Marcus often uses mereology as a method for piercing through and discrediting popular but misleadingopinions that disguise the real nature of a subject, object, or thing. Stoics believed that true goods are necessaryand sufficient for a happy life, while the true evils are similarly necessary and sufficient for a miserable life.Stoics famously hold that the only true goods are the virtues, while the only true evils are the vices. Everythingelse, including life, death, good repute, ill repute, wealth, poverty, health, illness, noble birth, humble birth,praise, calumny, status, power, and all material possessions are neither good nor evil but "indifferents" sinceeach can be used either well or badly, either virtuously or viciously, either happily or miserably. Consequently,the Stoic has an attitude of indifference toward these items that are "indifferent" with respect to his/herhappiness. What matters is how the Stoic uses these items, not the "indifferents" themselves.