The human condition

The human condition has not changed much since Seneca wrote on the Shortness of Life and much of the advice is as relevant now as then.

Philosophers are an odd lot to me. There's a certain degree of pretentiousness I don't like in most of their writing. That said, Seneca makes some valid points in this book. The book starts out with everything one should NOT be doing to have a fulfilling life, and nearly half way through the book I found myself wondering if I'd ever find out what things were actually worthy of Seneca's precious time. It pays off in the last 25% of the book, and because of that I would highly recommend reading this. One could easily read this book in afternoon.

This book is also a good exercise for someone wanting to better understand their own principles, and how they live their day to day life.

Also, if I was Seneca's mother I'd find him annoying.

"They lose the day in expectation of the night, and the night in fear of the dawn."

"People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy."

"You act like mortals in all that you fear, and like immortals in all that you desire."

"Even in our studies, where expenditure is most worthwhile, its justification depends on its moderation. What is the point of having countless books and libraries whose titles the owner scarcely read through in his whole lifetime? The mass of books burdens the student without instructing him, and it is far better to devote yourself to a few authors than to get lost among many. Forty thousand books were burned in the library at Alexandria. Someone else can praise it as a sumptuous monument to royal wealth, like Titus Livius, who calls it a notable achievement of good taste and devotion of kings. That was not good taste or devotion but scholarly self-indulgence - in fact, not even scholarly, since they had collected the books not for scholarship but for display."

3.5 stars.

49 AD -> 2021... Literally nothing has changed...

Meh.

Seneca pontificates that the only life worth living is the one of a philosopher. Which, co-incidentally, is the life he leads. His is the best life. Any other life is dumb and stupid and a waste of time. His life isn't, because he's better than you. Your life is pathetic because you're not a philosopher. You may have done many worthy things and helped mankind and been very productive - but it's all worthless. And so are you. But he's not. He's awesome. Because he's a philosopher and spent his life studying philosophy. Be like Seneca. Seneca the great. But you won't be. Because he's better than you, and isn't pompous or judgmental at all.

Het is duidelijk dat Seneca schreef voor de rijke elite van Rome. Volgens hem moet je met niets bezig zijn, behalve het zoeken naar wijsheid, toevallig wat hij dus doet. Het was wel leuk geschreven, hij neemt duidelijk geen blad voor de mond en maakt zich geen zorgen om anderen te beledigen.

3 sterren (how to stop tijdverspilling 101)