Seneca apply to Shakespeare's Roman Tragedies

    "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ear."

    Shakespeare, the greatest playwright in Renaissance England, had many times wrote plays on Roman tragedy. As most of the Renaissance writers do, Shakespeare's work is greatly influenced by Greek and Roman philosophies. 

    Often times, Shakespeare's Greek and Roman plays are tragedies, full of violence and psychological drama. Why is tragedies so important for Greek and Roman theatre? Because many Greek and Roman philosophers finds philosophical means in tragic emotions.

  Seneca, the great Roman philosopher taught us that "in so far as we can ever attain wisdom, it is by learning not to aggravate the world's obstinacy through our own response", thus applying to the arc of story telling (which is also an idea from Ancient Greece), "spams of rage, self-pity, anxiety, bitterness, self-righteousness and paranoia" is always the chaos that destroy order. 

    The tragedy in Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar is a great example to apply Seneca's philosophy.   Convinced by Cassius, Brutus betrayed Ceasar for the "greater good" and stubbed a knife into Ceasar's chest and thus created the tragedy of Julius Ceasar "Et tu, Brutus?". In the play, Cassius and his congregation of assassins against Ceasar because :"I was born free as Caesar; so were you...And this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature and must bend his body, If Caesar carelessly but nod on him". Cassius' idea is driven by his self-righteousness, bitterness and anger that created out of his frustration: Cassius' wish landed badly on the wall of reality. Seneca  taught people not to rise up our expectancy too high, because "We will cease to be so angry once we ceases to be so hopeful." If Cassius did not rise up his hopefulness so high, the entire plot of assassinate Caesar will not happen, and therefore Anthony will not make his speech on Caesar's funeral that kindle Roman citizen's love for Caesar, and at last, Cassius and his rebel will not be killed so tragically. 

        

    Many Greek and Roman character had a tragic ending because of their anxiety. Seneca once said :"True happiness is... to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future", but it is hard to live the way according to Seneca's ideal- the chaos of Titus Andronicus starts when the jealous Emperor of Rome, Saturninus, married the Queen of Goths Tamora because he is angry about Titus's daughter Lavinia would not take his hand. Like wise, in Anthony and Cleopatra, Anthony committed suicide because Cleopatra wanted to test his love for her. 

    Humanity is based on all the frustration of unsatisfactory, without the power of frustration, we would not have Shakespeare's great works of art.

Money vs. Happiness [Epicurus]

Can the simple things in life bring us pleasure and happiness, or do we need more? Epicurus teaches us that with the essential things in life – friendship, freedom, and thought – people are able to achieve happiness. Social media convinces people that happiness has to be purchased, and that money is an important piece to the puzzle called happiness. The happiness that people get from the items they buy is temporary. Pleasure and happiness don’t need to be expensive, however people want them to be. 

Some people believe that no amount of money will make you happy, while others will say, “Money makes you happy. You just have to know what to do with it.” Others may not agree with the concept of money bringing happiness and rather prefer the company of family and friends. Depending upon the person and the circumstances within their life, money could bring them happiness or just be another object in their lives that they take for granted. For people who struggle to pay bills, buy food for their families, or pay their college tuition money will absolutely bring them happiness because with the money they are able to have essential things in life. However, people like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton are consumed by money and have “money sufficient to allow one to live on the interest of the interest (48).”  

Money can be positive by giving choices and freedom. Also through allowing people to live a life free of financial concern. The moment money is viewed as negative is when people let it dominate their lives. “Happiness may be difficult to attain. The obstacles are not primarily financial. (71)”

Epicurus

I really like Epicurus' quote, "Nothing satisfies the man who is not satisfied with a little" (62). It is a simple quote but it can be applied in so many instances and be relevant to any topic. Epicurus states very clearly that if a person can't be satisfied with something minor, they won't be satisfied with any amount, great or small.

Unfortunately, this is the case all too often in today's world. We're told by both big businesses and the government that you (the consumer) won't be happy unless you buy more and more things. We're told that the more we buy, the happier we'll be, essentially meaning that money can buy us happiness.

As parents participate in the act of constantly buying things in order to quench their thirst for this illusion of happiness, those actions become habits, and those habits become a way of life. Soon, their way of life is passed on to their children. If children are taught something at a very young age, the chances of them breaking those habits and contradicting everything that they were taught from their parents is highly unlikely.

