Reading Group
Reading group: Seneca, On the Shortness of Life
A short essay, easily read in two sittings. Seneca addresses it to Paulinus, who was in charge of Rome's grain supply.
His thesis is that life is not short; we make it short by wasting it. He describes the occupati, the busy people who give their hours away to ambition, social obligations, other people's business and pointless learning, and only realise they never lived when it's too late. Against them he sets the philosopher who uses leisure to converse with the great minds of the past.
I propose:
- Sitting 1: chapters 1–10, the diagnosis
- Sitting 2: chapters 11–20, the remedy and Seneca's advice to Paulinus
As someone who works in shifts, I find his contempt for busy people both bracing and a little unfair. Curious what you all think.