--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men are disturbed not by the things which…" description: "\"“Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinion about the things.”\" — Epictetus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg" --- # Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by… ![“Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinion about the things.” quote by Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg) > ““Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinion about the things.”” [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Distress arises from judgments, not events; changing perceptions reduces suffering. **In simple terms:** Thoughts cause disturbance. Key Takeaway Reframe your judgments. Themes stoicism perception emotion Mood calm reflective Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - stress management - therapy - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What judgments cause you pain? - How can you shift perspective? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated beliefs can be hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) ## Related quotes > [Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-that-happen-but-by-their-opinion/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-views-which-they-take-of/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-which-they-take-of/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [No man is disturbed by things, but by his opinion about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/no-man-is-disturbed-by-things-but-by-his-opinion-about-things/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views he takes of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/man-is-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-views-he-takes-of-them/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-not-disturbed-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Sometimes I get extremely disturbed with the things that are written. But you can't do anything about it. As a celebrity, you are putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/sometimes-i-get-extremely-disturbed-with-the-things-that-are-written/) [Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/) > [“People are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-not-disturbed-by-things-but-by-the-views-they-take-of-them/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“People feel disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-feel-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-views-they-take-of-them/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [I'm such a chronic relativist, I can't hold down a strong opinion about many things long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-m-such-a-chronic-relativist-i-can-t-hold-down-a-strong-opinion/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things. Thus death is nothing terrible, else it would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus-epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-views-which-they-take-of-2/) [Epictetus Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus-epictetus/) > [I believe that everyone has a right to have an opinion about things or people, and fortunately, I have been lucky to have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/i-believe-that-everyone-has-a-right-to-have-an-opinion-about-things/) [Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/) > [One can give a really unbiased opinion only about things that do not interest one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-can-give-a-really-unbiased-opinion-only-about-things-that-do-not/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Epictetus > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/practice-yourself-for-heaven-s-sake-in-little-things-and-then-proceed/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-laugh-much-or-often-or-unrestrainedly/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/don-t-be-prideful-with-any-excellence-that-is-not-your-own/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. For men sell themselves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/you-know-yourself-what-you-are-worth-in-your-own-eyes-and-at-what/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/crows-pick-out-the-eyes-of-the-dead-when-the-dead-have-no-longer-need/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/as-a-man-casting-off-worn-out-garments-taketh-new-ones-so-the-dweller/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-would-improve-submit-to-be-considered-wihout-sense-and-foolish/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/for-it-is-not-death-or-pain-that-is-to-be-feared-but-the-fear-of-pain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What else can I do, a lame old man, but sing hymns to God? If I were a nightingale, I would do the nightingale's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-else-can-i-do-a-lame-old-man-but-sing-hymns-to-god-if-i-were-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/small-minded-people-blame-others-average-people-blame-themselves-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/all-philosophy-lies-in-two-words-sustain-and-abstain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Explore all 577 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More Disturbed quotes > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [Things happen too quickly, crisis follows crisis, the soil of our minds is perpetually disturbed. Each of us, to relieve his feelings, broadcasts his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/things-happen-too-quickly-crisis-follows-crisis-the-soil-of-our-minds/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [I'm very disturbed to find out that the leader of the Townies has a soul and I'm beginning to develop a bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-m-very-disturbed-to-find-out-that-the-leader-of-the-townies-has-a/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Arise Evans had a fungous nose, and said, it was revealed to him, that the King's hand would cure him, and at the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aubrey/arise-evans-had-a-fungous-nose-and-said-it-was-revealed-to-him-that/) [John Aubrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-aubrey/) > [I'm usually pretty happy. I don't ever really get disturbed in any way, or feel like I need to go back and change something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-m-usually-pretty-happy-i-don-t-ever-really-get-disturbed-in-any-way/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [“It's amusing to me that we refer to people who live in their heads as detached, disturbed, or mad, when reality for anyone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/it-s-amusing-to-me-that-we-refer-to-people-who-live-in-their-heads-as/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Silence is something that comes from your heart, not from outside. Silence doesn't mean not talking and not doing things; it means that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/silence-is-something-that-comes-from-your-heart-not-from-outside/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [How could one comfort a disturbed person? He is already assailed with doubts about his faith. He would have to despair with such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-f-w-walther/how-could-one-comfort-a-disturbed-person-he-is-already-assailed-with/) [C. F. W. Walther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-f-w-walther/) > [I am particularly disturbed that our country is the largest financial supporter of an organization that not only wastes a lot of our money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/i-am-particularly-disturbed-that-our-country-is-the-largest-financial/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > [Anyone who is disturbed by the idea of newts in a nightclub is potentially dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/anyone-who-is-disturbed-by-the-idea-of-newts-in-a-nightclub-is/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [My family is disturbed by me. They think something is really wrong with me. It kinda sucks being told that everyday...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos/my-family-is-disturbed-by-me-they-think-something-is-really-wrong/) [Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [The habit of quietly absorbing the shocks will be quite a great help to stabilize pure awareness. The technique is: Just feel not disturbed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-habit-of-quietly-absorbing-the-shocks-will-be-quite-a-great-help/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) Browse all 476 Disturbed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinion about the things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Epictetus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-which-happen-but-by-the-opinion/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disturbed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-which-happen-but-by-the-opinion/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/epictetus-413_disturbed_men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-whic_2892544.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinion about the things.” — Epictetus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Epictetus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Men are disturbed not by the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-which-happen-but-by-the-opinion/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/men-are-disturbed-not-by-the-things-which-happen-but-by-the-opinion/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```