If you’ve ever spent any time around a pig, then you know that they have a carefree personality and simple love of life that truly separates them from the rest of the animal kingdom. There’s an ancient philosophy called Stoicism that, at its core, teaches how to let go of all negative feelings and only focus on the good ones. To just love life and not let any challenge that crosses your path get you down. Well we don’t know about you, but that definitely sounds like the attitude of a pig to us!
So what makes the humble pig a perfect Stoic mascot for the ages? Well first of all, they love life. And not just the good days, but they love every day the same, regardless of what it brings! There’s an old adage in Stoicism called “Amor Fati,” which translates to “love your fate.” If you know pigs, then you know that nothing really gets them down. You won’t hear them complain about bad days, or grumble about the weather or things out of their control.
In fact, if it ever rains, a pig is just as happy getting wet and rolling in the mud! Something like embracing the mud — which many people would never consider — is exactly why a pig is the pinnacle of optimism. There are so many things that happen in our everyday life that really aren’t harmful to us at all, and in fact would be good for us if we just stopped and thought about it. Rolling in the mud every now and then isn’t just harmless, it’s can also be good old-fashioned fun that is so needed in our world today.
So the next time you hang out with a pig, think about the Stoic teachings about loving every day, regardless of what it brings, and take a moment to notice how carefree that four-hoofed friend really is. It doesn’t matter to a pig if someone calls it names, or if there’s an obstacle in its path. To a pig, an obstacle is just something to find your way around, while continuing to smile.
That’s just one of the reasons why we truly love pigs . . . and we think you’ll agree! Live, laugh, and love pigs.
