THE ILLUSION OF POSSESSION
In modern Western society, the individual tends to think that he or she owns objects, professions, pets, sometimes people. Everything has a price and money is perceived as the primary means of obtaining what is desired. Having grown up in this context myself, I have developed within myself the idea that without money one goes nowhere, imagining an unspecified correlation with the concept of happiness, understood in terms of fertility and productivity. This does not mean that money has no value or that it is - as Jacques Le Goff said - 'the devil's dung'.
Money, like everything that exists on this planet, is nothing but a tool, a method, a means. Translated into computer terms, it is a variable that, depending on the value it acquires at a given point in the code, will determine the execution of some conditions rather than others.
I can use my money by spending it completely on alcohol and cigarettes or I can make a long-term investment or buy a television. There are no better or worse choices. Rather, there can be stupid or smart choices depending on the context one finds oneself in. Regardless, the idea that money and possessions somehow go hand in hand is widespread. The logical consequence is that the value the Western individual tends to place on himself is directly proportional to what he possesses or rather, as I will explain in this article through the symbolic language of the Tarot, to what he believes he possesses.
Before moving on to the next part, it is necessary to analyse the meaning of the verb 'to possess'. The etymological dictionary traces this term to the Greek root 'pròs', meaning 'above' and 'sidere', meaning 'to sit'. We infer from this that the expression 'sitting on top of something' is equivalent to possessing it. The dictionary also juxtaposes the word 'pòsis' - 'master' - and 'posse' - 'powerful'. The etymon is therefore telling us that the meaning of 'possess' is equivalent to that of 'power'. I possess and therefore I am powerful. I dominate everything from the height of my possessions. All very clear, I hope also to the reader.
Continua a leggere con una prova gratuita di 7 giorni
Iscriviti a Philosophy in Every Day Life per continuare a leggere questo post e ottenere 7 giorni di accesso gratuito agli archivi completi dei post.