HE is free who lives as he likes; who is not subject either to compulsion, to restraint, or to violence; whose pursuits are unhindered, his desires successful, his aversions unincurred. Who, then, would wish to lead a wrong course of life? — "No one." Who would live deceived, prone to mistake, unjust, dissolute, discontented, dejected? — "No one." No wicked man, then, lives as he likes; therefore neither is he free. And who would live in sorrow, fear, envy, pity; with disappointed desires, and incurred aversions? — "No one." Do we then find any of the wicked exempt from sorrow, fear, disappointed desires, incurred aversions?—"Not one." Consequently, then, not free.
EPICTETUS. DISCOURSES. Book iv. §1, ¶1.
The majority of our society is not free. The desire for more and more things and the subsequent debt that is incurred causes us to be slaves to money. Our society will never be truly free until we learn contentment. To be content with what we have and be grateful is the key.
ReplyDeleteTo live purposefully and with gratitude for all that we have in life. Therein lies the path to true freedom.
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