Earlier this year, I published a paper titled “Declining Grazing Lands and Climate Change Are Forcing Maasai to Diversify Their Livelihoods: Antecedents of Maasai Entrepreneurial Motivations and Socioeconomic Change.” Although it was an academic exercise, it prompted me to deeply consider the rapid decline in resources, a trend not being met with equally swift responses. Droughts, infectious diseases, floods, technological shifts, political instability, cultural changes, and conflicts converge to create unprecedented challenges. Despite the African continent’s wealth in resources, we face significant scarcity in addressing these issues.
There are numerous crises in Africa, and new ones continue to emerge. Even with ample resources, we cannot control everything that happens to us. However, as the Stoics remind us, we can control how we respond. Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, posited that attempting to tackle all challenges simultaneously is a recipe for failure. Instead, by breaking down these challenges into smaller, more manageable goals, we can gradually overcome them. Stoicism teaches that virtue is the only true good, while vice is the only true evil. Everything else—health, wealth, fame, or pain—is indifferent and does not determine our happiness. Zeno also emphasized living in harmony with nature and following the universal reason that governs all things.
Before you challenge Zeno’s philosophy, let me explain why I find it particularly relevant today. The challenges I mentioned are interconnected; addressing one can lead to solutions for others. For instance, embracing virtue in our politics could solve many of the continent’s most pressing issues, such as ending conflicts and curbing diseases, freeing up resources for technological advancement and social services. Technology can enhance productivity and help us navigate other challenges more effectively.
Zeno’s philosophy emphasizes that virtue is not something we can impose on others but rather something we cultivate within ourselves and inspire in others through our example. It underpins self-discipline, courage, justice, and wisdom in our daily lives and should guide our political decisions and actions. Stoicism is not just for the individual but for the collective community. The Stoics believed we are all part of a larger whole—a cosmic city or universal family—and that we have duties and obligations toward one another as fellow citizens and rational beings. They advocated for social justice, human rights, and cosmopolitanism, opposing tyranny, oppression, and injustice. Moreover, they encouraged participation in public affairs and contributing to society without compromising integrity and virtue.
This philosophy challenges us to think critically and creatively, to question our assumptions and prejudices, and to seek truth and goodness in all things. It encourages cooperation, respect for diversity, and recognition of our common humanity and interdependence. Ultimately, Stoicism empowers us to shape our destinies and positively impact the world.
Stoicism’s influence extends to modern democratic ideals, particularly the concepts of natural law and universal rights. The Stoics argued that a rational and moral law governs the universe and human nature and that everyone can access and follow this law through reason. They believed that all individuals possess equal dignity and worth as rational beings, with certain rights and duties stemming from their nature and membership in the cosmic city. These include the rights to life, liberty, justice, and happiness, the duty to respect and assist others, practice virtue, and contribute to the common good. The Stoics opposed slavery, discrimination, and oppression, advocating for individual and community freedom and autonomy.
The idea of natural law and universal rights was later embraced and developed by political thinkers and movements throughout democratic history, such as during the Enlightenment, the American and French Revolutions, and in seminal documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, the Bill of Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These milestones reflect the Stoic influence in asserting the inherent and inalienable rights of all people, challenging rulers’ arbitrary and unjust authority, and aspiring to create a more peaceful and civilized world.
Change is inevitable, and Africa is no exception. However, change challenges will continue to be misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mismanaged until the continent confronts the painful reality of widespread vice. Stoic philosophy offers a roadmap to virtue to effectively deal with the effects of climate change among indigenous communities such as the Maasai and compensate for their noble initiatives of protecting biodiversity.
Africa’s myriad challenges—from climate change and resource scarcity to political instability and technological shifts—are complex and deeply interconnected. While these issues may seem insurmountable, the Stoic philosophy offers a timeless framework for addressing them. By cultivating virtue within us and our communities, we can dismantle the cycles of vice perpetuating these crises. Stoicism teaches us that while we cannot control external events, we can control our responses, breaking down even the most daunting challenges into manageable steps. This philosophy guides individual conduct and provides a collective roadmap for creating a just, rational, and harmonious society. By embracing Stoic principles, Africa can navigate the inevitable changes ahead and build a resilient and virtuous future.
