Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Why do you point out how pale this person looks, or how thin that one is? There's a plague affecting everyone. So let's be kinder to each other. We're all flawed people living among other flawed people. There's only one thing that can give us peace: agreeing to forgive one another. "But this person has already hurt me," you say, "and I haven't hurt him yet." Maybe not, but you've probably hurt someone else, and you'll hurt him someday too. Don't judge yourself by just one hour or one day. Look at your whole character. Even if you haven't done anything evil yet, you're still capable of it.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 26 Book 3 · 81 of 121
Human Nature Doing The Right Thing
Seneca — The Senator Original

Why do you remark how pale this man, or how lean that man is? there is a general pestilence. Let us therefore be more gentle one to another: we are bad men, living among bad men: there is only one thing which can afford us peace, and that is to agree to forgive one another. “This man has already injured me,” say you, “and I have not yet injured him.” No, but you have probably injured some one else, and you will injure him some day. Do not form your judgment by one hour, or one day: consider the whole tendency of your mind: even though you have done no evil, yet you are capable of doing it.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 26 Book 3 · 81 of 121
Seneca — The Senator

You can't call something strange or shameful in one person if it's how everyone in his culture acts. The examples I just gave are only defended by the customs of one remote part of the world. But look — there are far worse crimes that deserve more forgiveness because they're found everywhere among all people. We're all quick to anger and careless. We're all untrustworthy, never satisfied, and hungry for power. Why am I trying to soften our shared wickedness with gentle words? We're all bad. Every one of us will find in our own heart the same flaw we criticize in others.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 26 Book 3 · 80 of 121
Human Nature Knowing Yourself
Seneca — The Senator Original

You cannot call anything peculiar or disgraceful in a particular man if it is the general characteristic of his nation. Now, the cases which I have quoted are defended only by the usage of one out-of-the-way quarter of the world: see now, how far more deserving of pardon those crimes are which are spread abroad among all mankind. We all are hasty and careless, we all are untrustworthy, dissatisfied, and ambitious: nay, why do I try to hide our common wickedness by a too partial description? we all are bad. Every one of us therefore will find in his own breast the vice which he blames in another.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 26 Book 3 · 80 of 121
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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