![[679e5b82-fa37-4000-a6a4-e82f89ad3138.mp3]] school teaches us to navigate the world through the stories and rules set by others, a map drawn long before we took our first steps yet, the truth is, we each hold the pen to draw our own maps, to set our own boundaries, and to create our own legends Birth thrusts us into a societal game, weak-minded, we are slaves to our environment. Upon seizing back control, the misfits among us exploit the loopholes in this game.  The game is not perfect and has many flaws, but it is the only game in town, and we must play it to survive. The game is rigged, and the house always wins, but we can still win if we play our cards right. >I would go further and say that we are largely unaware that we are playing a game and hide our motives not only from others but also underestimate the immense effect they have on our own behavior. >~ [[Frans de de Waal - Chimpanzee Politics]] People feel pity for the animals that perform their show in the circus, what an irony, they perform their own show in the circus of human society.  >If you place yourself at the top, you will suffer the desperation of attempting to validate that position. And if you put yourself anywhere but the top, you will suffer the turmoil of having to reach a higher position. There is anxiety in both directions. For you are playing a game that you cannot win. >~ [[Kapil Gupta - A Master's Secret Whispers For those who abhor the noise and seek The Truth about life and living|Kapil Gupta]]  When we are born, we are told the rules of a socially orchestrated game that we must follow. Most people play by these rules, but few discover that you can create and play by your own rules.  Alas, man has orchestrated a game of which he has become the slave. Man has become a slave to his own game, because for there to be a winner, there must be a loser. He is a slave to forces he cannot understand, Cloud moves as if driven by a strong force, But man wind up playing the role of puppet, And in the end, his fate is predetermined by the rules of the game.  Man is a slave to his own emotions, He is pulled in many directions and can't control his own desires. The pleasure of the win and the pain of the loss, Are both equally powerful and can easily lead him astray.    Man is a slave to his own beliefs, He is bound to his own convictions and can easily be swayed by the opinions of others. He is a slave to his own pride, And can easily be drawn into a false sense of security.   Man is a slave to his own fears, He is afraid to take risks and can easily be paralyzed by his own doubts. He is a slave to his own insecurities, And can easily be overwhelmed by the expectations of others.  Man has become a slave to his own game, But he still holds the power to choose how he will play it. He can choose to take risks, to be brave and to make wise decisions, Or he can choose to stay safe and accept defeat. The choice is his, and only he can decide which path he will take.  Man is a survival machine, A slave with sole purpose to propagate his genes. Meaningless in the grand scheme of things, A fleeting spark, a mere speck of dust. On the path to Wisdom, it is first imperative to let go of the "good." For only then is it possible to let go of the "bad."     #poetry #art #wisdom #metaphysical #rationality Created at 2022-12-17 Last modified date: 2022-12-17 13:43 Commit: 0 # [Anonymous feedback](https://www.admonymous.co/louis030195) # [[Epistemic status]] #shower-thought #to-digest # Related - [[Ego]] - [[Consciousness emerges from game theoretical needs]] - [[Simulacre]] - [[Flow]] - [[Jed McKenna]] - [[Survival machine]]