In this letter to his friend, Seneca encourages him to devote himself to self-improvement through study, while at the same time warning him not to distinguish himself outwardly through ostentatious signs of thrift or negligence, as some philosophers were doing at the time;
and towards the end of the text, he answers his friend's question:
“’Well then, shall we act like other men? Shall there be no distinction between ourselves between us and everyone else?’
Yes, a very great one; let men find that we are unlike the common herd, if they look closely.
If they visit us at home, they should admire us, not the things we own. Someone who treats simple ceramic plates as if they were fine silver shows true greatness; likewise, treating silver as if it's just everyday ware is just as commendable.”
And concludes:
“Being unable to handle wealth without it changing you is a sign of a shaky character.”
But this last sentence is the subject of another section.
What I like about this passage,
what Seneca puts forward, is that we shouldn't look enviously at other people's possessions or at what they have achieved. The true quality of a person is judged by how he or she lives - authentically, honestly and humbly. You don't care if he or she drives a Lexus or a used compact car. The only thing that really counts is the inner quality of the person. It sounds a bit old-fashioned, but I'm telling you: his nobility of soul, his modesty, his kindness, his altruism, that's the most important thing.
The fact that they have accumulated possessions that you think you lack,
need not concern you.