#8 The Bad Boy of Stoicism (Montaigne's Essays)
Nat's Notes
The Story of Thales: Wealth, Happiness, and Honest Pursuit
Thales, an ancient philosopher, debunked the notion that wealth wouldn't make you happy with a clever story. Despite his preaching, people accused him of being like a fox who couldn't attain wealth. To prove them wrong, Thales engaged in a profitable venture, predicting an abundant olive harvest and monopolizing the olive presses. The farmers had to rent the presses back from him at exorbitant prices. This tale presents an interesting contrast to wealthy philosophers like Seneca and Montaigne, who preached against pursuing wealth but were themselves affluent. Thales suggests pursuing wealth to the extent that it provides for a comfortable life, aligning with the philosophy of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and emphasizing that wealth alone won't bring happiness.
