If you told me that you were about to be captured and tortured by a ruthless enemy and held for over seven years in squalid conditions, I’d tell you to study the teachings of the Buddha and Epictetus.
They represent two worthy philosophies on suffering, in some ways contradictory and in some ways complementary.
Vice-Admiral James B. Stockdale, 81, died yesterday at his home in Coronado, California.
Stockdale is most famous for joining the ticket of Ross Perot for his quixotic 1992 run for President.
Born on December 23rd, 1923, in Abingdon, Illinois, he went on to graduate from the Naval Academy before heading up the Naval War College. He discovered ancient philosophy while pursuing a master’s degree at Stanford.
His studies would be a source of strength to Stockdale after his aircraft was shot down over North Vietnam on September 9th, 1965.
Upon his capture he was savagely beaten and his knee was broken. They would break his knee again during his captivity, which included four years of solitary confinement, and another two in leg irons.
:::flip:::
It’s hard to imagine the magnitude of Stockdale’s suffering. But even as he floated to the ground and certain capture, he whispered to himself “Five years down there, at least. I’m leaving the world of technology and entering the world of Epictetus.”
Who was Epictetus?
Epictetus traveled to the city of Nicopolis on the Adriatic coast in northwest Greece where he set up his own philosophical school. (Nicopolis was on the main route between Rome and Athens.) Many distinguished Greeks and Romans visited Epictetus’ school, including Hadrian, the Roman emperor from A.D. 117–138. One such visitor was Lucius Flavianus Arrianus Xenophon, Arrian for short, a Roman citizen from the province of Bithynia, who studied with Epictetus from about A.D. 107 to 109 before becoming a leading Roman politician and historian. Epictetus, like his hero Socrates, evidently wrote nothing down. His teachings survive through Arrian’s written version of Epictetus’ school lectures and conversations, entitled the Discourses.
Epictetus’ school became famous. His Discourses influenced Aurelius, the Stoic philosopher-king who was emperor of Rome from A.D. 161 to 180. Aurelius’ own written work, the Meditations, is largely a collection of Stoic reflections echoing ideas learned from Epictetus. Aurelius was only 14 years old when Epictetus died in A.D. 135.
Apart from his teachings, little is known of Epictetus’ life. Epictetus became lame, either from rheumatism or because of the cruelty of his master Epaphroditus. He lived a life of great austerity and simplicity, and he chose to marry at a late age and adopt an orphan child who would otherwise have been left to die.
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You can learn more about Epictetus’s philosophy here.
Stockdale died from Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s possible that he was suffering some of the early effects of the ailment during the 1992 run with Perot.
During a debate with Quayle and Gore, Stockdale appeared to become confused and blurted out: “Who am I? “Why am I here?”
For most Americans, the debate was their introduction to Stockdale , and his performance was ridiculed in the papers and on Saturday Night Live. It was a sad fate for a very reflective and courageous man.
He is survived by his wife, four sons and eight grandchildren.