Although imperfect, the philosophy developed by Seneca concerning peace of mind is worth studying. It has been practised by thousands of people across the centuries, and still today, can prompt us to improve our lifestyle.
Seneca believed that adversity, if faced properly, can help us become emotionally stronger. The difficult question, however, is how to face adversity effectively, so that we can emerge stronger, not weaker, from setbacks.
In his 68th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca praised Gaius Mucius Scaevola, a Roman hero traditionally dated around 509 BC, that is, a man who had lived five centuries before Seneca. According to tradition, Scaevola remained defiant after being captured by the enemy.
His defiance was so extreme that he had no problem injuring himself to prove the bravery of Roman soldiers. The spectacle of Scaevola’s self-mutilation made such a strong impression on the enemies that they set him free.
Seneca argues that adversity had rendered Scaevola strong, but I fail to see the connection between his self-mutilation and tranquillity. On the contrary, I believe that Scaevola’s story is more likely to provoke nightmares than peace of mind.
Why courage enables tranquillity
The argument used by Seneca is logically deficient, but his conclusion is surprisingly accurate; he comes to the conclusion that individuals like Scaevola tend to do well in life because of their audacity.
According to Seneca, Scaevola did relatively well because of his bravery, defiance and fearlessness. If he had behaved cowardly, the enemies would have executed him immediately.
Seneca’s analysis of Scaevola’s misfortunes is intriguing to say the least. It does not prove that Scaevola grew courageous and serene due to adversity, but it correctly records a fact of life, namely, that courageous people tend to make better choices.
I have witnessed many times that, in the face of setbacks, some individuals will feel crushed and give up all hope, while others grow in emotional strength and motivation.
Seneca’s analysis of this phenomenon fails to explain why Scaevola was courageous in the first place; his strong character existed beforehand; it was not the consequence of adversity, or at least, not the direct consequence of his being taken prisoner by the enemy.
I regard Seneca’s conclusion as unassailable: courage helps minimize worry and contributes to making good decisions. It is a key character trait for achieving peace of mind. Brave people keep going in the face of opposition, and thus, increase their chances of success.
Why tranquillity eluded Tiberius and Croesus
Seneca is right in linking courage to tranquillity, but doesn’t explain how normal people grow extraordinarily courageous. I don’t view his argument about adversity as a valid explanation because there are countless cases of adversity victims that don’t increase their courage as a result.
If we follow Seneca’s logic, we’ll drift away from the truth. Neither adversity leads automatically to courage, nor does the opposite lead to emotional misery. Maecenas (70-8 BC) didn’t suffer from depression and insomnia because of his wealth, nor did Emperor Tiberius (42 BC-37 AD) suffer from paranoia due to his elevated position.
Seneca’s arguments don’t hold water. It stands to reason that good fortune will not necessarily turn individuals into nervous wrecks, nor does misfortune turn them into paragons of Stoic virtue. We need to seek the answer elsewhere.
Rationality is the missing element in Seneca’s explanations. It is the factor that enables people to choose courage, bravery, daring and audacity, and sustain those virtues in the long term.
In his 76th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca praises consistency as a major virtue, as a character trait that immensely benefits one’s soul. He should have realized that consistency proves helpful only to the extent that it is rational. Conversely, if someone is consistently evil, the results will be consistently undesirable.
I find it particularly annoying that Seneca fails to connect rationality with success, health and wealth. He gives historical anecdotes to convey the message that our lives are governed by mysterious forces, and that all we can do is to remain Stoic and accept the setbacks and defeats. I could not disagree more.
Tranquillity is favoured by courage, which itself stems from rationality. It isn’t coincidental that some individuals do well in life when they deploy steady efforts to use reason and remain consistent. It isn’t by chance that people achieve peace of mind when they steer away from prejudice and misperceptions.
I wonder if Seneca would have rated Croesus of Lydia (595-546 BC) as a victim of destiny, as someone who had turned his success into lethal danger. Personally, I consider Croesus a victim of his own errors, irrationality and foolishness.
Peace of mind is greatly favoured by making good decisions and implementing them assiduously. That’s a key principle that Epicurus (341-270 BC) had already figured out three centuries before Seneca. If we want to achieve tranquillity, the answer is to grow more rational, not to endure more adversity.
If you are interested in applying rational ideas in all areas of life, I recommend my book “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief.”
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