Thank you so much for posting Seneca's work. While I'm unsure if I'm a strict Hellenist or Neoplatonist, I find myself very influenced by their works. I commonly ponder about the excesses of fortune, and this quote has given me a lot to chew on. If we lived lifestyles that are actively in accordance with Nature and not distant from it in a home with what we now see as necessary: heating, cooling, electricity, etc., would we be less surprised when disaster strikes in Nature? Would we understand more that, at times, living is a struggle and we have to move through it versus blaming it on a figure who has become a cultural icon for things they actively have no part in?
I also wonder if we all abided by the simplicity of honesty and the understanding that we are all humans with limited capabilities, would we expect so much reality-defying action from our leaders and ourselves? Would we be able to move past their lack of leadership and be able to take right action into our own hands? Since I'm American, I can really only speak about issues of America, so I hope you don't mind (as I don't know where you're from,) but in America, I really feel like much of the identity of American culture and success is based on symbolism and the ideas of being an American versus what Americans actually do. As Americans, it seems we suffer from an excess of programming and symbolism, and a lack of honesty with ourselves that could help provide the rationality we need to see through problems and avoid scapegoats.
However, seeing as the philosophers talked about these concepts thousands of years ago, it's no wonder these issues rise with humanity as our society does. Humans have always thought very symbolically and creatively, as is shown by the variety of mythos our ancestors gave us in our culture and lore. It's not very easy to delineate as a society when symbolism is needed to propel us forward or if it's logos, as they can have varying psychological effects, and humans can be ultimately unpredictable.
Anyways, I hope you don't mind this comment! I just think it's very neat you're reviewing and posting Seneca and found myself thinking about what you posted as I scrolled DW yesterday at work. I hope you continue enjoying your reading, and I wish you luck.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2020-12-17 03:53 pm (UTC)I also wonder if we all abided by the simplicity of honesty and the understanding that we are all humans with limited capabilities, would we expect so much reality-defying action from our leaders and ourselves? Would we be able to move past their lack of leadership and be able to take right action into our own hands? Since I'm American, I can really only speak about issues of America, so I hope you don't mind (as I don't know where you're from,) but in America, I really feel like much of the identity of American culture and success is based on symbolism and the ideas of being an American versus what Americans actually do. As Americans, it seems we suffer from an excess of programming and symbolism, and a lack of honesty with ourselves that could help provide the rationality we need to see through problems and avoid scapegoats.
However, seeing as the philosophers talked about these concepts thousands of years ago, it's no wonder these issues rise with humanity as our society does. Humans have always thought very symbolically and creatively, as is shown by the variety of mythos our ancestors gave us in our culture and lore. It's not very easy to delineate as a society when symbolism is needed to propel us forward or if it's logos, as they can have varying psychological effects, and humans can be ultimately unpredictable.
Anyways, I hope you don't mind this comment! I just think it's very neat you're reviewing and posting Seneca and found myself thinking about what you posted as I scrolled DW yesterday at work. I hope you continue enjoying your reading, and I wish you luck.