Why Indifference is Power | Priceless Benefits of Being Indifferent

Many centuries ago, Alexander the Great decided to visit a philosopher named Diogenes, who lived in the city of Corinth. At the time, many philosophers and statesmen were eager to visit the ancient Greek king of Macedon, but Diogenes didn’t show the slightest interest in him and rather enjoyed relaxing in his barrel, surrounded by his best friends: dogs. Perhaps, his sheer indifference was the reason why Alexander was so curious about this philosopher.

When he looked for him in a suburb of Corinth, Alexander found Diogenes lying in the sun. The king greeted him and asked: “Is there anything you want from me?” “Yes,” answered the Cynic philosopher, “stand a little out of my sun.” Alexander the Great was deeply impressed by Diogenes’ haughtiness and aloofness, especially toward a man of his stature and stated to his followers shortly afterward: “But truly, if I were not Alexander, I wish I were Diogenes.” By being indifferent to Alexander’s status and wealth, Diogenes maintained his independence and authenticity. His demeanor didn’t change a bit in the presence of the mighty king. Unlike many others, he didn’t desire his approval, nor did he fear his disapproval.

So even though Alexander the Great was one of the most powerful figures in the world at that time, he had no power over Diogenes. Why? Indifference. Diogenes simply didn’t care, and so nobody could affect him. Indifference is often viewed as a negative trait, something associated with a lack of empathy or concern for others. However, as the examples in this essay will illustrate, indifference can be a powerful and versatile tool.

This video explores the power of indifference, unfolding five benefits of being indifferent.

(1) Freedom and authenticity

Most people are sheep. They conform to the herd, behave how others behave, and follow the roadmap others have laid out for them. This approach is not inherently wrong, as it can provide safety and security. Moreover, it can prevent criticism and rejection from the masses—however, those who deviate from this path risk being criticized, ridiculed, or even ostracized. People are generally anything but indifferent toward the opinions of others and how they perceive them. They fear not belonging, being rejected, or falling by the wayside.

But as philosophers such as Arthur Schopenhauer and the Stoics have pointed out: the opinions of others are not as significant as we tend to think. If we want to pursue our dreams or display a persona that’s more congruent with who we are, we need to be indifferent to certain social conventions and the opinions of others. In his essay “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson argues that even though society often pressures us to conform, we should strive to be true to ourselves and independent thinkers. We should not rely on the opinions of others but have faith in ourselves.

Emerson supports the idea of indifference toward the views of others while having confidence in oneself. However, he also cautions against separating ourselves from the world entirely if we want to live authentically. Emerson writes:

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

End quote.

Regarding freedom and authenticity, the power of indifference lies in the freedom we create by being true to ourselves and not relying on the opinions of others. Doing so allows us to pursue our dreams and live authentically, even if it means deviating from societal norms. The story about Diogenes at the beginning of this video is a good example of someone disregarding other people’s opinions and living life on his own terms.

(2) Emotional resilience

In the ancient Greek city of Nicopolis, a man once visited Epictetus’ school and voiced his concern that his life was in danger. He feared that the emperor would throw him into prison or banish him from Rome. However, Epictetus argued that such events are not within our control; the only thing that belongs to us is our will or, put differently, our attitude towards these events.

Why is this important? According to the Stoics, how we feel about our circumstances depends on our attitude. The quality of our thoughts determines how we deal with adversity. Suppose we believe that being imprisoned or banished is terrible. In that case, we’ll be horrified when it happens and turn into emotional wrecks as a consequence. But suppose we believe such events are simply the workings of the universe, which we don’t have control over, and are neither good nor bad in themselves. In that case, we’ll be emotionally resilient and able to cope when they occur.

The Stoics believe that regardless of our hardships, we have the choice of attitude. We should approach all things that are not within our control with an indifferent stance. Epictetus spoke of “contempt” toward things not in our control, in contrast to those in our control, such as our opinions, pursuits, and other actions originating from our ability to choose. The power of indifference in the Stoic sense is the power to distinguish between things that are within our control and those that are not and to care less about the latter. This enables our minds to be tranquil in all circumstances, as Epictetus called it, “in a state conformable to nature.”

By being indifferent to things not in our control, we take away the fuel that causes us to be emotionally disturbed. So, if you’re thrown into prison, it is what it is. What’s up to you is how you spend your time there. Likewise, a romantic partner cheating on you can be expected, as it’s fairly common for human beings to put their desires above their integrity. Some people don’t have integrity at all. You cannot force them to act otherwise.

