Dear Fellow Mortal,
There is a temptation even in trying to live wisely: we can turn wisdom itself into a performance.
Seneca wanted philosophy to make us different—but not merely to make us look different. Simplicity, discipline, and restraint matter only when they change the person beneath the surface. The goal is not to advertise a philosophical life.
It is to live one.
—
I hope you enjoy this edition of Sundays with Seneca.
Remember to live.
J.W.
Sundays with Seneca
Sundays with Seneca is a series exploring the writings and Stoic philosophy of Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Each meditation offers a contemporary interpretation of one of Seneca’s letters, along with a Sunday practice. *** This series is exclusive to members.
Seneca on Living Simply
Letter 5—On the Philosopher’s Mean
I am pleased to hear that you are persisting in your studies and setting everything else aside to devote yourself each day to becoming a better person.
I encourage you to continue.
But let me give you a warning.
Do not adopt unusual habits merely to attract attention. Avoid shabby clothing, uncut hair, open contempt for money, sleeping on the ground, or any other practice whose real purpose is to make people notice how different you are.
The very name of philosophy already attracts enough criticism.
We should not deliberately separate ourselves from ordinary human life.
