Seneca on Travel
The False Promise of the "Geographic Cure"
Travel Offers No Escape for a Troubled Mind
Many of us believe travel or perhaps moving to a different city or country will solve our problems. My partner calls this the “geographic cure.” Seneca warns us that travel offers no escape from our troubles.
[...] Are you amazed to find that even with such extensive travel, to so many varied locales, you have not managed to shake off gloom and heaviness from your mind? As if that were a new experience! You must change the mind, not venue. Though you cross the sea, the "lands and cities drop away," as our poet Virgil says, still your faults will follow you wherever you go. (Moral Letters 28.1)
Seneca continues by reflecting on this quote from Socrates:
[...] "Why are you surprised that traveling does you no good, when you travel in your own company? The thing that weighs on your mind is the same as drove you from home." What good will new countries do you? What use is touring cities and site? All your dashing about is useless in the end. Do you ask why your flight is of no avail? You take yourself along. You must shed the load that is on your mind: until you do that, no place will be pleasing to you. (Moral Letters 28.2)
No amount of travel will cure a troubled mind. Because wherever we go, we take our troubled mind with us.
Like other externals, we foolishly believe that travel will solve our problems. Seneca describes travel for an agitated mind as no more than a distraction.
[Travel] removes no troubles from the mind. It does not bestow judgement or shake off error; all it does is provide a change of scene to hold our attention for a moment, as some trinket might entertain a child. (Moral Letters 104.13)
Seneca adds, that for the troubled, travel tends to amplify what ails us.
Apart from that, travel exacerbates the instability of a mind that is already unhealthy. Indeed, the very movement of the carriage makes us more restless and irritable. The result is that people who had been passionate to visit some spot are even more eager to leave it, just like birds that fly from perch to another and are gone more swiftly than they arrive. (Moral Letters 104.14)
Think about the last time you were in an airport. How many of the other travelers were complaining about the slightest inconvenience, such as a plane delay or being forced to check a bag? How often do many of us travel somewhere, only to complain about this or that and are ready to leave almost as soon as we arrive?
We mistakenly believe that once we begin our journey or arrive at our destination, our troubles will leave us. However, upon our arrival we notice that the same worries and anxieties are still there. When the “geographic cure” does not take hold, we fool ourselves again, and eagerly change locations again or hurry home, believing, consciously or subconsciously, the new location is the answer.
Speaking on exile, Musonius Rufus taught that “if you are bad, it is vice that harms you and brings you misery, not exile. You must work on freeing your self from vice, not exile” (Stobeaus 3.40.9).
His point is that your physical location is irrelevant to your personal wellbeing. If one suffers a result of impulsiveness, unreasonableness, or selfishness, a change of scenery will not alleviate that suffering.
Seneca adds that a viscous mindset is the piece of luggage that you cannot leave behind.
Your rushing around will bring you no benefit, since you are traveling in the company with your emotions, and your troubles follow along. Indeed, I wish they were following you, because they would be further away! As it is, you are not staying ahead of them but carrying them on your back: wherever you go, you are burdened with the same burning discomforts. (Moral Letters 104.17)
Value in Travel
Despite his warnings that travel does not cure what troubles us, Seneca does indicate there can be value in travel, such as exploration of the world, but we must attend to our mind first.
Travel will acquaint you with other races, it will show you mountains of strange shape, unfamiliar plains, and valleys watered by inexhaustible streams. It will enable you to observe the peculiarities of certain rivers - how the Nile rises in its summer flood, how the Tigris vanishes and then reappears in full force after traveling some distance underground, or how the Meander repeatedly winds around (a theme that poets love to embellish) and often loops back nearly into its own channel before flowing on - yet it will not improve you, either body or in mind (Moral Letters 104.15)
Traveling in Accordance with Nature
A key aspect of Stoicism is to live in accordance with nature. This includes being pro-social and understanding that everyone in the world has value in their potential for reason. Interacting with people from different parts of the country and the world can expand our knowledge and understanding of our fellow humans and beyond.
Living in accordance with nature also requires a basic understanding of how the world works based on the best available evidence. If we do not seek to understand and accept how the world works, then it is not possible to have good judgement, which leads to intentions based on false beliefs, which leads to frustration. Traveling, with a sense of curiosity, wonder, and acceptance can add to our understanding, appreciation, and acceptance of the world.
An Opportunity to Practice Virtue
Travel, like all externals, is an indifferent, and not necessary for a flourishing life. Not all of us have the opportunity to travel. Good judgement, character, and virtuous intentions are sufficient. Like all externals, it is neither good or bad in itself, it is what we make of it that is important. Travel can be a fruitless distraction for an agitated mind or, with the right intentions, travel can be a means to understanding the world and our fellow brothers and sisters, as well an opportunity to practice wisdom, justice, courage, and patience (moderation). An opportunity to put virtue in action.
References
Seneca, L. A. (2010). Coping with bodily pain (M. Graver & A.A. Long Trans.). In E Asmis, S. Bartsch & M. Nussbaum (Ed.), Letters on ethics: The complete works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca. University of Chicago Press.