Month: May 2020

Required Reading: Letter 3: On True And False Friendship

“But if you consider any man a friend whom you do not trust as you trust yourself, you are mightily mistaken and you do not sufficiently understand what true friendship means.”

Let me begin this essay by asking you how many friends do you have? Do you have one, two, three, many? Have you ever had a “friend” in your life? Has there been anyone you could trust as you trust yourself? Not so trifling questions if we consider what Seneca expounds in this letter right? For we are quick to call a casual acquaintance “my friend”.

Be careful; for to truly have a friend, such a person is an extension of you; meaning, everything you feel about yourself; think about yourself; all of your fears and ambitions need to be openly shared with that one as if that person is you! Continue reading “Discourse 3: Regarding On True And False Friendship”

Required Reading: Letter 2: On Discursiveness In Reading

“The primary indication, to my thinking, of a well-ordered mind is a man’s ability to remain in one place and linger in his own company.”

Seneca’s second letter to Lucilius is one so full of lessons that every sentence, every paragraph is worth written in BOLD! One cannot even begin to analyze his opening statements as well as that which closes; he advocates dearly for staying in one place; that is, remaining with one author until you have digested thoroughly the wisdom he or she is trying to convey.

Many are guilty (once an addict) of buying lots of books without really reading them; truly, who has time for such activities? Who has time to even read one author; one matter of thought thoroughly; and then compound that with hundreds of other books and authors? With that behavior, the wisdom is lost; so, he cautions “You must linger among a limited number of master thinkers; and digest their work, if you would derive ideas which shall win firm hold in your mind.” Continue reading “Discourse 2: Regarding On Discursiveness In Reading”