Doesn’t it seem that the more we chase the things we want in Life, the more elusive they seem to be?
In Buddhist lore, desire and greed are interchangeable concepts, both being seen as “poisons.” The notion of chasing something we desire is the equivalent of ingratitude for what “is,” and can hook us into an insatiable quest for more, more and (yes) more.
Our culture worships those who make it big financially and materially. As we see with various famous and powerful people in our country, those who have accumulated material abundance believe themselves to also possess virtue and wisdom. This is often far from reality. The endless chase for more makes us vulnerable to the addictions created by desire and greed.
I guess “sufficiency,” or having enough, doesn’t fuel capitalism. But insufficiency and a sense of inadequacy, definitely create stress, anxiety, depression and a host of other maladies that allow the pharmaceutical industry to thrive.
The one impoverishment that may help us all is less and less desire and slowing down the chase!
With love, Rosanne