We Need More Love — And Stoicism Shows Us Where to Start episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 6, 2026 · 18 MIN

We Need More Love — And Stoicism Shows Us Where to Start

from The Via Stoica Podcast — A Stoic Way of Life · host Benny Voncken

We need more love in the world. That was the statement, made quietly on a walk along the river in Granada, that stayed with us long after the conversation ended. In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore what Stoic philosophy actually says about love, kindness, and where to begin when the world feels like it's moving in the wrong direction.Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode grew out of a real Stoic walk and one simple statement that turned into a genuine reflection on what sincere kindness looks like in practice.It is easy to feel overwhelmed. The news pulls us toward division. Social media rewards performed kindness over the real kind. And human goodness starts to feel like it is losing ground. But the Stoics had a word for what this moment is asking of us: philanthropia, a love for humankind that does not wait for an audience. Marcus Aurelius returned to this again and again. Epictetus located it in prohairesis, that quiet place where self-awareness and personal values meet, where our real choices are formed. The starting point is not out there. It is here, in the small acts that nobody records, done simply because they are the right thing to do.You do not need power or influence to shift something. You only need to start where you are.Support the show🌐 viastoica.com▶️ YouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.com

We need more love in the world. That was the statement, made quietly on a walk along the river in Granada, that stayed with us long after the conversation ended. In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore what Stoic philosophy actually says about love, kindness, and where to begin when the world feels like it's moving in the wrong direction.Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode grew out of a real Stoic walk and one simple statement that turned into a genuine reflection on what sincere kindness looks like in practice.It is easy to feel overwhelmed. The news pulls us toward division. Social media rewards performed kindness over the real kind. And human goodness starts to feel like it is losing ground. But the Stoics had a word for what this moment is asking of us: philanthropia, a love for humankind that does not wait for an audience. Marcus Aurelius returned to this again and again. Epictetus located it in prohairesis, that quiet place where self-awareness and personal values meet, where our real choices are formed. The starting point is not out there. It is here, in the small acts that nobody records, done simply because they are the right thing to do.You do not need power or influence to shift something. You only need to start where you are.Support the show🌐 viastoica.com▶️ YouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.com

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We Need More Love — And Stoicism Shows Us Where to Start

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This episode was published on April 6, 2026.

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We need more love in the world. That was the statement, made quietly on a walk along the river in Granada, that stayed with us long after the conversation ended. In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore what Stoic philosophy actually...

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