Why being a stoic isn't apathetic... or is it?
Day 1 of The Cambridgeshire meeting always demands a little philosophical thinking!
I won’t bore you with the details, but I had a minor meltdown with the NHS system this week. I was suddenly ordered to an outpatient trauma appointment, which, because Hospital A is unaware that I had a broken ankle six weeks ago and been on crutches since, meant my appointment was pointless. The appointment was to follow-up and continue on the lack of progress on the rehabilitation of my shoulder. There is no progress because there is no physio, (and there isn’t any actually available), but because it has been offered, a box has been ticked.
So as I finished the 5 minute non-appointment, after a 45-minute journey, I also discovered that:
All crutches (retail cost approx £15) and walking cast boots (£35) are considered one time use only and are therefore thrown away. The fact that the boots have liners that can be washed and/or replaced into the near unbreakable plastic cast is immaterial.
Secondly, the hospital out-patients department was unaware of my ankle because I had been treated in GWH which is in Wiltshire, not Berkshire. I thought the whole point of a universal NHS patient number, linked to a DoB, was to provide a centralised data point. Not so. They will not put the details on your NHS app, nor necessarily inform your GP. No X-rays, test results, or scans, are transferred to the cloud, and your record remains unblemished by medical facts.
There are times when I realise I should take a more robust attitude to the ills of the world. I should, perhaps, take on the manner of a pupil of Epictetus in adopting the modern interpretation of Stoicism. Indeed, people have said: “Don’t be an ass. There’s nothing you can do about it, and anyway, doing something about it, might be bordering on the vulgar.”
Aah, I know what you’re saying to yourselves, Epictetus? Stoics? Surely, you mean Zeno? Well, of course you’re right, but that all stems from a time, when being stoical meant something quite different. The original “ancient” Stoicism, founded by Zeno of Citium around 300 BCE, was a complete philosophical system which recommended firstly the study of reason and knowledge, and then learning how to apply it correctly. That led to Logic. Secondly, Zeno recommended taking a worldview encompassing metaphysics and natural science, which held that the cosmos is a single, rational, and ordered whole (often called Nature or Divine Reason). That branch of Stoicism was known as the Physics. The final element was the study of the methods required to live a good life (Eudaimonia). The Stoics argued that Virtue, which consisted in equal parts of Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Temperance, was the only true good, and was achieved by living in accordance with Nature combined with Reason. This third element was the Ethics. So in ancient times, the Stoic’s goal was not to eliminate emotions, but rather to eliminate “passions” which were defined as irrational and excessive emotions such as greed, excessive fear, or anger, all stemming from faulty judgments. The ideal Stoic sage was meant to achieve apatheia, a state of freedom from these disturbing passions, maintaining composure and clarity of thought.
During the Roman Empire, philosophers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius shifted their philosophical focus almost exclusively to Ethics, the third element of Stoicism. They developed a practical application of the philosophy to daily life, personal conduct, and facing adversity. But simultaneously, the vast majority of the original writings on Stoic Logic and Physics were lost or not copied, as they were less appealing to later audiences (including Christian scholars). The surviving, and therefore most influential, texts became those focused on practical, ethical advice. Always remember that Christian scholars also control the dissemination of knowledge through printing and selective education. Thus, the Stoic physics that posited a rational cosmos—were largely forgotten or deemed incompatible with prevailing religious views.
What survived and was embraced were the moral maxims about self-control, endurance, and accepting what you cannot change (the dichotomy of control, famously articulated by Epictetus). Christian writers also adopted some Stoic ethical ideas, stripping them of their original pagan-materialistic context. Inevitably, the original Stoic goal of apatheia (freedom from irrational passions) was eventually conflated with “apathy” or emotional indifference in common language. The public perception lost the nuance: they saw only the teaching to suppress or master emotional reactions to external events, leading to the idea of the “stiff upper lip.” This simplification focused entirely on the emotional control aspect, ignoring the Stoic emphasis on reason, active citizenship, and the development of the cardinal virtues (wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance). As a result, the term “stoic” in modern, everyday usage simply describes someone who is impassive, uncomplaining, and seemingly indifferent to pain, hardship, or pleasure, encapsulating only the part of the original philosophy dealing with emotional resilience.
