If you're interested in philosophy, you might have contemplated the distinctions between Stoicism and Hedonism and wondered which one you resonate most with or whether their ideas are worth combining when designing a life philosophy of your own. 

Since the two philosophical schools of thought offer very different perspectives on life and happiness, it is worth spending some time comparing them. In this post, I will provide an in-depth exploration of Stoicism and Hedonism, by first briefly explaining their main beliefs, then taking a look at their differences and similarities.

Last, but not least, I will give two real-life examples of Stoicism vs Hedonism so that you are better equipped to understand how a Stoic vs a Hedonist would behave in a given situation. Ready? Let's get started.

Stoicism: The Philosophy of Virtue, Reason, and Self-Control

Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy that emphasizes the role of virtue, reason, and self-control in building a flourishing life. Founded by the philosopher Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BCE, Stoicism has been extremely influential in shaping Western philosophy, and later cognitive-behavioral therapy. You may already be familiar with some of its tenets from the Serenity Prayer, but let's go through the most important ones for more context.

Adherents of Stoicism believe that the key to a fulfilled life lies in cultivating reason (and critical thinking) and in acting virtuously regardless of external circumstances. They stress the necessity of actively pursuing self-discipline and maintaining control over your own reactions, since externals such as wealth, health, and fame are not up to us and thus inconsequential to the quality of our life. For a Stoic, achieving tranquility and inner peace is simply a matter of maintaining excellence of character, which makes it accessible to anyone no matter their lot in life. It is an inclusive, cosmopolitan philosophy whose ideas can benefit everyone looking to become a little bit less anxious and a lot more resilient. Familiarizing yourself with its main beliefs is likely to pay dividends in your existence, even if you ultimately do not choose to follow it as a whole.

That's one side of the problem. It's time to look at the other side:

Hedonism: The Philosophy of Pleasure and Happiness

Hedonism is a philosophy that emphasizes the pursuit of pleasure and happiness as life's primary objectives. If this sounds familiar to you, you might be thinking of the philosopher Epicurus, who - at a first glance - seems to posit the same things. There is, however, a world of difference between Hedonism and Epicureanism.

Epicureanism focuses on the pursuit of mental pleasures, such as friendship, learning and tranquility (broadly referred to as 'ataraxia'), while hedonism represents the pursuit of (usually) physical pleasure, although it does not make a clear statement that physical pleasure is preferable to its mental counterpart. A Hedonist might still mindlessly chase mental pleasure without moderation. To better grasp the difference, think of an avid reader who reads as many books as possible just to 'collect' more reads and brag about them vs. a more thoughtful reader who reflects on what they have discovered and chooses their next book carefully, following a thought-out plan for self-development.

(Note: if this is not what you expected to find under 'Hedonism', it's still possible that I have what you seek: you can find a comparison of Epicureanism and Stoicism, in this post.)

Aside from chasing pleasure, Hedonists value freedom, individualism, and self-determination - which are not bad things in and of themselves - but which could lead an individual to behave unethically in order to acquire them. In other words, the problem with hedonism is not that it seeks pleasure or the minimization of pain, but that it does so at the cost of everything else. 

Identifying the Similarities between Stoicism and Hedonism

Although Stoicism and Hedonism differ fundamentally, they do share some commonalities. (Surprising, I know!) Here are a few similarities between them:

• Both philosophies advocate for individual autonomy and free will, but Stoicism encourages its students to not pursure them at the cost of their moral excellence.
• Both emphasize the importance of living in the present moment, but Stoicism underscores the value of being prepared for the future, whereas Hedonism thinks this is ... 'future you's problem' (to put it in Millennial speak). 

Despite these similarities, there are more differences between Stoicism and Hedonism, as we have already hinted at. Let's explore them in detail.

Contrasts between Stoicism and Hedonism

These are the most important distinctions between Stoicism and Hedonism:

• Attitude towards pleasure: Hedonism assigns great value to pleasure, while Stoicism regards pleasure as something that is desirable, but ultimately inconsequential to living a good life (it is a preferred indifferent).
• Role of emotions: Stoicism perceives emotions as something to be controlled (lest they overcome us), while Hedonism views emotions as either increasing pleasure or pain, thus looking to maximize positive ones.
• The source of human happiness: Stoicism associates happiness with inner peace and self-discipline (more broadly, with eudaimonia), whereas Hedonism equates happiness with the enjoyment of as many pleasurable sensations as possible.
• The pursuit of external goods: Stoicism deems external goods as ultimately irrelevant, while Hedonism values the acquisition of such goods as a means to achieve pleasure.

A Stoic vs a Hedonist IRL

To better understand the differences between adopting a Stoic vs a Hedonistic attitude to life, let's consider two individuals (each of them embodying the opposite philosophy) confronted with common life situations and imagine how each of them might respond. 

A Workplace Conflict

The Stoic may view the problem as an opportunity to fortify their character by addressing it calmly and learning how to be more persuasive when dealing with others. They would focus on how they can do their best to resolve the conflict in a way that is fair for everyone involved, but would not fret about its ultimate outcome, as that lies outside of their control. They would be content with themselves for having done the right thing. 

In stark contrast, a Hedonist might view the problem as something to evade, as it induces stress and reduces pleasure. They might seek to resolve the problem as swiftly and painlessly as possible, so they can resume enjoying their life or run away from it completely, if they perceive it as requiring too much effort to address. The short-sighted view of the hedonist is very likely to lead to pain further on (as they might lose their job eventually, owing to their reckless behavior), which further explains why an Epicurean is NOT a Hedonist. The former would optimize for long-term pleasure, whereas the latter only lives for today. 

A Health Issue

Consider that both our Stoic and our Hedonist have received bad news following a medical exam. How would each of them react in this situation?

The Stoic would most likely strive to accept and cope with the situation, focusing on controllable factors such as healthy habits and a positive attitude, which they can cultivate with a little bit of effort and perseverance. They would not allow the illness to dictate their inner peace or happiness, for health is yet another preferred indifferent.

Conversely, the Hedonist would prioritize taking any necessary actions to alleviate suffering and maximize their pleasure, including medical procedures and medications. They would concentrate on their present sensations and might even lash out, for example, by going on a bender to numb the pain of the bad news in the moment ('I'm going to die anyway, so I might as well live a little now!'). 

It's important to note that the previous paragraphs were not meant to pass judgement on one attitude or another. No real person can be a perfect Stoic or a full Hedonist. Personal philosophies, like many other things, lie on a spectrum. The Stoic might still behave in a less than ideal way upon hearing the bad news, but would strive to correct their behavior by reminding themselves that life is only as good as your character.

As we have seen, Stoicism and Hedonism offer extremely differing perspectives on what constitutes a good life. I leave it up to you to decide which mindset might be conducive to a better, more serene life and adjust your beliefs accordingly. Understanding as many diverse philosophical perspectives as possible can help you gain insights into your own values and beliefs, so I'm happy you took the time to do that by reading this post.