Years ago I learned that when those suffering from anorexia look in the mirror they see an overweight person, whereas the rest of us see them as emaciated. It seems illogical, and it is, but it’s the disease at work.
Billionaires who fear an increase in capital gains tax are similar. They have more money than they can ever hope to spend in a lifetime, but it’s still not enough. It’s like that at all levels of wealth. Even worrying about not having enough to pay basic bills. One month a person worries about how to make rent, the next month this same person inherits a sum of, let’s say $50,000, but then continues to worry about money because it’s not enough to retire on. And so they continue to worry.
For those who believe we live in a dangerous world may spend decades studying martial arts, collecting and acquiring expertise with guns, equipping their homes with sophisticated security systems. And yet they’re still afraid.
For those who feel like they’re not respected enough may seek degree after degree, certification after certification, and yet they still feel like an imposter.
There are those who may not feel manly enough or desirable enough and seek liaisons with numerous partners. They may repeatedly cheat on their spouses. They may even count how many people they’ve bedded like a tally that increases their worthiness the higher the number grows. And yet they still feel unworthy.
There are those who don’t feel youthful enough and spend hours a day at the gym, running, biking, engaging in starvation diets, working with trainers, receiving liposuction and Botox and it never ends. Twenty or thirty years of this and most would think they look amazing for their age, but it’s still not enough. Instead of growing old gracefully they seek to continue their appearance altering surgeries. And still the feeling of not being youthful enough persists.
For those who seek power, if successful, they may rise to places of high authority but it’s never enough. Their pursuit of political or corporate office is not about helping people, society, or customers, it’s to fill a void that makes them feel more valuable.
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