"Slavery resides beneath marble and gold." - Seneca
The never-ending pursuit for more money.
The unrelenting jostling for position and power.
The insatiable ‘want’ for material items which become ‘needs’.
The desire to be seen in a certain light by your peers and community.
The unquenchable thirst for more.
It’s not that we should not pursue these things.
Nor should we feel bad for wanting them.
But there is a clear discernment to be made.
The difference between clearly knowing and pursuing these things with a clear purpose and intention in mind.
Or simply pursuing for the sake of pursuing.
Blindly pursing with great fervour.
Not realising that we are shackled to the insatiable appetite for more.
Being driven and directed by this unquenchable thirst.
A thirst and appetite which feeds the ego.
We may not be aware of it, but is this not a form of mental slavery?
Ask yourself, is it something you truly want?
Something that plays a clear part or is an end goal in your life?
Or is it simply something which you were told you need to have?
To provide status.
To give you position.
To feed the ego.
Live freely, guided by your true desires in life.
Do not rely on external factors for validation or to give you the lasting fulfilment you long for – it will most certainly not last long.
See my latest blog post, "Perceived Value", where I delve deeper into society's collective perception of value and how this does not necessarily have to, or need to, translate into our own personal views.
Strive to live, live to strive.
Photo by Richard Kumo on Unsplash