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Is “living without restriction” even possible? I mean, sure we could… but depending on what specific unrestricted actions we’d perform, well… there could be consequences. Heck, I suppose there’s always consequences, leaving value judgements out of it.
But what is it that we’re talking about here? Holiday offers an exercise: consider a person who is ultra wealthy, or incredibly famous. Next, take away the trappings of wealth (big homes, luxury cars, gilded plumbing, piles of cash and coin so tall that we can barely see over them)... now, look at the person who remains. Hold them in the mind’s eye, as well as in our hearts. Experience the person that remains after the finery has been removed. Finally, answer the questions below:
What did this person have to “pay” to receive the trappings of wealth? What was traded for money and fame? Is your person STILL paying into that deal? Is the exchange rate too high?
It’ll be nigh-impossible to find a scenario where one isn’t continually paying-into (some would say “investing”) growing one’s fame and wealth. There’s always a cost.
The United States’ idea of success is irrevocably linked to money and finances, as is much of the “western” world, so it might seem that trading bits of ourselves, or happiness, our sanity, our integrity for money is perfectly normal.
We’re restricted in our lives if our masters are fame and wealth.
We wouldn’t be free.
We’d be imprisoned, like Seneca says, “... under marble and gold.”
Are we even aware of our cage... or that we're paying to be housed in it?
(See y’all tomorrow)
But what is it that we’re talking about here? Holiday offers an exercise: consider a person who is ultra wealthy, or incredibly famous. Next, take away the trappings of wealth (big homes, luxury cars, gilded plumbing, piles of cash and coin so tall that we can barely see over them)... now, look at the person who remains. Hold them in the mind’s eye, as well as in our hearts. Experience the person that remains after the finery has been removed. Finally, answer the questions below:
What did this person have to “pay” to receive the trappings of wealth? What was traded for money and fame? Is your person STILL paying into that deal? Is the exchange rate too high?
It’ll be nigh-impossible to find a scenario where one isn’t continually paying-into (some would say “investing”) growing one’s fame and wealth. There’s always a cost.
The United States’ idea of success is irrevocably linked to money and finances, as is much of the “western” world, so it might seem that trading bits of ourselves, or happiness, our sanity, our integrity for money is perfectly normal.
We’re restricted in our lives if our masters are fame and wealth.
We wouldn’t be free.
We’d be imprisoned, like Seneca says, “... under marble and gold.”
Are we even aware of our cage... or that we're paying to be housed in it?
(See y’all tomorrow)
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