The Echo of the Herd

Imagine a lone astronaut, adrift in the endless void of space, facing a decision that could doom or save their fragile craft. Their oxygen is dwindling, and the ship’s AI calmly insists, “The majority of humans in this situation would follow Protocol X.” The astronaut’s mind races—do they mimic the majority or carve their own path through the abyss? What would you do?

This chilling scenario mirrors a truth that transcends centuries: conformity is seductive yet perilous. And so, we turn to the wisdom of Stoicism, an ancient philosophy that taught us to brave storms of the soul with clarity and reason. But what if Stoicism encountered the cold voids of science fiction and horror? The timeless battle against blind conformity—and the quest for freedom in thought—is as relevant aboard a derelict starship as it is in the streets of ancient Rome.