoics teach acquiescence to what we cannot change — a useful discipline for peace of mind — they nonetheless insisted on actively opposing corruption, cruelty, and tyranny. The episode’s core message: reserve your judgments, complaints, and energy for wrongs you can and should help correct.
Key points / main takeaways
- Stoic acceptance is about recognizing what’s outside your control and learning to acquiesce (Epictetus’ “art of acquiescence”).
- Marcus Aurelius (transcript reference) counseled the power of “having no opinion” about things that don’t matter — avoid judging everything.
- Acceptance is not the same as passivity: Stoics drew a clear line when it came to injustice.
- Injustice (corruption, cruelty, tyranny) is the proper focus of our moral outrage, action, and refusal to be complicit.
- Refusing to accept injustice is both a moral obligation and a practical use of our agency; silence or resignation in the face of obvious wrongs makes us complicit.
Notable quotes & insights
- “The art of acquiescence” — Epictetus (concept highlighted).
- “He has the power to have no opinion” — Marcus Aurelius (paraphrase used in the episode).
- “The world was not asking to be judged by him.” — Used to illustrate choosing when to form opinions.
- “Injustice, whether it’s corruption or cruelty, is what we are saving our opinions and our objections for.” — Central thesis of the episode.
Practical applications / action items
- Audit your reactions: notice which things you automatically judge or complain about; practice “having no opinion” on trivial matters.
- Choose battles wisely: identify real injustices (local or systemic) where your voice, time, or skills can help.
- Act without complicity: speak up, vote, volunteer, donate, or otherwise engage rather than silently accepting wrongs.
- Focus energy on what’s actionable: avoid wasting moral or emotional resources on things outside your influence.
- Keep accountability: join or support organizations and systems that address the injustices you oppose.
Who this is for
- People practicing Stoic principles who need guidance on balancing acceptance with moral action.
- Anyone struggling with where to direct outrage or who feels guilty for not “doing more.”
- Leaders and citizens who want a principled framework for deciding when to act and when to accept.
Bottom line
Stoic wisdom teaches calm acceptance of what we cannot control, but it also demands refusal and action against what is clearly wrong. Use acceptance to preserve clarity and strength — then deploy that strength to oppose injustice rather than to tolerate it.