Forget Stoicism. Skepticism is the ancient philosophy we need today. (opens in new tab)

If you haven’t read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, you’ve certainly heard of them — if not in school, then on Instagram, TikTok, or a podcast. Composed by the second-century Roman emperor in his tent on nights between long marches and bloody battles, they’re one of the foundational texts of Stoicism, an ancient philosophy that first emerged around 300 B.C., and which has recently found an unlikely second life on social media. Stoicism’s modern-day resurgence has been traced back to viral marke...