Desire is, on the one hand, a very attractive word, one that evokes images of everything that is worth having. At the same time, it is perhaps the most damaging of all human emotions, because of the lengths to which people will go in order to satisfy it. I talk of course about the desire for power, for wealth, for objects of material value - but also about the desire for keeping busy, for attention and a feeling of self worth. The former categories have led to conquests and empires, for pillaging natural and man-made resources in different parts of the world, and directly to the culture of consumption that afflicts the developed, and increasingly the developing, world today. The latter fuels the unending quest of mankind for novelty, and prevents us from remaining content with our lot in life. No matter how advanced or wealthy a person is, there is invariably a nagging sense of that which eludes - stays beyond the grasp of one's fingertips, tantalizingly close but which we know can never be ours.
So how does one control or, at the very least, temper desire? Religions across the world celebrate the pursuit of moderation, or even complete renunciation, when it comes to material objects. Christianity, for example, advises its followers to "be content with what you have, little be it or much". The tale of King Midas, whose touch miraculously converted everything (including, unfortunately, his own daughter) into gold, exists to serve as a warning rather than an example worth emulating. The Buddha advocated the middle path, where one stays away from the extremes, with the ultimate recognition that the world is an illusion. Hinduism's most sacred text guides us to "concentrate on the task at hand, and pay no attention to its fruits" - making the very concept of desire sterile, something that should not even enter the mind of the person, because attaining it is not within our control.
There is no question that discipline is critical - starting with something as simple as the desire to purchase an object, no matter how trivial it might be. What we know today as "window shopping" exists only to keep the desire to consume alive in the minds of people. Even if that desire remains unfulfilled for the vast majority of us, it nevertheless is a more satisfactory outcome (for the creators of desire) than to not have it in the first place. And desire is not just for luxury products or one of a kind items - every industry is engaged in the process of creating desire. When you see a McDonald's ad with a juicy burger and fries, you are being tempted into buying something that, for the most part, is unhealthy and likely to have more negative effects than positive. A magazine cover with a gorgeous starlet evokes feelings that one needs to be as good looking or well endowed to be successful in life.
So starting in 2015, one of my conscious actions is to minimize the impact of desire. Let's see how long that lasts!
So how does one control or, at the very least, temper desire? Religions across the world celebrate the pursuit of moderation, or even complete renunciation, when it comes to material objects. Christianity, for example, advises its followers to "be content with what you have, little be it or much". The tale of King Midas, whose touch miraculously converted everything (including, unfortunately, his own daughter) into gold, exists to serve as a warning rather than an example worth emulating. The Buddha advocated the middle path, where one stays away from the extremes, with the ultimate recognition that the world is an illusion. Hinduism's most sacred text guides us to "concentrate on the task at hand, and pay no attention to its fruits" - making the very concept of desire sterile, something that should not even enter the mind of the person, because attaining it is not within our control.
There is no question that discipline is critical - starting with something as simple as the desire to purchase an object, no matter how trivial it might be. What we know today as "window shopping" exists only to keep the desire to consume alive in the minds of people. Even if that desire remains unfulfilled for the vast majority of us, it nevertheless is a more satisfactory outcome (for the creators of desire) than to not have it in the first place. And desire is not just for luxury products or one of a kind items - every industry is engaged in the process of creating desire. When you see a McDonald's ad with a juicy burger and fries, you are being tempted into buying something that, for the most part, is unhealthy and likely to have more negative effects than positive. A magazine cover with a gorgeous starlet evokes feelings that one needs to be as good looking or well endowed to be successful in life.
So starting in 2015, one of my conscious actions is to minimize the impact of desire. Let's see how long that lasts!
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