Orlando Stoics

Every Sunday, a new lecture. Meeting starts at 9:00 AM with friendly conversation. Dialogue begins at 9:15 AM and is followed by an open Q&A discussion.

This week, we begin with the work of Elinor Ostrom, whose research transformed how we understand cooperation and governance. Ostrom challenged the belief that only governments or private markets can manage shared resources. Through decades of real world research, she showed that communities can successfully govern themselves when they have autonomy, clear boundaries, shared rules, and active participation. Her work suggests that self governance often works best when institutions operate at a human and relational scale.

These natural limits are explored through the research of Robin Dunbar, who found that humans can maintain about 150 stable social relationships. This idea, known as Dunbar’s Number, raises an important question for modern society. What happens when social, economic, and technological systems grow far beyond the number of relationships people can realistically sustain? When systems expand past human scale, trust, accountability, and social connection can begin to weaken.

The philosopher Ivan Illich helps us understand this problem through his idea of conviviality. In Tools for Conviviality, Illich argues that technology supports human flourishing only when it strengthens independence, creativity, and meaningful participation. When technologies grow too large, they can become what Illich calls radical monopolies. These systems reduce choice, isolate individuals, and organize society around efficiency instead of human well being.

This concern becomes even more visible in the work of Jacques Ellul, whose analysis of modern technological civilization remains highly relevant. In The Technological Society, Ellul argues that modern societies increasingly organize themselves around efficiency and technical optimization. Over time, these systems begin to operate according to their own logic instead of human values. Ellul warned that technological systems do not require harmful leaders to gain power. They naturally reward those who can manage growth and efficiency most successfully. In the process, technology can separate people from nature, from meaningful labor, from one another, and sometimes from their own sense of identity.

Together, Ostrom, Dunbar, Illich, and Ellul help us examine modern artificial intelligence, digital communication, and institutional life. Their combined work encourages us to ask whether modern technological systems still serve human needs or whether they increasingly operate according to their own priorities.

We hope you will join Plato’s Cave and the Orlando Stoics for this discussion on technology, governance, human scale, and the future of community in the age of AI.

READING MATERIALS

"The development of one’s moral character is what renders a person truly desirable." — Greg Sadler

But does it though??? Let’s be honest—when dating feels more like a fast-paced commodity than a human connection, 'moral character' isn't always the headline. Between the pressure of Valentine’s Day and the hunt for a quick spark, looking for deep integrity on a Friday night can feel like searching for a library book in a nightclub.

So the question becomes, is the Stoic view of romance a beautiful ideal, or is it just out of touch with 2026? In this week’s discussion, we are going to talk all about it!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, please join us for a 90-minute interactive deep dive into the Stoic approach to love. We will look at specific passages from an article by modern Stoic scholar Greg Sadler and ask the hard question: "What does all of this look like in our modern lives?"

What We Will Explore

• "Good Love" vs. "Bad Love": Is attraction a "bridge" to friendship or a "madness" to be avoided?
• The Ideal Partner: What it means to be a "yoke-mate" and why the Stoics think character is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
• Singlehood: What is the "Banquet Analogy" inspired by Epictetus, and how does it apply
• Practical Application: We’ll share how these ancient principles look in our real lives today.

Whether you are happily partnered, navigating the "proverbial pool" of dating, happily single, or you don't care for "yucky love stuff," there is no doubt some useful wisdom here to take home.

Come with your heart (or your brain) on your sleeve. You’ll leave with practical tools to keep in the back of your pocket and put into practice when you're ready.

Esta reunión es cada miércoles a las 7 p.m. EST
CALENDARIO
EPICTETO DISERTACIONES POR ARRIANO
1/7/2026 I SOBRE LO QUE DEPENDE DE NOSOTROS Y LO QUE NO DEPENDE DE NOSOTROS
1/14/2026 II CÓMO PODRÍA UNO EN CUALQUIER SITUACIÓN SALVAGUARDAR SU DIGNIDAD PERSONAL
1/21/2026 III CÓMO SE PODRÍAN OBTENER LAS CONSECUENCIAS DE QUE LA DIVINIDAD SEA PADRE DE LOS HOMBRES
1/28/2026 IV SOBRE EL PROGRESO
2/4/2026 V CONTRA LOS ACADÉMICOS
2/11/2026 VI SOBRE LA PROVIDENCIA
2/18/2026 VII SOBRE EL USO DE LOS RAZONAMIENTOS EQUÍVOCOS, HIPOTÉTICOS
2/25/2026 VIII QUE LAS CAPACIDADES DIALÉCTICAS NO CARECEN DE RIESGOS PARA LOS NO INSTRUIDOS
3/4/2026 IX DE CÓMO LLEGARÍA UNO A LAS CONSECUENCIAS DE NUESTRO PARENTESCO CON LA DIVINIDAD
3/11/2026 X A LOS QUE SE ESFUERZAN POR HACER CARRERA EN ROMA
3/18/2026 XI SOBRE EL CARIÑO FAMILIAR
3/25/2026 XII SOBRE LA SATISFACCIÓN
4/1/2026 XIII CÓMO ES POSIBLE HACERLO TODO DE MODO QUE AGRADE A LOS DIOSES
4/8/2026 XIV QUE LA DIVINIDAD CONTEMPLA A TODOS
4/15/2026 XV QUÉ PROMETE LA FILOSOFÍA
4/22/2026 XVI SOBRE LA PROVIDENCIA
4/29/2026 XVII QUE LA LÓGICA ES NECESARIA
5/6/2026 XVIII QUE NO HAY QUE ENFURECERSE CON QUIENES SE EQUIVOCAN
5/13/2026 XIX QUÉ ACTITUD HAY QUE MANTENER FRENTE A LOS TIRANOS
5/20/2026 XX DE CÓMO LA RAZÓN ES ESPECULATIVA SOBRE SÍ MISMA
5/27/2026 XXI A LOS QUE QUIEREN SER ADMIRADOS
6/3/2026 XXII SOBRE LAS PRESUNCIONES
6/10/2026 XXIII EN RESPUESTA A EPICURO
6/17/2026 XXIV CÓMO HAY QUE LUCHAR CONTRA LAS CIRCUNSTANCIAS DIFÍCILES
6/24/2026 XXV SOBRE LO MISMO
7/1/2026 XXVI CUÁL HA DE SER LA NORMA DE VIDA
7/8/2026 XXVII DE CUÁNTAS MANERAS SE PRESENTAN LAS REPRESENTACIONES Y QUÉ AYUDAS HAY QUE TENER A MANO FRENTE A ELLAS
7/15/2026 XXVIII QUE NO HAY QUE IRRITARSE CON LOS HOMBRES Y QUÉ COSAS SON PEQUEÑAS Y CUÁLES GRANDES ENTRE LOS HOMBRES
7/22/2026 XXIX SOBRE EL APLOMO
7/29/2026 XXX QUÉ HAY QUE TENER A MANO EN LAS DIFICULTADES

ZONAS HORARIAS

Hora de encuentro (EE. UU.):
19:00 h, hora del este
18:00 h, hora central
17:00 h, hora de las montañas
16:00 h, hora del Pacífico

Para nuestros amigos internacionales:
Conviertan la hora con la herramienta gratuita
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

ENLACE ZOOM