Authentic Communication and Stages of Growth — Letters from a Stoic

Write to me as you would speak, without polish, without performance. Letter 75 opens with Seneca defending his casual style against Lucilius's complaint that his letters are too carelessly written. His answer: careful speech is affected speech. He wants his letters to be what conversation would be if they were sitting together, spontaneous, easy, nothing strained.

The core demand of the letter is integrity between word and life: let us say what we feel, and feel what we say; let speech harmonize with life. The man who is the same person to see as to hear, that is the man to trust. Then Seneca describes three stages of philosophical progress. The first class hasn't yet achieved wisdom but is close, they no longer desire what they used to fear.

The second has laid down many of their burdens but not all; they still struggle with some desires and fears. The third, the largest group, is at some remove from both vice and virtue, they have escaped the worst dangers but are still susceptible. His honest placement of himself: not in the first class, but with hope. The promise: when you break free from what holds you back, you will fear neither death nor the gods, neither men nor the future.

You will possess supreme power over yourself. That is freedom.