In: Psychology
why does epicteutus believe that "what upsets people is not things but their judgement about things"?
What Epictetus means by this statement is that events in themselves do not induce an emotional response, rather it is the perception of them that leads individuals to feel anything about them. Extrinsic stimuli have no meaning in themselves, they occur objectively and impartially. However, it is the perceiver who attaches meaning and emotions to them, and reacts accordingly. The power to be upset due to a situation rests in the hands of individuals themselves and has very little to do with the nature of it.