Obama - The Stoic Path - Philosopher King?

What sort of characteristics should we observe in a Stoic individual? What kind of face would he or she present to the world? We need look no further than newly elected US President Barack Obama. I find it striking how many of President-elect Obama's qualities mirror those described by Emperor Marcus Aurelius. These are qualities he admired in people who were influential in the development of his own Stoicism and which he practiced himself in his leadership as the world's first Philosopher King.

Try this on for yourself. Here are a few of those qualities Marcus found in a wise leader, which he refers to in his Meditations: a just mixture in the moral character of sweetness and dignity; the perception that he thinks carefully as he speaks; the belief that he never has had bad intention; to never show amazement or surprise; to seem never in a hurry; never to put off doing what must be done; to never be perplexed or dejected; and never to laugh to disguise aggravation. Each of these is a quality that mirrors the mind of the leader. In other words these qualities reflect the real nature of the leader's soul or psyche.

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http://russellmcneil.blogspot.com/2008/11/stoic-path-barack-obama-philosopher.html