How ancient Stoicism can help teach us to treat others--and
ourselves--more fairly and mercifully
There are times when we've all felt that we haven't been treated as we
deserve--that we've been misjudged, shortchanged, or given a raw deal.
And, at one time or another, other people have probably felt that we've
treated them just as unfairly. How to Do the Right Thing draws on the
principles of ancient Stoicism as articulated by the Roman statesman and
philosopher Seneca to help readers better navigate one of the most
important practical questions of daily life--how to do right by others.
Starting from the virtue of magnanimity--the opposite of
small-mindedness--How to Do the Right Thing draws together lessons
from Seneca's writings that stress the importance of calm and clear
thinking, of judging oneself fairly before judging others, and of
cutting people slack, with a bias toward mercy--all delivered in crisp
and lively new translations, and with the original Latin on facing
pages.