“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”Seneca · Scrisori către Luciliu · 65 · Scrisoarea 2
Poverty is defined by the desire for more, not by what you possess.
Seneca attacks the illusion that happiness comes from accumulation. If you have little but are content, you are not poor. If you have much but want more, you are poorer than the one who has nothing. A person in a modest home who enjoys it is richer than a billionaire who feels unfulfilled.
Why it matters In today's consumer culture, this idea reminds us that satisfaction comes not from shopping, but from ending desire.