C

March   10th

FIND    YOURSELF    A   CATO

“We can remove  most    sins    if  we  have    a   witness standing    by  as  we  are about   to  go  wrong.  The

soul    should  have    someone it  can respect,    by  whose   example it  can make    its inner   sanctum more

inviolable. Happy   is  the person  who can improve others, not only    when    present,    but even    when

in  their   thoughts!”

—SENECA,    MORAL   LETTERS,    11.9

ato the Younger, a Roman politician best known for his self-discipline and for his heroic defense of
the Republic against Julius Caesar, appears constantly throughout Stoic literature—which is
interesting because he didn’t write anything down. He taught no classes. He gave no interviews. His bold
and brave example is what made him such a commonly cited and quoted philosopher.
Seneca tells us that we should each have our own Cato—a great and noble person we can allow into
our minds and use to guide our actions, even when they’re not physically present. The economist Adam
Smith had a similar concept, which he called the indifferent spectator. It doesn’t have to be an actual
person, just someone who, like Seneca said, can stand witness to our behavior. Someone who can quietly
admonish us if we are considering doing something lazy, dishonest, or selfish.
And if we do it right, and live our lives in such a way, perhaps we can serve as someone else’s Cato
or indifferent spectator when they need it.