Wealth Won’t Solve All Your Problems
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations , Lifehacker’s weekly dip in the pool of stoic wisdom and a guide to using its waters to meditate and improve your life.
This week’s choice comes from Seneca in his ” Peace with Helvia” or ” Consolation of Hell Helviam Matrem” , in which Seneca consoles his mother Helvia during his recent exile to Corsica. He writes about rich and poor in section 12 :
“First, think how many poor people are more than rich, and yet you will not find that they are sadder or more anxious than the rich: no, I’m not sure they are not happier because they have fewer things. to distract their minds. From these poor people, who are often not upset by their poverty, let’s move on to the rich. How many times do they look like the poor! “
What does it mean
Seneca asks us to think about how many poor people in the world and how many of them are completely satisfied. In fact, Seneca goes further by saying that they are probably happier than the rich because they have fewer worries on their minds. In fact, he says, the rich are a lot like the poor. They have many of the same problems as people without wealth, and because of money, they may have even more problems.
What to take from there
Look, money can make many aspects of life easier — there’s no doubt about it. You can afford comfort, safety and health. But for every wealth-related bonus, there are several pitfalls to be found. You have undoubtedly heard the phrase “more money, more problems,” and there is a lot of truth in it.
Consider a lottery winner . They instantly go from poor and desperate to rich and content. But does this bring them happiness? Does this sudden injection of money solve the problem in their life? No. They still have to deal with their marital problems, they still have to fight depression, and they still have to look for direction in life. That kind of money, pure wealth, is a distraction and a magnet for the greedy, intriguing, and vicious.
There is nothing wrong with looking for a decent pay and a comfortable life for yourself and your family. This is the game you were born into and you have to play. But think about Seneca’s words here. You may need money, but you don’t need wealth, excess money. Why? Because while money can fix some problems, it cannot fix you. The only problem the rich are guaranteed not to have is the need for wealth. And, depending on what really makes you happy in your life, it might not be an issue you shouldn’t worry about at all.
You can read the entire book of Seneca’s Greeting to Helvia for free here .