Seneca Moral essays
Seneca: Finally, the other passions seize upon…
Finally, the other passions seize upon individuals; anger is the only one which sometimes possesses a whole state. No entire people ever fell madly in love with a woman, nor did any nation ever set its affections altogether upon gain and profit.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Seneca’s moral essays. The reading beside it is ours.
Most destructive emotions are private. Anger can become contagious. One person vents in a group chat, a manager humiliates someone in a meeting, a politician points at an enemy, and soon a whole office, family, or country is acting from the same fever. Nobody stops to ask what is true or useful because everyone is busy proving loyalty to the outrage. That is why collective anger is so dangerous: it makes cruelty feel normal and restraint feel like betrayal. Be especially careful when a crowd is demanding that you hate someone with them. The fact that many people feel something does not make it wise. In your own circles, refuse to pass along the outrage automatically. Slow the conversation down. Ask what would actually help. Calm is not indifference; it is the condition that lets a group think.
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