Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Even if all the greatest minds in history worked together on this puzzle, they could never fully express their amazement at how blind people are. Think about it: no one would let a stranger take over their property. If there's even a small dispute about where the property line is, people will grab rocks and clubs to fight. Yet these same people let others invade their lives. Worse — they actually invite others in to take over their time. You'll never find someone who wants to give away their money to everyone. But everyone gives away their life to anyone who asks. People carefully guard their wealth from being wasted. But when it comes to wasting time — the one thing they should protect most — they throw it around like it's worthless.

On the Shortness of Life, Section 3 9 of 87
What Matters Most Freedom & Control
Seneca — The Senator Original

Were all the brightest intellects of all time to employ themselves on this one subject, they never could sufficiently express their wonder at this blindness of men's minds: men will not allow any one to establish himself upon their estates, and upon the most trifling dispute about the measuring of boundaries, they betake themselves to stones and cudgels: yet they allow others to encroach upon their lives, nay, they themselves actually lead others in to take possession of them. You cannot find any one who wants to distribute his money; yet among how many people does every one distribute his life? men covetously guard their property from waste, but when it comes to waste of time, they are most prodigal of that of which it would become them to be sparing.

On the Shortness of Life, Section 3 9 of 87
Seneca — The Senator

It's absurd to complain that someone else won't give you their attention when you never give yourself your own attention. That boss of yours — even if he looks down on you — will eventually see you, listen to what you have to say, and maybe even invite you to sit with him. But you never bother to look at yourself or listen to your own thoughts. So why expect these things from others? Especially when you weren't seeking that meeting because you wanted to see them, but because you couldn't manage to have a real conversation with yourself.

On the Shortness of Life, Section 2 8 of 87
Knowing Yourself Freedom & Control
Seneca — The Senator Original

as if a man had any right to complain of being so haughtily shut out by another, when he never has leisure to give his own conscience a hearing. This chief of yours, whoever he is, though he may look at you in an offensive manner, still will some day look at you, open his ears to your words, and give you a seat by his side: but you never design to look upon yourself, to listen to your own grievances. You ought not, then, to claim these services from another, especially since while you yourself were doing so, you did not wish for an interview with another man, but were not able to obtain one with yourself.

On the Shortness of Life, Section 2 8 of 87
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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