My Pick, My Power
What is it that makes one feel empowered?
Is it money- the thing that can buy (almost) everything? Is it status, with people following you around and making you feel indispensable? Or perhaps it is fame, the drug for which there are no refills and the withrawal symptoms last forever once its effect wears off.
If you carefully think about it, it all boils down to one thing- the liberty to make one's choices.
Why is it that people are posessive about their money? Why do they equate it with power? It's not because of the comfort it offers. It is because of the choices that it offers. You can pick out which house to buy, what car you like, where you want to send your kids to study, how you want to relax post-retirement. This liberty is the source of all power. In our subconscious mind, we are always aware of this. Money merely gives us the power to be who we are in our most magnified form, and it is this freedom to live large that makes it empowering.
Its the same with fame and status. People enjoy having not only their pick of things, but also their pick of people. With everyone trying to be on your good side, you're the one who gets to make the choice. Plus, people become replaceable. You have a rough patch with someone, you can always have someone to replace that person by next morning. It all sounds really mean, but the fact it that it can be really flattering, not to mention, convenient too.
I have always known money, fame and status weren't what empowered me. I'd be a liar if I said I never dreamed of these things, but on the inside, I know these aren't things which I'll ever have control over. So my way of getting power is to be in control of my life, to do things the old fashioned way. I admit I falter sometimes, but I try to live a disciplined life and have my priorities straight. Let me illustrate this with an example- I will try my best to get into a good school. I know there are a lot of not-so-straight ways to get into schools but I want to become the aspirant who gets to choose between a few good schools. Being a good candidate for things will hopefully fetch me some choices in life.
But there comes a point where freedom chains you. You can't look past it and you keep wanting more of it. But power isn't the only thing in one's life. Soon, everything else that's important- family, real life, real friends- can go out of sight because too much power can blind you. When money is all you care about, what happens to your family? When you treat people as mere options, what happens when you're not so high and mighty anymore and the people who once chased after you find someone else to replace you?
As far as I am concerned, what will happen to me when my efforts don't pay off simply because the world isn't always a fair place?
So what's the best we can do? In my opinion,. we can try not to lose sight of reality. We can aim for the right things, the right amount of power and when we get it, we can just focus on keeping it instead of wildly reveling in it. I'm just a young girl who's still learning about life and I might be wrong about everything. But right now, I'm the enjoying the choice I'm making- one to keep my head screwed on straight.
Is it money- the thing that can buy (almost) everything? Is it status, with people following you around and making you feel indispensable? Or perhaps it is fame, the drug for which there are no refills and the withrawal symptoms last forever once its effect wears off.
If you carefully think about it, it all boils down to one thing- the liberty to make one's choices.
Why is it that people are posessive about their money? Why do they equate it with power? It's not because of the comfort it offers. It is because of the choices that it offers. You can pick out which house to buy, what car you like, where you want to send your kids to study, how you want to relax post-retirement. This liberty is the source of all power. In our subconscious mind, we are always aware of this. Money merely gives us the power to be who we are in our most magnified form, and it is this freedom to live large that makes it empowering.
Its the same with fame and status. People enjoy having not only their pick of things, but also their pick of people. With everyone trying to be on your good side, you're the one who gets to make the choice. Plus, people become replaceable. You have a rough patch with someone, you can always have someone to replace that person by next morning. It all sounds really mean, but the fact it that it can be really flattering, not to mention, convenient too.
I have always known money, fame and status weren't what empowered me. I'd be a liar if I said I never dreamed of these things, but on the inside, I know these aren't things which I'll ever have control over. So my way of getting power is to be in control of my life, to do things the old fashioned way. I admit I falter sometimes, but I try to live a disciplined life and have my priorities straight. Let me illustrate this with an example- I will try my best to get into a good school. I know there are a lot of not-so-straight ways to get into schools but I want to become the aspirant who gets to choose between a few good schools. Being a good candidate for things will hopefully fetch me some choices in life.
But there comes a point where freedom chains you. You can't look past it and you keep wanting more of it. But power isn't the only thing in one's life. Soon, everything else that's important- family, real life, real friends- can go out of sight because too much power can blind you. When money is all you care about, what happens to your family? When you treat people as mere options, what happens when you're not so high and mighty anymore and the people who once chased after you find someone else to replace you?
As far as I am concerned, what will happen to me when my efforts don't pay off simply because the world isn't always a fair place?
So what's the best we can do? In my opinion,. we can try not to lose sight of reality. We can aim for the right things, the right amount of power and when we get it, we can just focus on keeping it instead of wildly reveling in it. I'm just a young girl who's still learning about life and I might be wrong about everything. But right now, I'm the enjoying the choice I'm making- one to keep my head screwed on straight.
Well, Money certainly gives you a power. You cant deny it. But as you said one should not go overboard and of course embrace the reality. They say excess of everything is bad. Just stay happy and do what you want to do!
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