"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high for the privilege of owning yourself."
~ Friedrich Nietzsche
~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Yup, I can attest to that for sure. And so can many of my friends who, unafraid to break the mold of mediocrity, also broke free of the 'tribe' that continually attempted to control them, resulting in a LOT of people left behind.
Especially and including fair-weather, wimpy friends and emotionally/mentally limited family members who never strayed from the path set by their parents, grandparents, all who came before them.
Kind of boring, don't you think? I guess playing it safe is less scary than striking out on one's own path, always taking the 'road less traveled,' curious as a cat to know more about life, wherever it may lead, whatever it may bring.
I always gravitated toward the individual, not the tribe. And I never measured 'success' by acquisitions or the size of one's bank account. It's painfully obvious by now that no amount of money can buy happiness, and acquisitions are merely things that will momentarily enrich your life, but for how long? And how 'enriching' are cold (expensive) objects in reality? Can they fit into your coffin for the 'afterlife' as the Egyptians believed? Do they really matter, when the whole of life is but the blink of an eye?
That's not to say you have to live a spartan existence to be happy. One can have nice things that are not ultra-expensive, but with a little touch of imagination and whimsy, can be quite individualized and attractive.
And, as much as I dislike money because of its inherent evil, it is a necessary evil in this world, so collect as much of it as you can, but use it wisely to secure your own existence, and help those who really need it.
"Mama may have and Papa may have, but God bless the child who has his own, who has his own..."
So, yes, I certainly have been "lonely often, and sometimes frightened" ~ very lonely and beyond frightened ~ but I never did let go of the distinct privilege of owning myself, and no one was ever able to put a price on that because it is just not for sale.
This is one person who is still letting her freak flag fly!
