Stoicism And Shame COSP
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ISSUE 37
August 2022
A publication of the College of Stoic Philosophers
THE STOIC PHILOSOPHER
STOICISM AND SHAME
STOICISM AND SHAME
BY GEORGE NAGLE, FCSP
I was prompted to write this essay by an
email I recently received from a former
client of mine in the university counselling
service where I work as a psychotherapist.
Two years ago, she had presented with
anxiety primarily caused by inherent
shame. During the course of our work over
three months, I referred her to a workbook
based on traditional Stoicism. In her email,
she wrote to let me know how she had
subsequently become immersed in Stoicism
and how it had helped her manage, and
ultimately defeat, her shame. In this essay, I
hope to demonstrate how Stoicism, from a
psychotherapeutic perspective, can help a
person overcome persistent shame.
In understanding shame from a Stoic
perspective, it is important to define it from
a psychological perspective. In psychology,
shame is seen as a debilitating selfconscious emotion triggered by a belief that
one is dishonourable or unworthy. Kaufman
described it simply and well when he wrote
“The inner experience of shame is like a
sickness within the self, a sickness of the
soul.” (1996, p.5).
In Stoicism, shame is primarily seen as an
emotional experience. Zeno delineated four
basic passions or emotions (pathé): Pain,
fear, craving and pleasure. Diogenes
Laertius refined these to include shame as a
form of fear. Shame can initially manifest
itself as a form of 'pre-emotion'
(propatheiai). Blushing would be a primary
example of the pre-emotive subconscious
pinch of shame, as in Posidonius's emotive
or irrational tugs.
Psychotherapy includes the techniques of
regulation of painful emotions via cognitive
distancing and objective reasoning. This is
where the mind distances
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itself from a
disturbing thought and then attempts to
apply rationality to that emotion-laden
thought. Stoicism sees this process of
regulation as the judgement of
propositions. Impressions (phantasia) occur
and contain both perceptions and value
judgements which form propositions. The
mind will then judge these propositions and
will accept or reject them via assent or nonassent (sunkatathesis). In doing this, the
person will use logical reasoning (logos) in
alignment with morally excellent virtue
(areté).
So, we can see that modern
psychotherapeutic concepts and processes
resonate with ancient Stoic concepts and
processes. The ultimate goal, of Stoic
assent or non-assent, is freedom from
unhelpful emotions which leaves us with a
peaceful mind that is open to the joy of
living. As Epictetus exhorted “Check your
passions that you may not be punished by
them.” (2004, p.24).
In some respects, Stoic virtue can be
compared to Freud's concept of the
superego which is that part of the
psyche which self-judges the person by
comparison with an idealised image of
self. Shame, generated by superego
judgment, is seen as painful and
unhelpful.
Psychotherapy asks the person to
express that painful emotion. To explore
that dysfunctional thought. To become
aware of and analyse that subconscious
belief. To understand that traumatic
memory.
Stoicism focuses on little of this.
Instead, it requires the craft of paying
constant mindful attention to one's
psyche, especially one's thoughts and
behaviours (prosoché). This allows for
consistent application of virtue, by using
principles and reason in the moment, so
that one can continuously live according
to Stoic nature. In this process shame,
and other unhelpful thoughts and
emotions, can be reasoned away
moment by moment. As Hadot said:
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“For
the Stoics, the person who is ‘awake’ is
always perfectly conscious not only of
what he does, but of what he is.” (1995,
p.130.)
In the application of Stoic principles via
constant mindful attention it could be
argued that, just as we are
psychologically conditioned by our
childhood, society, culture, religion etc.,
ISSUE 37 //August 2022
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ISSUE 37
we can also be conditioned by Stoic
principles. While Stoicism can be a personal
journey, there are universal themes within
Stoicism and its principles. So, in terms of
free will and determinism, it could be
argued that acceptance and adherence to
universal Stoic principles denies us
elements of free thought and free will.
However, it would be very difficult to argue
that adherence to Stoicism’s good
emotions (eupatheiai) would do anything
other than provide us with a peaceful mind.
Thus, Joy (charan), Caution (eulabeian) and
Wishing (boulesin) provide essential
building blocks of virtue and, by extension,
assist in the development of a healthy
psychological process. If, when engaging
with the world, a person was to constantly
adhere to the subsets of these good
emotions – mirth and cheerfulness,
modesty and reverence, benevolence and
friendliness - then that person's psyche
would have little reason to generate shame.
Shame is an internal experience that is
unpleasant. For a Stoic, shame arises from
one's own non-adherence to virtue. Similar
to the superego’s idealised self, Stoic virtue
asks that we strive for perfect moral
excellence within our mind. However, as the
Irish proverb asserts: Ní bhíonn saoi gan
locht - there is no wise person without fault.
