Seneca Moral essays
Seneca: Of course it does, since Epicurus himself says…
Of course it does, since Epicurus himself says that at times he would abandon pleasure and actually seek for pain, if he became likely to be surfeited with pleasure, or if he thought that by enduring a slight pain he might avoid a greater one. With what purpose do I state this?
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Seneca’s moral essays. The reading beside it is ours.
Maturity means choosing the discomfort that prevents a greater discomfort later. We do it when we get a medical checkup, have the awkward conversation, save instead of splurge, or turn down an invitation to sleep before an important day. None of these choices is fun in the moment. That is exactly why they matter. The easy path often borrows pleasure from the future and sends us the bill with interest. Even Epicurus, often reduced to a mascot for pleasure, understood this. A small pain can be wise when it protects a larger good. Do not ask whether a choice feels pleasant right now. Ask what it creates over time. Is this discomfort an investment, or is this pleasure a trap? Today, choose one manageable hard thing that makes tomorrow less hard.
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