The explanation of why people put up with miserable material conditions is very interesting, and one that doesn’t get enough attention in most quasi pre-modern settings. I have questions about some of the other topics raised, but I’ll defer them for now in case they are answered in a future post.
The acceptance of a low lifestyle based on what is necessary to live with dignity is rooted in the religious paradigm that everybody embraces. This one, at its turn, is based on two concepts commonly accepted by everyone: the first is that moral values are by far more important than material goods, the second is that setting the good example is the commonly adopted method to teach a concept to the others. Both were pillars of Philodemos' palingenesys (this will be one of the most important posts of the series, needless to say!)
The explanation of why people put up with miserable material conditions is very interesting, and one that doesn’t get enough attention in most quasi pre-modern settings. I have questions about some of the other topics raised, but I’ll defer them for now in case they are answered in a future post.
The acceptance of a low lifestyle based on what is necessary to live with dignity is rooted in the religious paradigm that everybody embraces. This one, at its turn, is based on two concepts commonly accepted by everyone: the first is that moral values are by far more important than material goods, the second is that setting the good example is the commonly adopted method to teach a concept to the others. Both were pillars of Philodemos' palingenesys (this will be one of the most important posts of the series, needless to say!)