The Wealth We Keep Forever

Zeno of Citium (c.334 – c.262 BC), founder of the Stoics, was originally a trader in luxury goods. He traded in a rare purple dye extracted in a laborious process by hand from the murex sea snail. This dye was so rare and difficult to extract that it was only the royals and the very wealthy? that could afford it. Thus this dye was known as “Royal Purple.” Zeno was on his way across the Mediterranean with his precious cargo of dye when a violent storm caused his ship with all its crew and cargo to capsize. Zeno washed ashore at Athens, the sole survivor. Overnight, he went from being a man about to earn millions from his precious cargo to a pauper wandering the streets of Athens in rags. This caused him to reflect on who he was and how he saw himself in the world. Zeno came upon a bookseller who encouraged him to read the words of Socrates and found a passage that related to his predicament. When Socrates was questioned on why he liked to hang around the markets of Athens, where the base activities of trade were happening, he stated: ‘The purple robe and silver’s shine. More fits an actor’s need than mine.’ This was a way of saying that there were so many things to purchase and lust after in the marketplace that one could spend all their time thinking about material things. Instead, it was prudent to remind himself of how many different things there were in life that he did not need. Socrates understood that it is much wiser to spend time reflecting on the pursuit of knowing yourself than on what shiny object you’d next like to acquire.? Zeno’s Stoic philosophy sprung from this understanding – that external things are nothing compared to wisdom and true wisdom is only acquired when one is self-aware enough to receive it. Marcus Aurelius summed this up perfectly when he stated that his expensive emperor’s robes, coloured by the ‘royal purple’ extracted from the murex snail, were nothing more than ‘sheep wool dyed with shellfish blood.’

In academia we can spend all our time in the pursuit of material things, chasing accolades, promotions and titles. In fact, this behaviour is embedded and rewarded; reiterated in the many news stories that flow from universities and societies around the world. Like Zeno, we can fill our ship full of these valuable trophies and hope for a rich reward on reaching the shores of our ultimate destination. However, the true reward in working as an academic is not the titles, promotions or accolades in themselves. The true reward is in the self-knowledge that you have made a difference to at least one person. And if you have made that person’s life better by giving them the skills to understand and navigate a meaningful life through your teaching, research and/or service; you have made all the difference. You have fostered in them the desire to make other lives better thus setting a virtuous cycle that supports the betterment of all humanity. As Marcus Aurelius states: 'The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.'