Short Works · Chapter
Choosing the Useful Over the Agreeable explained
A brief, direct maxim advising that the selection of a physician or a friend should be based on their utility and benefit, not on their pleasantness or agreeableness.
What happens
A brief, direct maxim advising that the selection of a physician or a friend should be based on their utility and benefit, not on their pleasantness or agreeableness.
Themes in this chapter
Practical Ethics and Self-Discipline
The chapter provides a practical rule for living: prioritize what is genuinely beneficial (useful) over what is merely pleasing (agreeable) in critical relationships, emphasizing disciplined choice.
Moderation and Simplicity
The advice cuts through social complexity and the temptation of superficial charm, advocating for a simple, clear standard of value—utility—in personal and professional alliances.
Key passages
“You ought to choose both physician and friend not the most agreeable, but the most useful.”
Select a doctor or a companion based on their practical benefit and effectiveness, not on how pleasant or likable they are.
A concise Stoic principle applying to personal and professional judgment, stressing substance over superficial appeal.