Chloe Camara
Mrs. Voss
Introduction To Philosophy PHIL-1301 6007
24 May 2018
De Botton Paper 1: Seneca
Emperor Nero was known for letting his anger and frustrations get the best of him. It was during this time of Nero releasing his fury on many that an interesting philosopher came along, Seneca. Seneca’s philosophy was that anger, even Nero’s, is a secondary response based on one’s expectations not being met or one’s inability to accept reality.
The idea that anger is a secondary response can be unsettling because it causes people to look inward and accept reality. In de Botton’s book, The Consolations of Philosophy, de Botton discusses Nero’s observations of Marcia after the death of her son(de Botton 89). Nero indicates that Marcia’s actions after her son’s death were irrational. Statistics show that one hundred percent of people who are born, die. Seneca believed that people should accept reality for what it is. That people should not expect tomorrow when tomorrow is never promised. Seneca believed that people had a sense of entitlement with everything in like. They think the world owes them everything when in reality, it does not. When this sense of entitlement grows, it raises one’s expectations. Sometimes people see the normalities of society and assume that they deserve the same outcomes. For example, many assume that they will not outlive their children because this is the social norm. So they feel as if they deserve this outcome and get angry when this outcome doesn’t come into fruition. Marcia saw the social norm around her of children outliving their mothers. So when she lost her son, she was broken. De Botton describes how even a year later Marcia was still overcome with grief(de Botton 89). Seneca admits that the circumstances were abnormal, but they were not impossible. Meaning that even though this wasn’t a common occurrence, it still doesn’t mean that it is not possible. So people should accept all outcomes of a situation, even the ones that seem unsettling. Marcia’s grief turned into anger, because she resented those around her who still had their children, when hers was taken away from her. Seneca suggests that instead of assuming the world owed Marcia a specific outcome, that she should have prepared herself knowing that life is so fragile and it can be over in an instant. Marcia should have known that her son was not entitled to have a long life, and that sometimes life does not go as expected. If Marcia would’ve accepted these simple realities, she would have been able to accept her son’s death. But instead, She held onto her grief, feeling as if she is a victim of injustice, and anxiety causing it to turn into anger. This is the perfect example of Seneca’s philosophy that when one’s expectations don’t come into fruition, they let their emotions be transformed into anger. When people embrace the unexpected, they can escape these maladies. By accepting every outcome, people can better prepare for when things don’t go the way they were expected to.
Seneca’s idea that assuming the worst is a more realistic perspective on life. I agree with Seneca that people should not expect their best possible outcome to occur all of the time. Life is a crazy rollercoaster where things are constantly changing their direction. We cannot expect everything to live up to our expectations. There are 8 billion people in this world and it is impossible for one hundred percent of them to be pleased. If we expect the least from our circumstances we are more likely to end up pleased with our outcomes. For example, if one is going to a job interview and they prepare themselves for not getting the job when they aren’t offered the job, they will not be disappointed. But, if they are offered the job, they will be very pleased. In either situation, the person won’t be disappointed because they already prepared themselves for the worse case scenario. When we look at life’s opportunities, like a job, as gifts instead of mandates we can lead happier lives. When we let go of entitlement, we can enjoy the world around us and the joys that it brings. This is extremely difficult to practice, but if we do we can embrace the unexpected and enjoy life.
Seneca’s philosophies tried to shift society’s perspective of entitlement to in short humility. When people stop thinking the world owes them everything and accept the bare minimum, they can find joy in life’s simplicities. They can avoid anger, frustration, and anxiety, and seek out happiness. Whether it’s a couple of decades AD or two hundred decades AD, people can enjoy the life that they have without falling into the trap of entitlement.