So yes, I shall try harder to be a modern Stoic. I shall grind my teeth silently, as another million disappears up the chimney of One Time Usage and, like so many of our civil servants, middle managers and politicians, adjust to a life of apathy in the modern Christian context.
Talking of well-bred stoics, the sales season has started and that means that the Newmarket Cambridgeshire meeting also gets under way.
A brace of Pattern races for you, nothing exceptional, but worth having a look at, perhaps for the future.
3.35pm The Somerville Tattersall Stakes G3 7f
Godolphin’s DISTANT STORM sales price rose from 90,000gns as a yearling to €1,900,000 at the breeze-ups and he has some decent blood relatives. His 12-runner debut has produced 8 winners since, including a Futurity winner. He is a serious horse who needs to settle down a bit to be effective. The Gosdens also have the Godolphin-owned ARCHER ROYAL, who caught the eye on his AWT debut. He won in a manner which smacked of facile, and he turns up here with a Timeform Capital P. The other Godolphin horse, CATALLUS could also play a part, based on his 3rd to DISTANT STORM on debut here at the July course. It is the best bit of form on display, but he was beaten some 3½l that day, so he needs to have improved around 9-10 lb which seems a big ask. However, he won effortlessly LTO and he looks value. NORTHERN CHAMPION has been a NR whenever there has been a hint of the word Soft appearing in the going. Ed Walker was quoted as saying he loved the quick ground out in France on debut, and he gets it here again today. By WOOTTON BASSETT, it would be fitting if he were to add to the star sire’s Group 1 tally this week given the sad news of his death.
DISTANT STORM 5 pts Win ~ NORTHEN CHAMPION 3 pts e/w ~ 10 x ¼pt Trifectas (2,4-2,4,5-9,5,1)
4.10pm The Jockey Club Rose Bowl Listed 16f
Another Godolphin heads the market again, this time with Saeed bin Suroor responsible for LIVE YOUR DREAM. However, LYD has been off for 732 days - I can’t remember 732 days ago, so we’re taking a lot on trust. Next in the market is PALLADIUM who you might remember had won the 2024 German Derby, and was then sold to go to Hendo’s for €1.4m that October, making him the most expensive jumps purchase ever. There was a huge amount of hype surrounding his hurdling debut and then there was endless speculation about Cheltenham, The Triumph and The Adonis and so on. His ratings are the best on show and he was finally gelded before his last run and win where he was dropped in class, but upped in trip on heavy ground. I think, however, he might be run off his feet on this heavier ground. What a revelation SPIRIT MIXER has been this season. He looked exposed in handicaps for a time, but this season he’s delivered, winning two strong contests, most notably the Northumberland Plate. This horse is a thorough stayer who genuinely appreciates give in the ground. The question is whether he has the class for this field, but if he’s going to get winning Black Type, this might be the race. STRASSIA is a big price, and she went off 50/1 in the G2 Park Hill Stakes LTO. Connections I suspect are still trying to get to grips with her, but may be confused by her French form, where she won a Listed race and was placed in a G2 last year. She has claims, but you’d really want more places. If Palladium was nearer Evens I’d be laying him til Christmas. I need to know LIVE YOUR DREAM is fit and well and that leaves me with SPIRIT MIXER each way and STRASSIA for 3 places at 15/1 or 17/2 for 4 places with Bet 365.
SPIRIT MIXER 4 pts e/w ~ 1 pt Box Exacta with LIVE YOUR DREAM and ½ pr boxed Exacta with STRASSIA~ STRASSIA 2 pts e/w for 3 places.
For Luck…
13:50 MALTESE CROSS ~ 2:25 DARK SHORE ~ 17:05 VULCAN BAY
All three in a 3 pt Trixie.