Shackled to a Delusion

I’ve had quite a number of conversations with a couple of friends about how people are forged into incredible human beings when given money and power. And by incredible I mean sometimes, no, maybe oftentimes, being totally absurd and ridiculous.

In the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment, modern society has fallen victim to a pervasive delusion—a belief that money equates to success and wealth is the ultimate measure of one’s worth. This collective mindset has enslaved individuals, creating a society driven by materialistic aspirations and a relentless pursuit of financial gain.

From an early age, we are fed with narratives that equate wealth with success. Advertisements, movies, and social media perpetuate the illusion that a luxurious lifestyle, lavish possessions, and financial abundance are the markers of achievement. This constant reinforcement cultivates a belief system that fixates on accumulating money as the primary goal, leaving little room for introspection and self-discovery.

Our society places great emphasis on the accumulation of wealth, creating a culture where being a slave to money becomes the norm, and it is SAD. We often find ourselves caught in a web of endless desires ang materialistic aspirations, pushing us down deep into Alice’s rabbit hole, one we have trouble climbing out of, or sometimes, one where we do not want to climb out from.

While financial stability and security are undeniably important, [and I vehemently believe that money COULD buy you happiness because to name a few, it could buy me the comfort of a first class seat for a long haul flight to the EU, a VIP ticket to my favorite band’s concert down at where flightless birds flock, and unlimited ramen], placing excessive value on material wealth comes at a great cost. The high price of material obsession and the relentless pursuit of money often leaves individuals emotionally drained, physically exhausted, and spiritually unfulfilled. We live in a constant state of comparison, forever running after a moving target we can’t seem to catch up with, and it will always be just a bit too far from our reach.

Society’s expectations amplify the pressure to conform to a predefined definition of success, leaving little room for individuality or alternative paths to fulfillment. We sacrifice our mental health, personal growth, and the pursuit of genuine happiness at the altar of societal expectations, becoming slaves to a false notion of success.

The fixation on money erodes our social fabric, authentic relationships are overshadowed by transactional interactions. I’ve come across comments such as “You do not hang out with xyz because they are irrelevant, rather you should hang out with abc because they “help you out”. We ultimately lose sight of the inherent value of interpersonal relations, and trust and compassion are replaced instead by self-interest and greed. And at the end, we will suffer. The pressure of attaining financial prosperity mostly leads to chronic stress, aberrant anxiety, depression and burnout.

But only a few will realize that escaping the clutches of society’s delusion that money is the sole measure of success is a courageous step towards reclaiming our lives. By redefining success, prioritizing personal growth, and fostering meaningful connections, we break free from the chains of financial enslavement, embracing a life that values purpose, well-being, and genuine fulfillment, transcending the narrow boundaries of material wealth. True success lies not in the numbers on our bank accounts, but in the richness of our experiences and the positive impact we make on the world around us.

/ DMV /