Search

01 April 2011

do not give in

A dire event has occurred: a lie has been told and so oft repeated that now millions of Yankee believe it. The lie: lots of money and lots of stuff is the culmination of the American dream. Do not give in to this lie - if you do, you commit yourself to the base and abject servitude to Lord Greed.
The true essence of the Declaration of Independence is this: that each person has the right to pursue his or her Happiness. Beware, for money and possessions do little to make one happy. In fact, they do the opposite, for they demand attention and strike fear in the heart of the possessor that they will be taken from him or her. I do not advocate a naked and barren life devoid of any and all possession (as that would be a short and miserable existence that would end in a cold and starving death), rather I say to reduce, reuse, and recycle, never allowing that which you possess to become your master. Be ready at all times to lose that which you own. Be always ready to burn and smash your most prized things. It will take discipline and time to reorder your mind in preparation for this event, but the closer you get to freedom from your possessions, from the ones and zeros that you call your fortune, the greater your chances of discovering the true extent of your Potential, the parameters of your Happiness. Do not give in to greed. Do not sacrifice your time for it. Do not believe the lie.
Ultima Ratio Regum.
JPR

1 comment:

Christoph Roggenkamp said...

JP: you should read 'A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy' by William Irvine. I'm about 1/4 through - very interesting. The ancient Stoics are misunderstood today...