Stoic Concept

Dispreferred Externals

Things naturally avoided but which don't determine our unhappiness.

Dispreferred externals include things like illness, poverty, and bad reputation that we naturally want to avoid but which don't actually determine our well-being or virtue. Understanding this category helps us take reasonable precautions without excessive anxiety about potential losses. We can work to avoid negative outcomes while accepting them calmly if they occur, recognizing that our happiness and virtue don't depend on external circumstances.

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