Desires

Ever wanted something so bad you felt like you would do anything to get it? Most of the time, these things that we want(love, money, material items) aren't really things that we need (food, clothing, education). Yet we desire these things all the same, and often times even more than the essentials we actually need for survival. This desire for things that we don't need seems to be common among all of us. We are always looking.. searching.. wanting.. some thing, someone, some place.

Is this constant desire fueling us or draining us? What happens when we desire so much that it becomes impossible to satisfy our wants? More often than not, desire tends to leave us heartbroken or simply wears us out. So why do we invest so much of our thoughts and efforts into these desires?

In Epicurus' Principle Doctrines, he makes the point that "among desires some are natural and necessary, some natural but not necessary, and others neither natural nor necessary but due to baseless opinion." I think that this speaks a lot to why we desire so much. It is largely due to "baseless opinion." In our society's case, I believe this baseless opinion comes from the media. We are bombarded with ads everywhere we look telling us things that we "need" to be happy, cool, fashionable, or attractive. These advertisements give us desires that are not natural or necessary and contribute to us being unfulfilled when we cannot attain them. For the sake of our own happiness and satisfaction, since it is impossible in consumer-driven-America to avoid these commercials, ads, billboards, etc.; I think it is very important that we learn to distinguish necessary desires from unnecassary ones. For example, it is necessary that you desire to wear clothing; however, it is unnecassary that you desire only to wear the latest most expensive fashion trends. Realize that there are certain things which you desire, and maybe even yearn for, that you do not NEED. Yes, obtaining these desires would be great but you must be able to step back from your wanting and put things in perspective. If your desire is not essential to your survival and is more-than-likely not going to be obtained and is draining your emotional well-being... consider letting it go.