Stoic virtue provides the foundational orientation for human flourishing. According to Stoic doctrine, we must prioritize arête (excellence or virtue) over the mere pursuit of eudaimonia (happiness/well-being).
Within this framework, happiness is not a target to be pursued directly, but rather a “supervenient” byproduct of living in accordance with reason. To the Stoics, the ultimate end of virtue is the cosmopolitan duty to contribute to the common good and the flourishing of others.
The Evening Review: Practical Askesis
As a form of Stoic askesis (spiritual exercise), we may adopt the Pythagorean method of evening reflection after a day on the slopes, posing three critical inquiries: What did I do well? Where did I fail? What could be improved?
Evaluating what was done well serves two purposes:
- Reinforcement of Right Action: acknowledging successful technical or ethical moments—such as maintaining composure during a whiteout or helping a fallen skier—provides the positive reinforcement necessary to solidify virtuous habits.
- Teleological Alignment: it allows us to juxtapose our current state with our ideal “Sage-skier” self. By identifying the gap between our actual performance and our desired excellence, we consciously migrate from the former toward the latter.
Reframing Error and Agency
Regarding our failures—perhaps a lapse in technique on an icy patch or a moment of impatience with a beginner skier—we must recognize that the past is proairetically indifferent (beyond our current power to change). However, we gain agency by analyzing the causal chain of our errors.
In skiing, we often encounter recursive patterns; without deliberate attention, we are condemned to repeat the same mechanical or emotional mistakes. By shining the light of prosoche (mindfulness) on these errors, we transform a past “evil” into a present tool for wisdom.
This inquiry is not an exercise in metameleia (regret), which the Stoics viewed as a useless passion. Saying “I should have taken the other lift” is futile. Instead, we ask: “Given these same external circumstances in the future, how can my internal faculty of choice respond more effectively?”
Managing Phantasiai and the Postmodern Slope
We can further practice virtuosity in the face of “indifferents” (adiaphora). We often catastrophize trivialities—like a long lift line—transforming them into a “tragedy.” In the context of postmodern, hyper-accelerated skiing, where time is commodified, a delay is perceived as a theft of pleasure.
The Stoic response is to challenge the phantasia (impression) that the wait is an evil. By applying the “View from Above,” we realize:
- Relativity: we are among the privileged few who have the leisure and health to be on a mountain at all.
- Universality: this is a common experience, not a personal slight by the universe.
- Reframing: the lift line is a moment for apatheia (freedom from disturbance), an opportunity to enjoy the alpine air rather than a barrier to the next descent.
Hyperactivity vs. Meaning: The Memento Mori
Finally, our society prioritizes a state of “constant occupation.” This postmodern hyperactivity often masks a lack of purpose. To ski “without delay” simply to maximize vertical feet is a misunderstanding of value.
To break this cycle of meaningless movement, we should apply a version of memento mori: “Would I ski this run in this manner if it were my final descent?” This question forces a shift from quantity to quality, urging us to focus on the intrinsic meaning of our actions rather than the frantic accumulation of “activity.”
