That was exactly what I was thinking too in response to @
Evee post. Except instead of puritans, I'd substitute early Christians perhaps.
This leads me to believe that there is a transcendent yearning for man to attain a place where the events around him do not affect him. Usually this is only attained by religion or spiritual pursuit. Since Socrates made a religion out of his philosophy, it makes sense.
I think of the apostle Paul, and many of the Christian martyrs, that withstood torture gracefully, right to their end.
It's a fascinating state to attain or contemplate.