Scott Thompson on Epictetus and Approaching Life with Laughter
About this episode
Ryan talks to Scott Thompson about his introduction to Stoicism after hearing Ryan on the Breakfast Club, the humor that he finds in the teaching of Epictetus, the striking similarities between tragedy and triumph, and more.<br><br>Scott Thompson is a Canadian born comedian and actor. He is best known for being a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall and for playing Brian on The Larry Sanders Show. At an early age, Scott found comedy as his way of coping with and overcoming the traumatic events he experienced throughout his life. In high school, Scott was a witness to the 1975 Centennial Secondary School shooting and subsequently developed PTSD at a time when therapy and mental illness was considered taboo. He came out as gay during the AIDS epidemic. In 2009, Scott was diagnosed with cancer and underwent several rounds of chemotherapy. He is no stranger to enduring and embracing hardships and truly embodies “amor fati.”<br><br><a href="https://www.jordanharbinger.com/" target="_blank">The Jordan Harbinger Show</a> is one of the most interesting podcasts on the web, with guests like Kobe Bryant, Mark Manson, Eric Schmidt, and more. Listen to one of Ryan's episodes right now (<a href="https://www.jordanharbinger.com/ryan-holiday-solving-for-what-you-really-want-from-life/" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://www.jordanharbinger.com/ryan-holiday-stillness-is-the-key/" target="_blank">2</a>), and <a href="https://www.jordanharbinger.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to the Jordan Harbinger Show</a> today.<br><br><a href="https://www.tenthousand.cc/" target="_blank">Ten Thousand</a> makes the highest quality, best-fitting, and most comfortable training shorts I have ever worn. They are a direct-to-consumer company, no middleman so you get premium fabrics, trims, and techniques that other brands simply cannot afford. <a href="https://www.tenthousand.cc/" target="_blank">Ten Thousand</a> is offering our listeners 15% off your purchase. go to <a href="https://www.tenthousand.cc/" target="_blank">Tenthousand.cc</a> and enter code STOIC to receive 15% off your purchase.<br><br><a href="http://getkion.com/dailystoic" target="_blank">Kion Aminos</a> is backed by over 20 years of clinical research, has the highest quality ingredients, no fillers or junk, undergoes rigorous quality testing, and tastes amazing with all-natural flavors. Go to <a href="https://getkion.com/dailystoic" target="_blank">getkion.com/dailystoic</a> to save 20% on subscriptions and 10% on one-time purchases.<br><br><a href="https://www.talkspace.com/" target="_blank">Talkspace</a> is an online and mobile therapy company. Visit <a href="https://www.talkspace.com/" target="_blank">talkspace.com</a> and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code STOIC at sign-up. That’s $100 off at <a href="https://www.talkspace.com/" target="_blank">talkspace.com</a>, promo code STOIC.<br><br>As a member of <a href="https://dailystoic.com/life/" target="_blank">Daily Stoic Life</a>, you get all our current and future courses, 100+ additional Daily Stoic email meditations, 4 live Q&As with bestselling author Ryan Holiday (and guests), and 10% off your next purchase from the Daily Stoic Store. Sign up at <a href="https://dailystoic.com/life/" target="_blank">https://dailystoic.com/life/</a> <br><br>Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: <a href="http://dailystoic.com/dailyemail" target="_blank">https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail<br></a><br>Check out the <a href="https://store.dailystoic.com/" target="_blank">Daily Stoic Store</a> for Stoic inspired products, signed books, and more.<br><br>Follow us: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dailystoic/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/dailystoic" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/dailystoic" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@daily_stoic" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dailystoic" target="_blank">Facebook<br></a><br><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Scott Thompson on Epictetus and Approaching Life with Laughter from The Daily Stoic gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Hinto app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- 3 Pieces of Advice Worth Keeping Close | Seth Wickersham Nov 7, 2026
- BONUS | Someone Else Is Spinning The Thread Nov 6, 2026
- Don’t Lose the Day in Expectation of the Night | It's Not Too Late, But Don't Wait (ft. Chris Guillebeau) Nov 6, 2026
- This Is How You Should Think About It | 3 Stoic Exercises to Stop Taking Life for Granted Nov 5, 2026
- Your Obligation Remains The Same | Why Did You Choose Stoicism? Nov 4, 2026
- How To Stay Calm When The World Feels Out Of Control Nov 3, 2026
- This is Your Chief Task Nov 3, 2026
- BONUS | 3 Shows in 72 Hours Nov 2, 2026
- Your Job is This Simple | Accepting What Is Nov 2, 2026
- Stoicism, Democracy, and Personal Responsibility | Stacey Abrams Nov 1, 2026
- 43 Stoic Rules That Will Change How You Live Oct 31, 2026
- If We Were Dying, It Would Be Easier | What Grief Teaches Us About Being Alive Oct 30, 2026
- It’s Not How You See It. It’s What You Make It | 18 Stoic Lessons You’ll Wish You Learned Sooner Oct 29, 2026
- 16 Brutally Honest Stoic Reminders Oct 28, 2026
- It’s All In How You See It Oct 28, 2026
- BONUS | We Reap What We Sow Oct 27, 2026
- The Past Is a Lie | Would Ryan Holiday Ever Run for Office? Oct 27, 2026
- The Past Is Looking Brighter All The Time Oct 26, 2026
- The Truth About Banned Books (And Why It Matters) Oct 25, 2026
- Robert Greene & Ryan Holiday: The Secret To A Great Apprenticeship Oct 24, 2026
- True Freedom Requires This | Two Tasks Oct 23, 2026
- BONUS | Ezra Frech Before Dancing with the Stars Oct 22, 2026
- How Much Have You Changed? | Proof That Stoicism Can Change Your Life Oct 22, 2026
- This Was The Difference (and it makes ALL the difference) Oct 21, 2026
- 10 Stoic Lessons It Took Ryan 10 Years to Understand Oct 21, 2026
- It Started Small (Who Would Imagine It Would Make This Far?) | Matt Choi’s Daily Stoic Practice Oct 20, 2026
- This is How You Die Before Your Time Oct 19, 2026
- The Top 10 Most Popular Passages From The Daily Stoic Oct 18, 2026
- Why Grit Isn’t Enough | Angela Duckworth Oct 17, 2026
- The Leaves Are On The Ground Oct 16, 2026