Peter Edman
Speaking of out-of-print Readings, in response to the news this morning of the death of Adm. James Stockdale (1923–2005), here is a quote from his essay “The World of Epictetus,” which appeared in The Atlantic 241 (April 1978): 98-106.
Stockdale was a philosopher, professor, vice-presidential candidate, Navy admiral, prisoner of war, and recipient of the Medal of Honor. May he rest in peace. The World of Epictetus was the fifth Trinity Forum Reading; Os Guinness wrote the foreword and Admiral Stockdale kindly granted us reprint permission.
When I ejected from the airplane on that September morn in 1965, I had left the land of technology. I had entered the world of Epictetus, and it’s a world that few of us, whether we know it or not, are ever far away from.
In Palo Alto, I had read this book, not with contentment, but with annoyance. Statement after statement: “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view that they take of them.” “Do not be concerned with things which are beyond your power.” “Demand not that events should happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen and you will go on well.” This is stoicism. It’s not the last word, but it’s a viewpoint that comes in handy in many circumstances, and it surely did for me. Particularly this line: “Lameness is an impediment to the body but not to the will.” That was significant for me because I wasn’t able to stand up and support myself on my badly broken leg for the first couple of years I was in solitary confinement.
Other statements of Epictetus took on added meaning in the light of extortions which often began with our captors’ callous pleas: “If you are just reasonable with us we will compensate you. You get your meals, you get to sleep, you won’t be pestered, you might even get a cellmate.” The catch was that by being “reasonable with us” our enemies meant being their informers, their propagandists. The old stoic had said, “If I can get the things I need with the preservation of my honor and fidelity and self-respect, show me the way and I will get them. But, if you require me to lose my own proper good, that you may gain what is no good, consider how unreasonable and foolish you are.” To love our fellow prisoners was within our power. To betray, to propagandize, to disillusion conscientious and patriotic shipmates and destroy their morale so that they in turn would be destroyed was to lose one’s proper good.
What attributes serve you well in the extortion environment? We learned there, above all else, that the best defense is to keep your conscience clean. When we did something we were ashamed of, and our captors realized we were ashamed of it, we were in trouble. A little white lie is where extortion and ultimately blackmail start. In 1965, I was crippled and I was alone. I realized that they had all the power. I couldn’t see how I was ever going to get out with my honor and self-respect. The one thing I came to realize was that if you don’t lose integrity you can’t be had and you can’t be hurt. Compromises multiply and build up when you’re working against a skilled extortionist or a good manipulator. You can’t be had if you don’t take that first shortcut, or “meet them halfway,” as they say, or look for that tacit “deal,” or make that first compromise.
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• Welcome, National Affairs (2009 09 08)
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• Restoring the Fresco of Progress (2009 08 28)
• The Case for Working With Your Hands (2009 06 04)
Pride and Perjury by Jonathan Aitken.
