Pity the Tyrants
Positions of envy
Today’s letter is an excerpt from our course on Boethius in the Stoa app. To access the full course, download the Stoa app.
When Plato wrote about tyrants in his famous book the Republic, he did not just criticize them - he pitied them. Often when we talk about powerful or corrupt people today it is to condemn or judge them.
We wonder how the warlord, or corrupt politician, or selfish business leader could do the things they do. But Plato pitied them, because he saw them as a soul corrupted. Their soul had been weakened by its desire for money and possessions. Being a tyrant was not a good way to live. It is not a good life. It is not one we would choose, if given the opportunity.
So why then, are we so sad when we lose our own fame and fortune?
Boethius was a christian philosopher who lived in the 6th century Europe. In his work, The Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius wrote:
My view is that nothing is good that is harmful to him who owns it…But riches have very often harmed those who possess them…So there you are, with your stuff, and you find yourself fearful about being waylaid or even murdered for your possessions.
Boethius’ lesson is this. We seek money and possessions because we think it will make us secure and happy. But often it has the opposite effect. The more we have, the more we are afraid of losing it. This was as true 1500 years ago in Boethius’ time as it is today. The wealthy are still worried about losing their money. The famous influencer will still spiral if a new post gets fewer likes than the last one.
We have today a core belief that our happiness comes from our wealth. But philosophy can teach us that even though we grieve the loss of all of our external things, they are not responsible for our happiness - often they make our lives worse.
Boethius raises the same point around our fancy job or title. He wrote:
If those offices and their powers had anything inherently good in them, they would never be possessed by wicked men, for in nature opposites do not attract one another. And since there can be no doubt that offices are often held by evil men, then it follows that they are not in themselves good.
In other words, your job, title and office do not make yourself or your life good, because there are unhappy or evil people that have the same title as you.
It is a very Stoic argument. Your wealth and titles are external to you. They don’t make you happy - often they contribute to your stress, anxiety, or unhappiness. We become rich only to become anxious about losing it all. We become powerful but have to give up our honor and honesty along the way.
We pity the tyrant because they are controlled by their desire for wealth and status, but we desire these things ourselves. In life stay focused on what is up to you - your character and choices.