"He is a slave." His soul, however, may be that of a freeman. "He is a slave." But shall that stand in his way? Show me a man who is not a slave; one is a slave to lust, another to greed, another to ambition, and all men are slaves to fear. I will name you an ex-consul who is slave to an old hag, a millionaire who is slave to a serving-maid; I will show you youths of the noblest birth in serfdom to pantomime players! No servitude is more disgraceful than that which is self-imposed.
-Seneca
As true today as when it was written.
Most of the examples are accessible and I’d like to expound a bit on the matter of all men being slaves to fear, for I think it would be easy to gloss over that. To me, that is the most powerful element of the equation.
How much of our behavior is motivated out of anticipation of future pain, whether that be physical harm or something less intense like feeling disliked or unwanted?
What forms of servitude do you impose upon yourself?
How would your life be different if you were able to stop doing that?
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[–] King_Leopold_II ago
Yes and no.
Before I even went sober I think I was tired of being so complacent and recognized that my alcoholism was a major obstacle to where I wanted to be.
I've not turned the corner fully just yet, but am taking strides to becoming a good man, not boy. I'd like to get married and have kids, lots of them, and everything that comes with the territory.
Sorry my reply took so long, just got back from a vacation myself.