Desire is a Trap

It’s natural to feel a yearning for something more.

In our youth, we think we can actually fill the void (hedonism, religion, relationships, self-improvement, etc)

But as we grow and evolve, we realize there’s nothing that will actually satisfy the yearning — and that’s just part of being a person.

Suffering and yearning are immovable constraints on the human experience.

Once we get what we think we want or what we think will satisfy the yearning, we find a new desire.

The sooner you realize that this is the natural state of being (you can never get rid of the nagging feeling that “something’s missing” or “if i just had ___ my life would be perfect”) the sooner you are free to be present and accept reality and actively participate in what is happening in your life.

Amor fati, even if it sucks sometimes.

The key to living a rewarding and fulfilled life is not expecting to be satisfied.

I realize this isn’t directly related to technology, but I’m sure you can connect the dots if you think about it.

Our ‘always-on’ technology is constantly placating our need for immediate satisfaction. Bored? Not for long, just look at all these videos.

But the perpetual stimulation conditions our brains to expect to ALWAYS be entertained or informed, amplifying the natural cycle of longing and creating even more dissatisfaction when we’re not consuming media.

So where does that leave us?

Determining practical next steps is an exercise left to the reader.