Plain
Seneca — The Senator

"But of course it's their makers who really insult us." I answer that first, we often get angry before we think this through clearly. Second, maybe even the makers have good excuses. One of them might not have been able to make it any better than he did. His poor skill wasn't meant to disrespect you. Another might have done sloppy work without meaning to insult you at all. And finally, what's crazier than taking out your anger at people on their things?

On Anger, Book 2, Section 26 Book 2 · 64 of 103
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

"But of course it is their makers who really affront us." I answer that, in the first place, we often become angry before making this distinction clear in our minds, and secondly, perhaps even the makers might put forward some reasonable excuses: one of them, it may be, could not make them any better than he did, and it is not through any disrespect to you that he was unskilled in his trade: another may have done his work so without any intention of insulting you: and, finally, what can be more crazy than to discharge upon things the ill-feeling which one has accumulated against persons?

On Anger, Book 2, Section 26 Book 2 · 64 of 103
Seneca — The Senator

We get angry with people who can hurt us, and also with people who can't hurt us at all. In the second group are things that aren't even alive — like a book we throw across the room because the print is too small to read, or tear up because it's full of errors. Or clothes we rip apart because we don't like how they look. How silly it is to be angry at things like this! They don't deserve our anger, and they can't even feel it.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 26 Book 2 · 63 of 103
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

We are angry, either with those who can, or with those who cannot do us an injury. To the latter class belong some inanimate things, such as a book, which we often throw away when it is written in letters too small for us to read, or tear up when it is full of mistakes, or clothes which we destroy because we do not like them. How foolish to be angry with such things as these, which neither deserve nor feel our anger!

On Anger, Book 2, Section 26 Book 2 · 63 of 103
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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