Chapter 47
Treating People as Human Beings

This chapter reveals a fundamental pattern: when people gain power over others, they often lose the ability to see those beneath them as fully human. Seneca calls this out through the lens of slavery, but he's describing something much broader - the way authority blinds us to the humanity of those we control. The mechanism is psychological self-protection. When you have power over someone, acknowledging their full humanity creates uncomfortable questions about your right to that power. So instead, you diminish them in your mind. You focus on their mistakes, their differences, their 'lesser' status. This mental downgrading feels justified because it protects your position and ego. But it backfires spectacularly - those you dehumanize become resentful, uncooperative, and eventually, when opportunity arises, your enemies. This pattern plays out everywhere today. The manager who treats employees like interchangeable parts, then wonders why turnover is high and productivity low. The nurse supervisor who barks orders without explanation, creating a hostile unit where mistakes multiply. The parent who uses 'because I said so' as their only tool, raising kids who either rebel completely or never learn to think for themselves. The teacher who assumes struggling students are just lazy, missing chances to actually help them succeed. When you recognize this pattern, flip the script. Before making decisions about people under your authority, ask: 'How would I want to be treated if our positions were reversed?' Give explanations, not just orders. Acknowledge good work specifically. When you must correct someone, do it privately and focus on the behavior, not their character. Remember that your authority works better when people choose to follow you, not when they're forced to. Treat people like humans who happen to report to you, not like extensions of your will. When you can name the pattern of power blindness, predict where it leads (resentment and rebellion), and navigate it successfully by maintaining others' dignity - that's amplified intelligence working in real time.