"The greatest wealth is to live content with little" (allegedly Epicurus, but more likely Lucretius)
True, false, good, bad, useful, not so useful, etc.? Discuss.
My thoughts:
The aphorism appears in "Vatican Sayings," a 14th-century Vatican manuscript, attributed to Epicurus but seemingly a partial/truncated quote from Lucretius in On The Nature of Things:
"The greatest wealth is to live content with little, for there is never want where the mind is satisfied."
The actual quote provides some context ... but perhaps the medieval Catholic Church wasn't as keen on to that context to the extent that it preached general contentment, without intellectual enrichment, to the peasantry?
Either way, it's a nod to the virtues of "the simple life," but in the fuller version it promotes "the life of the mind."
Personally, I'm happier when I possess certain material objects that exceed the absolutely, positively necessary minimum but either make life easier or are enjoyable. For example, I'd rather drive or ride than walk unless I'm walking specifically for enjoyment.
On the other hand, given the choice between a free Lamborghini on one hand or a free practical vehicle and library filled with books of my choice, I'd probably take the latter (or take the Lamborghini, sell it, and buy the practical vehicle, the books, and other things both practical and enjoyable).
But let's roll that back even more to the first few words: "The greatest wealth is to live content ..."
No. To me, contentment itself is a form of death. What's life without goals and ambitions, however minor or trivial they might be in the scheme of things?
No comments:
Post a Comment