stoicism

Stoicism emerges from decadence. Imagine that you have an aristocracy or an upper class which rules the merchants and peasants. Now imagine that you are in a position to see the ruler(s) from one generation to the next. Imagine you can see how one person could rule from natural authority and have the respect of others while the next ruler has only symbolic authority and none of the natural charisma or nobility. The time is decadent because the arrangements aren't made for values to be passed down through trials and tests. Now, you also notice that some other people don't even notice the change and still are just as servile to the ruler or assume the ruler capable of actions the old ruler performed when he clearly isn't. In short, you see that such people are beholden to the signifier and have immense blindspots in their interpersonal dealings with others. Since in decadence genius doens't necessarily beget genius or a moral man can have immoral children you can see the contingency of life and the irrationality of birthright when money or power are passed on through inheritance. The time is out of joint, and the person who would be able to rule and genuinely command respect doesn't even recognize their authority -- you realize there is no chance for you to change it. So you leave your community and begin to make a life that is outside the vagaries of money and power and something which isn't contingent... you become a stoic.