Seneca at the Gym: Stoicism and Toxic Masculin

If you’re lucky enough to stumble across Marcus Aurelius and Seneca on TikTok- probably when they’re not at the gym- you’ll find “Stoic” quotes that break up the monotony of advice under titles like “Be the man you’re afraid to become”, these quotes promote an ugly Stoic “culture” governed by the principles of discipline and self-sufficiency under an understanding of emotional repression.  

Who still frequents the Stoa? The descendants- now digital- of philosophers; none other than Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, and the “Sigma Male.” (= is a pop-cultural term from internet masculinity discourse- especially within the manosphere- describing a man who is independent, self-reliant, and nonconformist, often portrayed as rejecting traditional social hierarchies without being submissive). This ugly stoicism in its mutation does not concern philosophy but a culture that offers instructions to sailors on how to behave and act, since this set of ideas has passed through the filter of the “censors” of the manosphere, where the “superfluous” aspects of this philosophical current, such as empathy or skepticism, are set aside, leaving behind a set of instructions on how to become “steel” mentally and physically. Existentially and socially, what is of concern is the following: what drives so many men- young men in the majority- to this need to connect with this “abused” stoicism, and how does an ancient philosophy become a tool for disengagement from society?

@apexclassThe Stoic Mindset ~ Jordan Peterson♬ Ambient-style emotional piano – MoppySound

If anything is being explored, it is this: the very transformation of Stoicism into a symbol of masculinity, providing a strong theoretical foundation, its incorporation into toxic rhetoric, and its possible recovery as a philosophy of solidarity rather than an armor of mental detachment.

The Stoic Idea: Philosophy or Performance?

Let us not assume, however, that we all know what we are referring to in this article. The Stoicism we are discussing was a philosophical school of the Hellenistic era and later of the Roman period, a school for aspiring virtuous citizens who wanted to live rationally, with virtue and inner freedom. Its central tenet was the idea that we cannot control external events, but only our reactions to them, calling on individuals to cultivate self-restraint, justice, wisdom, and courage, not for personal domination, but for the common good. Epictetus taught that “man is not disturbed by things, but by his opinions about them,” while Seneca wrote that “it is a great strength to be able to stand upright while the world around you is falling apart.” The Stoic philosophers did not abandon emotion, but sought to manage it rationally so that one could remain morally stable and politically active, while at the core of Stoicism is not the ruler of oneself in the sense of self-sufficiency, but the citizen of the world who must act in accordance with nature and justice, even when it comes at a cost (8); (9); (10).

The stoicism we encounter today on digital platforms, especially on TikTok, rarely refers to the stoicism of Seneca or Epictetus, values such as inner cultivation through a perception of the critical philosophy of the citizen towards authority or death are not relevant to these representations. This content resembles a sterile “self-improvement” guide for the gym, relationships with the opposite sex, and survival, if not advancement, in digital capitalism (4); (2); (8); (5).

@loupollockgToo stoic #fyp♬ original sound – lou pollock

  This “industrialized” version of Stoicism markets ideology through TikTok reels and podcasts where various mentors provide guidance to men who feel marginalized by society, so that this philosophy, as circulated in the manosphere, becomes a multi-tool that promises to shape tomorrow’s men with virtues such as self-control, prestige, and power, not so much to serve the common good but to restore an imaginary wounded male identity with leadership tendencies (4); (5); (4); (10).

In other words, stoicism degenerates into a daily exercise guide for physical and moral practices where “discipline = freedom” is linked to military nutrition, detoxification from emotion and pleasure, discipline at work and in interpersonal relationships. The goal is for the body to become a symbol of self-mastery in order to be capitalized as a moral stance, where abs signify discipline and the absence of emotion signifies the self-evident nature of leadership. The phrase “master your emotions” no longer means self-awareness, but an admonition not to show, not to react, not to complain, so that emotional restraint is christened a virtue and sensitivity is exiled as a sign of weakness, even betrayal of the “masculine model” of the “new stoic,” where emotion is an existential threat to achieving the goal of acquiring power. So what remains of stoicism? Certainly not its principles, but rather a performance of how to be a man in a system that constantly measures, questions, and rejects you.

@ryanlongcomedyBoyscast♬ original sound – Ryan Long

The new generation of “stoics” is not inspired by Marcus Aurelius’ (1) cosmopolitan conception of the common good, but by an individualistic attitude that equates self-restraint with domination over others and creates disaffected people- due to their perceived superiority. Men are presented as rational rulers of themselves, detached from emotion and unaffected by the needs of others. The misinterpretation of stoicism has led consumers of this culture to perceive stoicism as apathy rather than a rational management of emotions for the benefit of the community, a commitment to justice and compassion. This performance in the digital space is ultimately a culturally empty product, lacking alternative male narratives, which resonates in an era of collapse of traditional roles- with a familiar pattern, instead of men embracing cosmopolitanism and difference, they limit themselves to certainties and defend themselves against the world around them. 

Stoicism as a brand of masculinity

What else remains of this “stoicism” other than being sold as a self-improvement package? Certainly nothing more than reels with motivational quotes set to lo-fi music. Stoicism has become a lifestyle and functions as an ideological market that trades in a rational, introverted, and above all apolitical male identity. Its relative depoliticization, however, cannot be understood as innocent, as the use of this rhetoric is directly linked to neoliberal messages that blame collectivity and offer an individualistic response to social crisis, because the new man is not called upon to change the world but to ignore it, defeat it, or subjugate it. Almost as a natural consequence, figures such as Andrew Tate or Jordan Peterson are not aberrations; they are expressions of a system that has learned to sell “stoic masculinity” in marketing terms (4); (5);(10); (2);(8).

A form of marketing in which men are seen as units of self-improvement rather than social beings. It is a model that rejects any political responsibility and presents stoicism as a cynical shield against emotion and collective action, a radically flawed interpretation. Marcus Aurelius writes repeatedly about the common good, justice, and love for his fellow human beings- and he did so not as a business coach, but as a leader conscious of his moral responsibility and the need to show solidarity (1),(3). The current interpretation of Seneca has nothing to do with not feeling, but rather with having a sense of moderation and acting for the collective good, not just for your personal growth. It is not a matter of self-help, but of political ethics. What remains from all this? That Seneca is not in the gym, he is in the Agora.