Personality versus Stoicism

Personality has a strong genetic component. It may be genetics interacting with the environment, or it may be just genetics, but what seems clear is that it is hard to change your innate personality. What this means for Stoics is that philosophically urging us to be happy and content, and to have a Stoic outlook on life, may not have much effect. Those who are happy people will be happy. Those who are not happy will not be happy. We may not be able to teach unhappy people to be happy through Stoic philosophy.

This is an important point, I think. We just don't know if Stoic philosophy can actually affect happiness or tranquility, or if it does work if it can work for all. Yes, Stoicism is great, but like all interesting things, it must be tested.