Applied Stoicism: Redefining Good and Bad by Mastering Desire and Aversion

This episode introduces "Applied Stoicism," an adaptation of Stoic philosophy for clinical psychology, focusing on the fundamental concepts of "good" and "bad." Dr. Taraban argues that these labels are often egocentric, defining "good" as getting what one wants and "bad" as not getting what one wants or getting what one doesn't want. He posits that much of what is dressed up as ethics or morality is, at its core, a rationalization of these egocentric desires. A crucial distinction is made between external circumstances and internal states of wanting. The podcast highlights that while external events may be beyond our control, our desires and aversions are internal and thus controllable. This internal locus of control over wanting is presented as the "silver lining," offering a path to consistent well-being regardless of external outcomes. The core practical insight is that since "wanting is free" and we are in control of what we want, we can theoretically always experience "the good" and never "the bad." This requires mastering one's capacities for desire and aversion. By practicing desire in a way that one can always get what one wants, and aversion in a way that one never gets what one doesn't want, individuals can achieve a state of perpetual satisfaction. This redefinition of good and bad has profound implications for personal agency and emotional regulation. It suggests that true contentment isn't about manipulating the external world to meet desires, but rather about cultivating internal mastery over those desires themselves. The episode sets the stage for future discussions on the specific practices involved in this mastery, hinting at a transformative approach to psychological well-being rooted in ancient philosophy.

much of what i label as good or bad is fundamentally egocentric

good is when i get what i want and bad is when i don't get what i want or when i get what i don't want

I can dress all this up in fancier language and talk about ethics and philosophies and moralities but at the end of the day most of that is rationalization

It's pretty rare for example for someone to not get what they want and call that good irrespective of their professed beliefs

i'm in control of what i want remember wanting is free

if good is getting what i want and i'm in control of what i want then at least theoretically i can always experience the good

this requires that i master my wanting my capacities for desire and aversion

I can practice desire in such a way that i can always get what i want which is good and i can practice aversion in a way that i never get what i don't want which is bad