The perfect sage does not exist. Therefore,
all Stoics will experience shame. For Stoics,
shame is an impression that subsequently
presents itself as a proposition. That
shame-laden proposition then asks: Am I
guilty of something that is not in
accordance with my virtue?
Thus shame, from a Stoic perspective, can
be both a painful intrusion and a welcome
reminder. Having applied reason and virtue
to the proposition, assented shame is an
opportunity for remorse and learning. I
must pause, reflect, atone, learn
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and move
on. In doing this, I can re-establish
happiness via human flourishing
(eudaimonia) and further develop my
virtue. So, the Stoic intrapsychic process of
analysing one’s shame can enhance one’s
virtue. Enhancing virtue helps one become
increasingly immune to internal and
external judgement and consequently
increasingly immune to shame. As Seneca
August 2022
proposed: “There can be no such good
except as the soul discovers it for itself
within itself. Virtue alone affords everlasting
and peace-giving joy; even if some obstacle
arises, it is but like an intervening cloud,
which floats beneath the sun but never
prevails against it.” (2015, p.61).
Though there are similarities, Stoic virtue
differs from our superego in helpful ways.
Punitive superego attacks, which generate
shame, usually focus on self-perceptions. I
am stupid. I am useless. I am boring. For
Stoics, shame is seen as being triggered by
behaviour towards others. Musonius Rufus
posited that a wise person is not shamed by
others but that “He believes that the shame
comes from not in being insulted but in
behaving in an insulting manner.” (2011,
p.50). Therefore, once our intention is
consistently in accordance with virtue and
reason then we should not concern
ourselves with the outcome. We have
behaved ethically and are not guilty of
anything. So, there is no reason to feel
shame.
Thus, when people are constantly focused
on living according to nature, and
consequently behaving virtuously by living
for the welfare of mankind, then, as Marcus
Aurelius wrote, “They’re like a vine that
produces grapes without looking for
anything in return.” (2012, 5.6). This
absolute adherence to virtue would mean
that one's psychological energy is focused
solely on a way of being that cannot
generate shame.
I believe
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that Stoicism can have an
important part to play in developing and
maintaining a healthy psyche. It requires a
deep understanding of Stoic logic and
ethics, especially morally excellent virtue
(areté), logical reasoning (logos) and
constant mindful attention to one’s
thoughts and behaviours (prosoché). It also
requires a strong commitment to
maintaining these as our primary guiding
principles and conscious cognitive
processes. Arius Didymus put it succinctly
when he said “...the belief that the sage
does everything well is consistent with his
completing everything in accord with
correct reasoning and in a fashion which is
in accord with virtue, which is the art that
deals with life as a whole.” (quoted in
Sellars, 2014, p.37).
In conclusion, I would like to refer again
to the client I mentioned in my opening
paragraph. In her email, she wrote about
how Stoicism had eventually created
what she called an “antivirus program”
in her mind. Her mind had begun to
automatically process her thoughts and
emotions in a much less self-critical
way. Consequently, the intensity of her
shame and associated anxiety has
greatly decreased. Such can be the
reward for immersion in Stoic logic and
ethics.
George’s interest in Stoicism was
sparked 23 years ago by a
reference to Stoicism in a paper
he was reading about cognitive
therapy. He then began to
research Stoicism and has
completed the SES and the Marcus
Aurelius courses. Over the years,
he has used Stoicism to help deal
with the existential stumbling
blocks that fate lays before us. He
has never been the perfect sage
and he sometimes strays from the
Stoic path. However, each time he
returns, he realises that Stoicism
answers all his questions and
brings peace to his mind. George
was born and lives in Ireland, he is
married and
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works in a university.
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References
Epictetus (2004) Enchiridion. Translated by
George Long. New York: Dover Publications
Hadot, P. (1995) Philosophy as a Way of Life.
Translated by Michael Chase. Oxford:
Blackwell Publishers
Kaufman G. (1996) The Psychology of Shame.
(second edition). New York: Springer
Publishing Company
Musonius Rufus (2011) Musonius Rufus –
Lectures & Sayings. (revised edition). Translated
by Cynthia King. www.CreateSpace.com:
William B. Irvine
Sellars, J. (2014) Stoicism. New York: Routledge
Seneca (2015) Letters from a Stoic. Translated
by Richard Mott Gummere. Los Angeles:
Enhanced Media
Marcus Aurelius (2012) Meditations.
Translated by Gregory Hays. New York: The
Modern Library
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