- Be mindful of your own time and live in a good mood -
point
Life is short if wasted, but long if utilized.
- Live consciously in the present moment
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 1 BC – 65 AD) was a Roman statesman, philosopher, and poet.
In the Roman Empire, where death was a constant presence, Seneca taught how to live in the face of death.
Life is short if wasted, but long enough if used effectively, and to achieve this, it is essential to maintain inner peace. To maintain inner peace, virtue, not pleasure, is necessary. Virtue is born from looking at the world around us correctly through ourselves. This means not having excessive expectations of ourselves, but striving for what is possible.
The present moment exists only when we are conscious of it, think about it, and act spontaneously. Without this awareness, time would not exist and would be wasted. Making promises about an uncertain future is nothing more than neglecting the present, and this postponement to the future is the greatest waste of life. I strongly advocate living in the present.
Furthermore, in academic research, it is best to immerse oneself in the works of a select few authors whose work is worthy of being a source of expenditure, and one should warn that aimless learning is fruitless.
Chapter 3, on living a happy life, argues that comparing oneself to others is the root of all evil, and that many people suffer by comparing the strengths of others to their own weaknesses, which is entirely detrimental to themselves. It says that living life with laughter rather than lamenting and grieving is more hopeful for oneself as a person.
Seneca, whose works share many similarities with the Analects of Confucius, has not received much attention in Japan. As I read through his books, I was made aware of the importance of time, and my spirit was healed.
First reading completed on 2021/03/13
Thank you for reading. Goodbye for now. Take care :)
Author: Lucius Annaeus Seneca Translator: Hidenori Onishi Paperback: 316p Publisher: Iwanami Bunko
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