Lessons for our Age
Decadence and Indulgence are the portraits of Illusion and Delusion, the Sure Signs of the Moral and Spiritual Decay
Photo via The Telegraph
‘£120,000 bottle of Chateau Margaux, £3,000 Wagyu steak, £13,500 for New Year’s Dinner, £5,000 glass of 1811 Napoleon Grande Reserve cognac, £1000 burgers, £1800 Wagyu ribeye steak, £1,700 diamond-studded sushi, £600 cupcakes, £325 cup of Sumatran coffee brewed from berries excreted by a weasel-like creature called a civet, truffles for £2000 per kilo, £2000 Michelin-starred in-flight meals at 30,000feet, while drinking £15,000 bottles of 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti : all for the 1%, whilst billions of people live in abject poverty on less than $2 a day.’- The Telegraph, 18 May 2015 (N.B. The prices above are 11 years old. God only knows how much they are now!)
This is the age of the Pleasure Paradox, where places are saturated with luxury but completely drained of meaning, when there are moments of instant gratification, followed by periods of long-lasting sadness and guilt. In short, a world that has achieved ultimate material wealth, comfort, and indulgence, yet suffers from absolute emotional and spiritual emptiness.
Where is the pleasure, joy, contentment and gratitude in the age of over indulgence and decadence? I don’t have all the answers to this question, but I think I know a few, which I wish to share with you.
‘‘Do you want to have a good time? You know, really enjoy yourself? Click here, and tell us your desires. Maybe it’s a new outfit, or some exotic cuisine delivered anonymously and steaming hot to your door. Maybe it’s porn or gambling. Perhaps you prefer the infinite scroll, the endlessly unfurling ribbon of glossy images and videos starring people you’ll never meet doing things you’ll never do. Or maybe you favor talking to a chatbot who will assure you that you are the most special of all its users.
For anyone with an Internet connection and a little discretionary income, the contemporary moment offers a superabundance of seductive distractions. Why then the pervasive mood of emptiness? Why are so many at once overstimulated and bored…?-‘Welcome to the era of decadence without pleasure’
Our age has become the age of misery, anxiety, indulgence and decadence
Everybody is struggling, all in their own unique way, and God forbid, even the billionaires!
‘Many billionaires I work with have trust issues, lack a sense of purpose and struggle with shame, guilt and fear.’- Clay Cockrell
Then, what is to be done? How can we all regain our humanity and live a good, fulfilling and meaningful life? A pick from our archive
In a world that increasingly champions and glorifies busyness, productivity, consumerism and constant motion and activities, as the sure signs of ‘success’ and the right sort of ‘aspiration’. In a world that everything has been devalued and monetised, there is a good news: more and more, across cultures and peoples, young and not-so-young, are nurturing philosophies that celebrate the incorporation of our true human values in all we do, and rediscovering the ancient wisdom of balance, mental and physical well-being, and the deeper rhythms of life and living.
What would make the world a better place to live, thrive and prosper?
Global Crises are Spiritual: A Time for Awakening
My Message to us: Don’t give up on compassion
My Message to us: Don’t give up on kindness
Fat Cats: An invitation to dialogue
'People who value time over money tend to be happier, according to multiple studies. A new research in the journal of Science Advances shows that this is particularly true as a person leaves college, facing weighty career choices while perhaps saddled with debt. Graduates who value time over money are more likely to pursue things they enjoy, including hobbies, social relationships, internships, and careers that provide intrinsic satisfaction rather than merely seeking compensation, the study suggests…’-Time or Money: Which one is the path to a happier life?
'In this respect, the following words and sentiment by a young German executive rings so true: “Now it's all about Productivity, Pay, Performance and Profit- the four Ps- which is fuelled by the three Fs: Fear, Frustration and Failure. Just sometimes I wish that in the midst of these Ps (& Fs), there was some time left for another set of four Fs: Families, Friends, Festivals and Fun.”-Pursuing Common Values
Journey to Healing: Let Me Know What is Essential
Connect: a painting by Jacky Gerritsen