Stockdale Paradox. By now, my readers are aware of one of my heroes, James Stockdale, who survived years of imprisonment and torture in VietNam by understanding and living Stoic principles, as espoused in his favorite book, the Enchiridion by Epictetus. Both men recognized that fate can bring horrible things to us; in the case of Epictetus, years of enslavement and a useless leg. In the case of Stockdale, years of torture and imprisonment in a Vietnamese prison camp. At one point, Stockdale showed his limitless resolve to resist by cutting his wrists. After that, the VietCong changed their torture policies. However, the paradox comes from Stockdale’s adoption of the accepting reality and the things we cannot change idea. No matter what, it is foolhardy to hope for better things in the future, and irrational to expect change in the past. In POW camp, the prisoners who didn’t survive, often were optimists. They always had hope for rescue in the future. When those hopes were dashed, they were spiritually crushed. However, Stockdale accepted his reality, did the best he could do within that reality, was confident in ultimate success; but, realizing that there were no guarantees. As we face the crises in our world now, do not pray and hope for a better future. Make the best of the present you have. Stockdale