I also really like Epicurus' quote, "The possession of the greatest riches does not resolve the agitation of the soul, nor give birth to remarkable joy" (64), because I don't believe that expensive and luxurious items will bring me happiness, just as I don't believe that materialistic possessions will mend a broken heart or a sad memory. I think that Epicurus' philosophy is fairly straight forward and simple. He clearly states that the only things one really needs in order to be truly happy are friends, freedom, and thought.

Epicurus

Epicurus’ philosophy primarily drew me in because it contrasted so starkly with the previous philosophers we’ve learned about. Relieved that I was done having to pick my ill-equipped brain for Socratic arguments, I dove right into the reading about Epicurus. To my delight, his main ideas seemed to center on pleasure and happiness. This is a subject that I’m well-versed in. I’ve recently been very intrigued by happiness and the acquisition of it in one’s daily life - I’ve even checked out library books on the subject.

Epicurus taught that attaining happiness and pleasure was the main goal in this life. He believed that friends, freedom, and thought were the three most important things to strive for. He also greatly encouraged eating good food and enjoying the company of friends. The fact that a wise philosopher would preach ideas such as these greatly comforted me.

However, a lot of people misinterpret Epicurus and his beliefs. Many believed him to be a glutton and a nymphomaniac. While I see how the masses might have gotten this idea, I feel that, as a whole, humans are very quick to judge. People are generally predisposed to believing that all philosophers must lead a specific lifestyle: they must be humble and poor, struggling to make a living due to their principles, living a properly ascetic life. While this is certainly the case for many philosophers, it wasn’t for Epicurus. He didn’t deny himself the luxuries of life, but he knew that he could survive, and even thrive, without them. The key to everything is moderation. Epicurus would say that a smaller, good meal is better than a larger, worse meal. He was all about quality versus quantity, but a lot of people didn’t understand the nuances of his philosophy. 

For me, Epicurus revived the interest in learning more about happiness and pleasure-seeking. Inspiring me to enjoy life’s daily blessings, Epicurus has gained yet another admirer.

Seneca & Epicurus

  According to Epicurus’s philosophy, he taught us how to find happiness and enjoy our lives. In his worldview, happiness is the absence of either physical pain or mental suffering; also he wasn’t interest in through the accumulation of wealth to satisfy his desires. He prefers the inner tranquility that comes from leading a good life. Money cannot buy happiness, but it can lead people have a better life. For most people money can let them smile, including me. For those people who live without basic needs, money is really important to them. Sometimes money can change people’s life. For us, we don't have to worry about the food, water or house, so we are looking for more mental things. Obviously, money just a part of our life, we also have our family and amazing friends that support us, let us feel happiness. In my view the relation between money and happiness is really depends on different types people, if the person don't even have money to buy any foods how could he feel any happiness.

  Seneca was more reality. “We have prepared ourselves for and understand and are hurt most by those we least expected and cannot fathom” P81. Seneca’s idea is different from Epicurus' s. Seneca believed that people should prepare for the future, so that when bad things come people are able to face the problem. Personally I like Epicurus’s idea better, no matter bad things or good things, they are just a part of our life. Sometimes bad things would make us grow, and I believe that life is more hopeful everything will be fine.

Epicurus

Epicurus

Epicurus said that“(The wise man) chooses not the greatest quantity of food but the most pleasant.”

            

I agree with Epicurus because even though we like to go out to dinner it doesn’t guarantee that it will be pleasant but most of the time it is. Even though I do enjoy going out to dinner every once and a while, I prefer a home cooked meal. I don’t know what it is about a home cooked meal, but it always tastes better than a meal from a nice and fancy restaurant. What I like more than a home cooked meal, is when I am able to make one myself and the sense of accomplishment just makes it different.

He also said that “Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live one’s entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship.”

            

I don’t agree with him because wisdom doesn’t necessarily help you to live your life in happiness, or compare to the fact that according to him the greatest possession is friendship. You can have friends and not be happy because those friends could be a bad influence or pressuring you to do something you don’t want to do. You could also not have friends and be happy if you were surrounded by family who loves and supports you no matter what decisions you make and will be there for you until the very end. Although Epicurus is right, you can have 

friends who make you happy.

