Plain
Seneca — The Senator

If we can't control our emotions, at least our emotions should have some limits. But anger just keeps growing stronger. It's like lightning or a hurricane — forces that can't stop themselves because they don't move forward steadily, but crash down from above. Other bad emotions cloud our judgment, but anger destroys our sanity completely. Other vices sneak up on us gradually. But anger? We dive headfirst into it all at once. No emotion is more wild or more self-destructive. When anger wins, it becomes arrogant. When it loses, it goes crazy. Even when it's beaten, it doesn't get tired. And if it can't reach its target, it turns around and attacks itself. The strength of anger has nothing to do with what caused it. It can explode into massive rage over the tiniest things.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 1 Book 3 · 4 of 121
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

If we are not able to withstand our passions, yet at any rate our passions ought to stand firm: but anger grows more and more powerful, like lightning flashes or hurricanes, or any other things which cannot stop themselves because they do not proceed along, but fall from above. Other vices affect our judgment, anger affects our sanity: others come in mild attacks and grow unnoticed, but men's minds plunge abruptly into anger. There is no passion that is more frantic, more destructive to its own self; it is arrogant if successful, and frantic if it fails. Even when defeated it does not grow weary, but if chance places its foe beyond its reach, it turns its teeth against itself. Its intensity is in no way regulated by its origin: for it rises to the greatest heights from the most trivial beginnings.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 1 Book 3 · 4 of 121
Seneca — The Senator

Other emotions can be put on hold and treated later. But anger is different. It doesn't build up slowly — it explodes at full force the moment it starts. And unlike other vices that just disturb your mind, anger takes complete control. It tortures you until you can't hold back anymore. You start wanting to destroy everything, not just what made you angry, but anything that gets in your way. Other vices move your mind around. Anger throws it off a cliff.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 1 Book 3 · 3 of 121
Calm Your Mind Facing Hardship
Seneca — The Senator Original

for other passions admit of having their case put off, and may be healed at a later time; but the eager and self-destructive violence of anger does not grow up by slow degrees, but reaches its full height as soon as it begins. Nor does it, like other vices, merely disturb men's minds, but it takes them away, and torments them till they are incapable of restraining themselves and eager for the common ruin of all men, nor does it rage merely against its object, but against every obstacle which it encounters on its way. The other vices move our minds; anger hurls them headlong.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 1 Book 3 · 3 of 121
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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