This Was Washington’s Philosophy | Power Fades. Character Leads.

What It Covers

Ryan Holiday explores how George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Jimmy Carter exemplified Stoic virtues in leadership. The episode examines Washington's philosophy of viewing life through calm reason, Lincoln's moral character during the Civil War, and Carter's commitment to racial justice despite political costs, demonstrating how character outlasts power.

Key Questions Answered

• •Washington's Stoic Practice: Washington repeatedly quoted a line from the play Cato about viewing the world through mild philosophy, citing it in three letters within two weeks in 1797. He used this Stoic framework to temper emotions during the Newburgh mutiny, preventing military overthrow by urging troops to test their impressions with reason rather than act on anger and frustration.
• •Carter's Naval Academy Courage: At age 28, Carter responded to Canada's first nuclear reactor meltdown by training teams to work in 90-second intervals at the radioactive core. They built a duplicate reactor to practice specific repair actions before rotating through the actual meltdown site, demonstrating technical expertise and physical courage that contradicts his public perception as weak or ineffective.
• •Lincoln's Strategic Timing: Lincoln delayed the Emancipation Proclamation understanding that issuing it six months earlier would have lost the border states and the war, while waiting longer would have sacrificed morale. He combined moral principle with practical political calculation, recognizing that in democracy, educating public sentiment matters more than Congressional or Supreme Court actions for lasting change.
• •Carter's Justice Standard: As Georgia governor in 1970, Carter opened his inaugural address by declaring the time for racial discrimination over, shocking constituents who expected typical Southern politics. He later pardoned wrongfully convicted Mary Prince, employed her as White House nanny, and bought her a house in Plains after his presidency, demonstrating consistent commitment beyond political convenience.
• •Rickover's Best Question: During Carter's Naval Academy interview, Admiral Rickover asked how Carter ranked in his class (59th), then followed with whether he always did his best. When Carter honestly answered no, Rickover asked why not and ended the meeting. This question became Carter's lifelong standard and his presidential campaign biography title, shaping his approach to public service.