In the end, I am more against his philisophical ideas than for him, because in modern day it takes an expirence and a different point of view to really see where all the happiness comes from and how certain effects can change it wether or not you can choose to see it as a happy thing

Epicurus&Seneca

"We have money without friends, freedom, and analyzed life, we will never be truly be happy." Epicurus believe even someone is rich, without friends, freedom, and a purposeful life, she/he will not be truly happy. But this doesn't mean money can not bring people happiness. If you receive a ten thousand check in the mail, I'm sure everyone will be happy. However this kind of happiness is not permeant. Once the money is gone, you will never feel the same again. Money is materialistic thing, you can't live without it, you also don't need to much of it. Having too much money will sometime leads a person towards evil, due to increase of desire. On the other hand, have a friend to stand by your side; freedom to speck what you want to say; or even have a organized life is what we need to have a happy life. Most importantly, we also need to have a positive mind for everything. Because though out our life we will have to face many suffering, such as sickness, hunger, pain. If you have a positive mind to think everything will be okay the next second, your life will be much easier then people who consistently thinking about how difficult their life is.

Epicurus's philosophy shows us what we need to be happy, while Seneca's philosophy shows us on the opposite view of the same problem, which is what makes us frustrated—not happy. Seneca observed that when people are angry it was because something had occurred which they expected would not occur. For example a person worked every hard in his job and was expecting to be paid well. But he end up not getting pay at all. Of corse he will be angry. However, if he knew he is not going to be paid at the beginning, he won't be angry when he is not get paid. This kind of thinking applies to our everyday life. Therefore I believe in order to not frustrate at all the things, don't expect to much, and have a open mind at everything.

Don't let anger control you

Summarizing Seneca's philosophy, he talks about not letting you emotions get to you, and controlling you wishes when the are going to hit the "wall" of reality. 

For an example, Seneca talks a lot about anger, and how you can be very angry because of one specific reason, but not realizing that you could be over reacting. He says that in calmer moments we realize that we were exaggerating. In another words, he is saying that "it's not the end of the world" so we should not let our emotions take over us and control us, instead we should be the ones controlling our emotions. "... according to which anger results not from an uncontrollable eruptions of the passions, but from a basic ( and correctable ) error of reasoning.... If we could only change out ideas we will change our propensity to anger."

He also says that one of the reason we get angry for different reasons is because we compared those situations to what is "normal" for us. "We aren't overwhelmed by anger whenever we desire, only when we believe ourselves entitled or obtain it."

He also says that money ( being wealthy or poor ) has nothing to do with controlling your anger. He uses an example of a slave dropping something at a party and the slave's "owner" got so mad and angry by the sound of the thing dropping that he order the slave to be thrown into a pool of lampreys. 

I totally agree with Seneca, I think that anger can literally take control over your mind and body, that you can do things that you could regret later on. For an example, if you can't find your favourite pair of jeans, and you get so angry that you scream and punch the wall, and after a couple minutes, when you are calm you realize you just broke your hand and your sister was wearing your jeans, and you just regret it so much, because you could've think things a little better and not over react over such a small thing.

In conclusion, I think if we all try applying Seneca's philosophy of trying to control our emotions before reacting, in our life, we could all make better decisions.  

Money and Happiness

In Epicurus’s theory, pleasure is the most important point. The greatest achievement one person can achieve is seeking for pleasure and enjoying it. The relationship ship between money and happiness is like a function graph. But it’s not always proportion positively. It’s hard for me to image how people will get happiness without money that can satisfy their daily need.  At the same time, I don’t think those super rich people are living in pleasure. Money isn’t the only way for people to happiness, but it’s the uppermost one. There’s a joke, “Money is not everything, but everything needs money.”

Let’s image the life of people who don’t have that much money and need to worry about if they will have money for the next meal, a community that needs to worry about themselves’ security and kids with dystrophia, this life is definitely an ideal life for most people.

Then we can image those millionaires’ life. They also need to worry about their security because they are rich. Their family may be kidnapped to extort money from those millionaires. Their privacy can also be violated while some media draw public’s attention to their life.

From my perspective after learning Epicurus’ theory, I believe that the relationship between money and pleasure depends on different people. Some one, who don’t even satisfy daily need in our opinion, probably live more happily because of their religion. So I think it really depends how money and happiness relates to each other.

