We live in a capitalist world where we are now wired to want things we don’t need and buy things according to its price to validate our status in society. Instagram promotes it with influencers and practically everyone who wants to post something to prove that they belong in society. Which is why when we leave that world and walk in reality, our appreciation to those things become the complete opposite.
When we watch celebrities or CEOs on TV we admire their lavishness and “luxurious” life but what seems to be more mesmerizing and pleasing is to see them looking “down to earth” like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg sporting the T-shirt look.
But aren’t we all on earth where gravity literally pulls us ‘down to earth’?
Why do we feel like this quality is hard to achieve? And why walking on the street, instead of admire, we envy and even hate those who have nicer bags or more expensive cars.
When you see someone who can afford expensive things but choses not to, it doesn’t necessarily say much about them (of course that they value different things than what capitalism demands) than what they make you feel.
What we feel when someone is “dressed down” is the pressure being taken away from you from what society might demand of you in that moment. That you do not need to validate your presence in society with money.
Humility is such a rare quality to find these days in the world that demands so much “dressing up”. Because you would be judge by your make up, clothes, bag, food, car, job, partner, family, kids etc. The demand is so intense that we don’t have time to remember our humble beginnings and footsteps we took to where we are.
We float around from one existence to the next, from work to home, from home to travel, from employer to being a parent that everything falls apart. And with that we confuse ourselves of our actual existence.
If this sounds disconnected to you, it might be time to ground yourself back to earth and remember your presence. We only envy what we lack.
