The Illusion Of Wealth (Η ψευδαίσθηση του πλούτου)

-From the Meletic Scrolls.

The notion that we are better off being rich than poor and that power and status define our worth is the greatest illusion of the material world. Society has conditioned us to equate wealth with success, prestige with respect, and possessions with fulfilment. Beneath this glittering façade lies a deeper truth, which is one that transcends the ephemeral nature of material wealth and speaks to the fundamental essence of our existence.

There is a higher truth, one that beckons us to rise above the mundane desires and superficial aspirations that often disrupt our judgement. This truth surpasses the pursuit of pleasure, the lure of excess and the endless expectations we impose upon ourselves in our quest to be seen, acknowledged and admired. The grand illusion of wealth is that it offers meaning, yet in reality, it is the soul’s impoverishment that marks the true tragedy of human life.

It is far better to be rich in the soul than to be poor in humanity. When death arrives, as it inevitably will, all the treasures we have amassed, all the luxuries we have coveted, will become meaningless. The palaces we have built, the gold we have hoarded, the accolades we have sought. None of these will accompany us beyond the threshold of life. They will remain behind, serving only as clear reminders of the transient nature of physical existence.

Human beings often forget that they are mortal, that their time is limited, and that no amount of wealth can alter this essential truth. The grandest empire will crumble, the most powerful monarch will fall, and the wealthiest individual will one day become dust. This is the inescapable fate of all that exists in the material world. What remains, however, is the legacy of one's soul, which is the wisdom shared, the kindness extended, the virtues cultivated.

Opulence is seductive. It shines with an allurement that tempts the senses and inflates the ego. In truth, it is nothing more than a thin layer of gold dust, destined to erode with time, carried away by the winds of impermanence. When we come to terms with this reality and when we acknowledge that life is far more than the sum of our possessions, we humble ourselves before an irrefutable truth that we are human beings first and foremost, bound not by our wealth, but by our shared existence.

Philosophy, at its core, seeks to uncover the nature of suffering and to expose the absurdity of our material pursuits. It is wisdom, not wealth that constitutes the highest form of enrichment. Wisdom teaches us to cherish life, to understand the needs of others, and to seek fulfilment beyond the boundaries of personal gain.

Selfishness is easy. It is effortless to prioritise our own desires, to revel in the security of our own success whilst ignoring the struggles of those people less fortunate. True wisdom challenges us to look beyond ourselves. It asks us to acknowledge that the plight of others is no less significant than our own and that the measure of a life well lived is not in what we have acquired, but in what we have given.

A man could sit atop a golden throne, reigning over an empire, and yet remain utterly ignorant of the true nature of existence. Such a man may be revered and feared, his wealth admired and envied, but he remains hollow, bereft of the genuine substance that defines true fulfilment. Without virtue, without the commitment to self-improvement, his riches become meaningless trinkets and his existence a mere illusion.

The ego with its insatiable hunger, persuades us that power and superiority are preferable to humility and self-awareness. It convinces us that we must forsake our true character and that to be poor is to be miserable. That status is the ultimate measure of worth. This is the greatest deception of all. The real poverty of the soul lies not in the financial lack of materialism, but in the loss of gratitude, humility and connection to our inner being.

Many people live under the false belief that a life of luxury is superior to a life of simplicity. They measure success by financial prosperity, by the ability to acquire and indulge in things. In this pursuit, they fall victim to one of the most insidious vices that is greed.

Greed is an abyss with no actual bottom, a hunger that can never be sated. The more we feed it, the more it demands. It blinds us to the sufficiency of what we already have and compels us to chase after illusions. Envy, too is a deceptive force, luring us into a perpetual state of dissatisfaction. We covet what others possess, believing it to be the key to happiness, only to find ourselves unfulfilled once it is within our grasp.

To long for opulence is to abandon the soul. It is to exile the self from its own essence. We do not need divine intervention to guide us towards self-acceptance, nor must we perceive ourselves as forsaken sinners in need of redemption. We are neither damned nor inherently corrupt, because we are simply imperfect beings striving for meaning. Meaning is not found in wealth, but in the cultivation of inner peace, and in the pursuit of a life that values wisdom over extravagance, virtue over vice.

Moderation is the attainment to true prosperity. If we embraced a life of contentment rather than one dictated by the endless accumulation of material goods, we would find ourselves far richer than any fortune could make it profitable to us. To be meek is not to be weak, but to live beyond the shadow of the ego.

Meleticism teaches that a virtuous life is one lived in alignment with wisdom rather than indulgence. (To Ένa) the One is not a deity who demands worship, but a unity that reminds us of the interconnection of all things. To live fully is to embrace life as a shared experience and to give as much as we take, to learn as much as we teach, to love as much as we are loved.

We must ask ourselves then, what is the legacy we wish to leave behind? Shall we be remembered for the riches we amassed, or for the wisdom we imparted? Shall we be honoured for our material successes, or for the virtues we embodied? The true reflection of happiness is not in what we possess, but in the life we have lived with meaningful purpose.

What we have earned through our struggles, through our hardships is enough. Life is not about the relentless pursuit of wealth, but about sowing the seeds of wisdom and reaping the harvest of understanding. Meleticism provides the philosophical foundation. It is through practice and discipline that we internalise its wise teachings.

True prosperity lies not in the abundance of possessions, but in the abundance of virtue. When we build our lives upon just principles, we free ourselves from the temptations of greed, from the illusions of power, from the tyranny of the ego. In doing so, we align ourselves with the eternal wealth of wisdom and meaning, a wealth that no force can take from us. To Ena is the eternal abundance of truth, and in seeking that truth, we become truly rich with its unique abundance.

Recommend Write a ReviewReport