Steve Sweeting: Police Sergeant & Founder of Street Stoic

Have you ever wondered who Zeno of Citium, or should I say Cyprus, was.  Probably not.  If you are a male in your late forties or fifties, the mention of Zeno probably conjures up an image of Xena.  Both sound like they begin with “Z” and both had roots in Greece, but the latter was known as the Warrior Princess, and the former, the first Stoic. 

If I am going to be honest, as a adolescent, Xena was the probably the only thing that generated much interest in ancient Greece for me.  And that is for all set of different reasons that we should probably keep out of conversations on the Coptimizer Podcast.  If you don’t know what the hell I am rambling about, then just do a quick google image search for:  Xena, Warrior Princess, and you will understand.  

While I’m into the pop culture references, I might as well lay down another one.  “So - crates.”  At least that is how Bill and Ted in their excellent adventure referred to him.  

Like sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. #IYKYK

Roman Emporer, Marcus Aurelius, is probably the most popular or well know Stoic, but Socrates was probably the “Godfather.”  And now that I am just a few years older, I have come to appreciate the lessons the Stoics have shared us with.  As a young Cop, I didn’t put the pieces of the puzzle together.  I thought all problems were novel. They were there for me to solve.  As an older Cop, I began to understand my hubris.  Now, as a retiree, I look back and see that there is not much new under the sun, at least when it comes to human beings, their emotions. 

This weeks guest on the Coptimizer Podcast is a different kind of stoic.  He is Steve Sweeting, otherwise known as the Street Stoic.  A practicing law enforcement officer and author, Steve is also a practicing Stoic.  Ancient Philosophy, Modern Policing is the subtitle of his book, and I strongly encourage you to jump on your favorite online retailer, or head to your nearest bookstore, and grab a copy.  Read it.  Then read it again.  

If you want to know why, then start by jumping on this episode and learning about what the ancient stoics knew all the way back in the 3rd century - BCE, that is.  After that, jump on Netflix and watch an episode of Xena!  

You can watch this podcast on our YouTube channel by clicking here.