"There is nothing which Fortune does not dare"

In stoic philosophy it is important to live a happy life while also being conscious that tragedy could strike at any given moment. To me it seems almost impossible to be happy with those thoughts in my head. On one side of things, I think a happy life wouldn't consist of any of that. I think of the saying, "Ignorance is Bliss" and immediately I think of how happy children are, how happy I was before I knew what tragedy and death were. Wouldn't it be easier to live without considering those saddening possibilities? On the contrast, I can see it being useful to treat every moment as if it could be the last, because it would let one live without regret; always letting their loved ones know they love them, not holding grudges, and living life to the fullest. This sounds like the way to go, however, it must take time to get past the difficulty of dwelling on the possibility of death all the time.
What is the point of building up a life of happiness, when it is inevitable that you will someday face tragedy of some sort? If you never saw the tragedy coming, it will only hurt you much worse, and all the happiness you protected would be destroyed. At least if you are open to the idea that tragedies may occur, when they do, it will not shock you, therefore lessening the effect of sadness. Explained neatly in a quote of the book, "because we are injured most by what we do not expect, and because we must expect everything, we must, proposed Seneca, hold the possibility of disaster in mind at all times. No one should undertake a journey by car, or walk downstairs, or say goodbye to a friend, without an awareness of fatal possibilities."(119) With that being said, for those who are willing, you should live with a openness to everything. Even if it is hard to think about initially, it will only protect you in the long run. It is everyone's own choice of weather they want to live in ignorance or in reality to protect their happiness.

Thoughts on Seneca


" No one should undertake a journey by car or walk down the stairs, or say goodbye to a friend, without awareness. " (160)

"Because we are injured most by what we do not expect, and because we must expect everything, we must, proposed Seneca, hold the possibility of disaster in mind at all times." (159-160)

 Seneca was a worry wart and a pessimist. I don't really believe in having to think about what could happen to you or others that you love/care for. That's   not living. Living is doing what you want and what makes you happy with care and no worry. I don't think it's considered living if you are constantly thinking how a disaster may happen to you or another person.  This causes more stress and anxiety, which leads to life followed by negative worrisome thoughts about others and yourself. Also, this type of lifestyle and beliefs can deeply affect your relationship with yourself and others.

  You don't want to be that one friend who won't go out on Friday nights because you believe that there are more drunk drivers out on Friday nights. But the truth is that there are drunk drivers out every night. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. Good things happen to bad people. Things happen. Disasters happen. You can't live life thinking that there is a knife constantly hanging over you head waiting for you or hanging over your friends head waiting for your friend. You got to live life. Everyone worries and stresses and those are two things that will never go away, but you can control how you live. You can't control natural disasters or relationship disasters or any type of disasters.  You need to know that things happen, so live in the moment and take each day by day.

“Whatever is going to happen will happen, whether we worry or not.”
― Ana Monnar

accepting reality with applying Stoic views

Seneca/Epicurus   


Living for pleasure in an Epicurus way is one side of a lifestyle while acknowledging the bad and accepting it exists is the Seneca view of life. Both are very important for being alive; one must try to accept their frustrations and confusions although it is very difficult to overcome. I feel for some people its easier than others, not to say some are stronger and others are weaker, but people have different thresholds and tolerance levels going about dealing with their struggles and suffering. People get very caught up in their head and running thoughts to the point where they can feel trapped in their mind, which creates anxiety and pain. Its hard to get out of a lost mind because we tend to overthink everything once it's in the thought process. Seneca has a way of saying that we must accept that bad situations and bad moments do exist and that we must understand that they happen to everyone just that some can be worse than others.

Epicurus philosophy shows a more positive view about living for pleasure and joy, that we should live in the importance of freedom thought and friends.  Both are true and very realistic they are just different. They focus on two large points that are similar in a way so their philosophies could be applied together; live for pleasure while accepting our suffrage.

But can we really try to control reality? Don't we all as a whole create a reality with the world's differing opinions towards situations and issues; aren't we apart of the world and its moving reality? As an individual we can't control what the reality is but only our reactions to it. We have little power over the horrible situations that  happen in the world, only a strong opinion that others can choose to agree with; with that also comes not being able to control other peoples opinions and thoughts, what they do or how they feel. So in the end the world keeps going no matter what happens and we must accept like the Stoic way of thinking does to our problems and situations that come up though out our lives as we grow and prosper.

