Epictetus Enchiridion
Epictetus: These reasonings are unconnected: "I am…
These reasonings are unconnected: "I am richer than you, therefore I am better"; "I am more eloquent than you, therefore I am better." The connection is rather this: "I am richer than you, therefore my property is greater than yours;" "I am more eloquent than you, therefore my style is better than yours." But you, after all, are neither property nor style.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of the Enchiridion. The reading beside it is ours.
Having more is not the same as being more. A bigger salary means you have more money. A polished speaking style means you may communicate more effectively. Neither fact establishes your worth, because you are not your bank balance, title, house, credentials, or social reach. We forget this whenever a promotion makes us feel superior or someone else's success makes us feel small. External advantages are real and can be useful. They simply belong to the things around you, not to the core of you. Character is shown in how you use what you have: whether success makes you generous or arrogant, whether scarcity makes you bitter or resourceful. Keep the categories straight. Congratulate someone on their achievement without turning it into a verdict on either of your souls. Today, measure yourself by your choices—your honesty, courage, and fairness—not by the size of your possessions.
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