Powerless Before the Powerful: A Stoic Response to Evil in High Places
By Curious Aurelia
There’s a particular kind of helplessness that creeps in when we see injustice thrive. When people in power act with cruelty, selfishness, or corruption—and appear untouchable—we may feel small, even invisible. Powerless.
In an increasingly digital, divided world—where a handful hold the majority of power and wealth, where systems often reward manipulation over merit, and where corruption can seem woven into the fabric of daily life—it’s easy to feel insignificant. But are we truly powerless?
Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that champions inner strength and clarity, offers us an unexpected answer: no one can take our power without our permission. And even in the shadow of evil, we are never as powerless as we feel.
The Stoic Foundation: Control and Choice
Epictetus, born a slave and later a Stoic teacher, drew a stark line between what is up to us and what is not. His words echo through the centuries:
“Some things are in our control and others not.”
The actions of others—especially those who abuse power—are not within our control. But our response? It is always ours.
That is where our true strength lives. When confronted with wickedness, we do not pretend it doesn’t exist. We see it. We name it. But then, we turn inward to ask: What can I do with what is mine?
If you're a student witnessing a teacher’s cruelty, you may not be able to change their behavior, but you can show kindness to those affected. Document incidents. Support fellow students. Speak with a counselor or trusted authority figure.
If you're an employee under a toxic boss, your power lies in documenting everything, seeking allies, maintaining your professionalism, and protecting your well-being—whether that means reporting the behavior, transferring, or preparing to move on.
Powerlessness ends when we stop trying to control others and begin choosing our actions with intention.
Power in the Practice
A Stoic does not deny evil and retreat into passivity. Instead, they choose deliberate action rooted in virtue—wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance.
Wisdom helps us discern what is really happening and to resist being swept away by outrage alone. Ask yourself: What is really happening here? Am I seeing clearly, or am I reacting emotionally?
Example: A professor is constantly rude to a specific student. Instead of labeling them as “evil” outright, you might consider whether there are systemic pressures or internal issues at play. This is not to justify their behaviour. Wisdom helps you to look at the situation from a broader perspective and respond without being reactive. After your reflection you may decide to take action by bringing your concerns to a university counselor or administration.
Courage invites us to speak, act, resist, or create—even when it’s hard. It takes courage to stand up for others or for yourself—especially when the power dynamics are skewed.
Example: If your boss undermines team members in meetings, courage might look like respectfully offering a different perspective in the moment—or following up privately with a colleague to validate and encourage them. It might also mean documenting patterns and initiating a formal complaint, knowing the risks involved.
Justice reminds us of our duty—not to fix the world in one swoop, but to do our part with integrity. Stoics see justice not as a grand, abstract ideal, but as a daily practice of fairness and duty.
Example: Justice might mean mentoring those in need or who’s been unfairly treated, or offering emotional support. In a workplace, it might look like quietly defending a coworker who’s being misrepresented or offering to share credit for a team success. It’s about doing the next right thing, however small
Temperance helps us channel our emotions so they fuel purposeful action rather than burn us out. This is your inner thermostat—keeping you from overreacting, retaliating, or losing yourself in outrage. You can feel your emotions, let them in, let them through. Then, with a clear head, you think about the situation, your values and the steps you want to take.
Example: When a leader is cruel, temperance keeps you from blasting them on social media in a way that compromises your professionalism or spirals into drama. Instead, you use calm, focused language in an official report, or seek legal or structural channels to hold them accountable.
You may not be able to remove an evil person from power. But you can refuse to mirror them. You can speak truth. You can support those affected. You can create something better.
This is not small. This is not weakness. This is resistance, redefined.
Remember Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius, a Stoic and a Roman Emperor, dealt with corrupt senators, political betrayals, and even plagues. His writings in Meditations weren’t for show—they were reminders to himself not to become what he despised.
“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”
So if you feel powerless today, ask yourself: How can I be powerful in the ways that truly matter?
If a person is bitter and demeaning, you show compassion and fairness. If your boss is unethical, you lead with integrity in your own work and decisions. The Stoic path is not one of vengeance—it’s one of character. This doesn’t mean staying silent. It means speaking and acting in ways that reflect your principles, not your pain.
The Stoic Call
You may not change your boss. You may not reform your government overnight. But you are not powerless.
Model the behavior you wish to see.
Speak when it counts, even if your voice shakes.
Set boundaries and protect your energy.
Use your position—however small—to uplift others.
Choose what kind of person you become in response to challenge.
That is Stoic resistance: not passive acceptance, but purposeful response. Measured. Wise. Strong. And deeply human.
When you feel powerless, ask:
What is mine to carry? What is mine to release? What is mine to do—right now, with what I have?
That’s where the power lives. Not in changing others, but in choosing who you become.
Because we are the counterbalance.
We are the change.
The Stoic understands that reform does not always begin at the top. It begins with us—in quiet rooms, small decisions, everyday integrity.
In how we treat others when no one is watching.
In what we post and share online.
In whether we choose kindness over cruelty or inaction.
In whether we support or step on others to get ahead.
In whether we build systems that include rather than exclude.
We are leaders—of ourselves, our households, our communities.
And our leadership matters.
To live with virtue today—wisdom, courage, justice, temperance—is a radical act of rebellion in a world that often values the opposite. When we act with integrity, we challenge the belief that only the ruthless rise. When we lead with empathy, we interrupt the cycle of exploitation. When we stay rooted in principle, we offer others a path back to themselves.
The Stoic doesn’t just endure the world—they elevate it.