Seneca & Epicurus

Epicurean philosophy on how to achieve happiness are centered around the following three points: Friends, Freedom, and Thought. Stoic philosopher Seneca felt that in order to not be angry, people must have lower expectations of their imagined world so that when it inevitably collides with reality, they won't be so prone to anger. At first glance, these philosophies don't seem at all connected; one is focused on the attainment of happiness, the other on avoiding anger. 

But is it at all possible for the two philosophies to intertwine?   

To determine the answer, we must examine each one more closely. 

At it's core, Epicurean philosophy is based on pleasure; but not necessarily the sensual, decadent pleasures one tends to think of when envisioning this school of philosophy. According to Epicurus, when one has friends, freedom, and thought they are able to be happy no matter their financial circumstance. One can be relatively wealthy and unhappy; but if they have friends with which to share it, freedom of choice, and the ability of higher thinking then happiness can be acheived. The same can go for those who have less money; if they have friends, freedom, and thought they can be happy.

On the other hand, Stoicism places more responsibility on the individual; strong emotions, such as anger, aren't out of our control. If one thinks something through logically, then such unnecessary emotions can be eliminated. It also asks for people to have lower expectations in order to avoid these strong emotions as well. 

If somebody has successfully lowered their expectations or thought logically about a situation that would normally make them angry, then they have the freedom to create an environment which could make them happy. For example, during the college application process, many students are pressured into a cycle that perpetuates the idea that if they don't get into a good school, then nothing will come from their future. But, when applying Stoic and Epicurean philosophy, if students change their idea of what defines a 'good school' for them as individuals then they can then construct a situation where they are happy with the college they get into, regardless of the expectations of others. 

That is not to say that this can't be untrue for other situations, even the same one, but it does show that such differing philosophies don't have to act alone. 

Seneca

How do you have a happy life with the possibility that something bad could happen at any second?

Personally, I don’t think you can.  If you are constantly thinking and worrying about how this may be the last time you see someone or that a natural disaster could occur at any moment, it is impossible to live a satisfying life.  It is okay to have these thoughts in the back of your head, and allow them to resurface once in a while, but living in constant fear will not lead to a fulfilling life. 

            One positive side of being aware of the endless “what if’s” is that it helps people appreciate their lives as they currently are.  People who choose to view the world like this are forced to live consciously in the moment because if they don’t, then they will just spend their whole life suffering. 

            Obviously disaster and death are part of our world, but it is a conscious decision to let these things upset you and affect your daily life, or not.  This touches on another one of Seneca’s teachings, about how humans are in control of their emotions and can decide whether or not to allow events to cause you to get flustered or not.  If you intentionally decide not to think about the immeasurable amount of things that could go wrong in the world, then you can, for the most part, live a carefree and content life.  Everyone has the option to decide how he or she wants to feel about different situations in our daily lives, and overall can control whether the level of happiness in their life.

Steps to Happiness

Money is the root of all evil and happiness. People never seem to be satisfied. When we have what we need we are always wanting more. Unless you don't have a lot of money then you don’t have the option or freedom to become materialistic. Because you have other things to deal with like how you're going to eat tomorrow (in more drastic cases) or pay the bills. In one sense poor people are free but then again they have to constantly worry about not having enough money.  

     If a person bases their happiness off of money then they have already promised themselves a lifetime of unhappiness. Money can only bring temporary happiness which means you will always be left wanting more. The Epicurus theory states that to be happy all one needs is friendship, freedom, and thought. Epicurus urges people not to eat alone because eating alone without friends is the life of a wolf. He says, “We don't exist unless there is someone who can see us existing, what we say has no meaning until someone can understand” (56).  We need friendships to stay relevant. What’s the point of talking if there is no one to here us? And true friendships last forever unlike material things that eventually get outdated. 

    Distancing ourselves from material things is the only path to freedom. Being free from the burden of wanting more or competing with people to have the best. Epicurus says, “We must free ourselves from the prison of everyday affairs and politics” (57). If we live simple content lives then we can be free and on our way to happiness. 

    Lastly, thinking helps us vent out any fears, doubts, or confusions. Being happy does not mean that we will never have any issues or conflicts, but if we have the ability to think then those conflicts dissolve away. Writing our problems or saying them out loud helps us find the root of the problem to confront them. The ability to think allows us deal with any aggravations we might have. 

    Without friendship, freedom, or thought people can never be fully happy, "Nothing satisfies the man who is not satisfied with a little" (62). We must be content with simple things in our life first before we can be happy.  

