The Compulsion to Compare Yourself to Others (Seneca: Letter #123 - On the Conflict Between Pleasure and Virtue)

The Stoic Jew

Synopsis: In today’s episode we continue reading Seneca’s Letter #123. In this excerpt he discusses what we might view as a very “modern” problem, namely, desiring possessions simply because everyone else seems to own them. As value as this lesson is in its own right, I think it applies equally to things that really matter, such as our learning, our service of Hashem, and how we live. This lesson was first introduced to me by my 3rd grade teacher, Ms. Wilkinson, whose lesson from the 1st day of 3rd grade I recount and apply to the subject at hand. In tomorrow’s episode we’ll read Seneca’s advice about how NOT to be seduced by the compulsion to compare oneself to others.

Sources:
- Seneca, Letter #123: On the Conflict Between Pleasure and Virtue
- Ms. Wilkinson’s lesson from Day #1 of 3rd grade (baal peh)
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If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
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Stoic texts:
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
Letters from a Stoic Master (Seneca)
The Discourses of Epictetus
The Enchiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus
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