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Full Idea
Human concerns are not so happily arranged that the majority favours the better things.
Gist of Idea
Unfortunately the majority do not tend to favour what is best
Source
Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §02)
Book Ref
Seneca: 'Dialogues and Essays', ed/tr. Davie,John [Penguin 2007], p.86
A Reaction
On the whole Seneca is unimpressed by democracy, as people are rushed into decisions by the crowd, and live to regret them.
Related Ideas
Idea 2823 The many may add up to something good, even if they are inferior as individuals [Aristotle]
Idea 2826 Like water, large numbers of people are harder to corrupt than a few [Aristotle]
| 13557 | Unfortunately the majority do not tend to favour what is best [Seneca] |
| 13558 | The supreme good is harmony of spirit [Seneca] |
| 13559 | I seek virtue, because it is its own reward [Seneca] |
| 13560 | A wise man is not subservient to anything [Seneca] |
| 13561 | Virtue is always moderate, so excess need not be feared [Seneca] |
| 13562 | It is shameful to not even recognise your own slaves [Seneca] |
| 13563 | Why does your wife wear in her ears the income of a wealthy house? [Seneca] |
| 13564 | There is far more scope for virtue if you are wealthy; poverty only allows endurance [Seneca] |
| 13565 | If wealth was a good, it would make men good [Seneca] |