It’s really just like a painkiller imo. Stoicism really doesn’t have any structural approach to society (since it’s a ruling class ideology). If you’re oppressed, all you can do is change your reaction to oppression, not the oppression itself.

Now, this is fine as a local strategy – when, say, you’re by yourself and harried by the state or some reactionary fuckers. A stoic comportment where you endure the “slings and arrows” as it were can help, especially if it allows you to create change with others in the future.

However, I think the thing about this is – are you “happy” when the cop stops you/arrests you? I think that’s where stoicism is entirely up its ass. Instead of deluding yourself that whatever happens to you, you can be happy, the rage against the injustice should be what keeps you going. Now, stoic attitudes can help you manage that rage (for instance, you think about the future happiness when the revolution ends this bullshit), but I think stoicism’s “consider yourself happy even when suffering” is total fucking cope. Especially since it’s not like there’s any “change the world that’s oppressing you/making you suffer” followup.