Patience

It takes strength to be patient in most cases. If not, maybe one is naturally adapt to it. To wait for certain life turns, it is not always easy. It is due to the thoughts, ideas, actions, and especially emotions we take upon while the process takes place.

For most, people tend to have a link of anxiety, anger, being upset, or simply annoyed resulting into frustration. This is because we all have some level of reaction. If we were told we were to be given a cookie, our first thought or question would be "when?". This is because we centralize the idea that we want the cookie (and for most, sooner). Why is this? Our instincts tell us we love the taste, the smell, and so on. Whether it comes sooner or later, a stoic person would focus on the fact that we will get the cookie either way and that nothing else matters for that fact about what will happen around or how they feel. 

I would assume for those who perceive life in a very stoic way, the people they see around who don't see life just as similarly as they do, rather over dramatize life seem to live chaotic if we're speaking about patience. When one is waiting for a promotion at work and they know they will be, why complain or gossip with coworkers or friends about how long it's taking until you're given that promotion by your boss? Instead, keep working and wait until you are told. With all the hard work you've done, there wouldn't be anyway you wouldn't get that promotion. Of course, if you'd have done something of the wrong choice, there will be consequences for not getting that promotion. This only makes the situation better because it not only shows maturity, but calmness. 

Just like us students here, we tend to get nervous, scared, or anxious before our grades come out. We tend to always ask teachers, "When will our grades come out?" and "Is this the grades our parents will see?" It is the emotions that follow. We would be scared and nervous because if one gets a bad grade in the class, they will not be happy or their parents would definitely not be happy. Instead, they would be miserable for some time before they decide how they would fix their grade somehow. Of course, again we are to focus that the grades are out and now, whether or not our grades are good or bad, the intension is to maintain those grades. If it's low, raise them. If it's high, maintain that wellbeing.

Although, because we are only human, we cannot be robots and set a certain "system" in us to easily endure pain, hardship, or be completely emotionless in order to keep moving on. In the case of patience, we cannot just wait. We are given are heart, which is technically one of the major organs keeping us alive, but also one of the softest parts of ourselves emotionally. To live a lifetime given, can we be strong enough to only see that "what's done is done" or question ourselves and what surrounds us to further learn?

“Patience is the antidote to the restless poison of the Ego. Without it we all become ego-maniacal bulls in china shops, destroying our future happiness as we blindly rush in where angels fear to tread. In these out-of-control moments, we bulldoze through the best possible outcomes for our lives, only to return to the scene of the crime later to cry over spilt milk.” ― Anthon St. Maarten, Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny

Money/Happiness

America: founded on "creating a better life" has not changed its ways. It is still a country where the people residing in it depend on money. They depend on it for basic necessities as well as personal simulation. Money has become the key to unlock happiness in America. It is an ultimate goal of people. 

For example, an average student spend nearly all of their developmental years as a part of the educational system. They use it as a tool to work their way up. It is a common belief that if one spends time working and studying hard in school that they'll make it into college where they'll attain a degree that qualifies them for a high paying job. 

I do not disagree that the educational system in America can help one achieve their goals and attain a job that will fulfill their needs or wants. However, I do not believe it is the only way. Is it worth it to spend time and money succeeding in the educational system in order to be "rich"? Why can't people be considered rich if they live in a house and help their community become a better place? Why do so many people strive to have money? Why do we assume that it will fill any holes that have been dug during our life times?

The again, who I am I to determine what makes someone happy? If a person is the first one  in their family to go to college and graduate, wouldn't that make them happy? Maybe money does make someone happy? They may not have had it their entire life and after working hard to get it, they now have it. It buys them all of the commodities they never fathomed having before, and provides a sense of security. 

What if someone worked as hard as they could to climb to the top, but on the way, failed? Did their education teach them to have enough grit to get back up and try again? Or will they lie content with their failure and not try again? Would they view the situation as a lesson learned? or fall into the web of fortune? 

One of Seneca's many teachings was that excess may not be the key. He quoted, “It is quality rather than quantity that matters.” How many people are achieving happiness by working towards a good quality of oife rather than the quantity of things they have? 

Are those of us working towards the common goal of a set career with a high paying salary in a rush to reach the destination? Are we truly enjoying the journey?

Will money make us happy when we have it? What will we work for then?