From a Stoic perspective, what’s up to you is focusing on your well-being (and the well-being of others, for that matter), partly by distancing yourself from someone who doesn’t align with your values. It’s worth noting that being indifferent to something doesn’t automatically imply that it’s bad. Some things benefit us, such as healthy food and money to cover our living expenses, while others are harmful, such as sickness and certain illegal activities.

Toward external things, the Stoic art of indifference lies in pursuing what’s beneficial and avoiding what’s harmful in any situation while not letting our equanimity depend on these external factors.

(3) Better performance

Long ago in China, a young woman participated in an archery contest. As she was nervous, her hands were visibly shaking. Nevertheless, she was determined to win the tournament, as the prize money could help her family survive. Unfortunately, she performed awfully. Devastated by the loss, she told herself: “in practice, I rarely miss the mark. But in a competition, I do nothing but miss.”

When the young woman participated in a tournament, her nervousness held her back from winning, even though she could have won purely based on skills. She was attached to the outcome of the competition because of the prize money, which would help her family survive. This attachment clouded her performance. The nervous archer shows us how our attachment to specific outcomes can lead to emotional distress and self-doubt.

We experience a need (sometimes desperate need) to achieve a particular outcome, which in itself evokes anxiety. We might think: “What if I don’t win and don’t obtain the prize money? What will happen to my family? I have to win. I can’t afford to lose.” Such thoughts eventually create tremendous pressure under which our performances collapse.

Instead of performing well, which happens in the present in ‘the act’ itself, we fearfully try to perform well, which is more directed at the future in which our actions take place. Unfortunately, in many cases, the more we try, the worse it gets, as we’ve explored in a previous video about the Law of Reversed Effort.

In contrast, we are less likely to become emotionally attached to specific outcomes when we approach situations with an indifferent mindset. Instead, we focus on the process and the effort we put in rather than the result itself. By being indifferent to outcomes, we can cultivate a sense of detachment from external events, so there’s less anxiety that holds us back, which allows us to be more present ‘in the moment’ and enjoy the process of ‘acting’ rather than becoming fixated on the outcome.

By doing so, we can experience more inner peace, reduce our risk of emotional distress, and ultimately perform better in various situations.

(4) Affordable contentment

A previous video about minimalism showed how a Taoist sage named Xu You sat by the riverside and refused to accept the throne of the kingdom. He argued that he didn’t need ‘all under heaven,’ as it wouldn’t allow him to live a simple and quiet life. Xu You’s indifference toward an opportunity for power that most people could only dream of (and often chase after) was rooted in his desire for a life of simple pleasures and contentment.

As a Taoist sage, he believed that the pursuit of power and wealth would only serve to complicate his life and disrupt his inner peace. In essence, Xu You valued affordable contentment through the enjoyment of simple pleasures over material abundance and status. This perspective is not unique to Taoism; the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus held a similar view. Epicurus believed in focusing on simple, natural, necessary pleasures rather than vain and excessive ones.

“If you want to make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires,” he stated. In other words: by cultivating indifference to all the glitter and glamour that the world has to offer, we’re better off than trying to satisfy our many desires, which are often insatiable. Both approaches ultimately share the same goal: contentment or a state of tranquility, also called ataraxia, which we experience when our desires are satisfied.

Hence, the fewer desires we have, the easier it becomes to be satisfied. If we experience a bottomless pit of desire, however, then satisfaction becomes almost impossible. So, which one is the most affordable and sustainable option? Indifference to vain pleasures, such as extreme wealth and power, grants us the opportunity to be content with less and appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

(5) Rational and objective decisions

When we are indifferent to our emotional states and biases, we can better analyze situations and make decisions based on facts and logic rather than being influenced by our feelings or preconceived notions. Our biases and emotional states can prevent us from making rational and objective decisions by clouding our judgment and leading us to make decisions based on our desires or emotions rather than what’s best for the situation.

For example, if we are emotionally attached to a particular outcome, we may make decisions that aren’t in our best interest. Alternatively, if we are biased towards a specific group or idea, we may not consider all available options, leading us to make irrational decisions.

When we approach a situation with an indifferent mindset, we are more likely to consider all available information and make a decision based solely on facts and logic, as we are not swayed by our emotions and biases. By being indifferent, we prevent ourselves from being misguided in our decision-making.

For example, imagine you’re a manager deciding which employee to promote. Suppose you are biased towards a particular employee (because of their characteristics). In that case, you may be more likely to encourage them over another employee who is more qualified for the job. However, if you approach the decision indifferently to bias, personal or perhaps, social preference, you are more likely to consider each employee’s qualifications objectively and decide based on their merit.

Indifference is a paradoxical concept: it appears empty yet holds great power. It’s a subtle but mighty force that allows us to let go of what doesn’t matter, so the things that do shine through. Thank you for watching.