Epicureanism and Finance: The Path to Unhappiness

So how do the three Epicurean categories of desires help us?

The reason Epicurus labelled two categories as "unnecessary" was because they were not needed in order to lead a pleasurable and happy life. Human desires haven't changed much in the 2300 years since Epicurus taught in Athens and people then, just as now, were clawing their way up the greasy pole of prestige and power. But why do most people seem to play this same game?

Epicurus pointed the finger of blame at the merchants and financial interests who propagated the myth that an ostentatious display of wealth would radiate outward confidence and inner joy. Of course, most people were miserable. But the power of social conventions and advertising perpetuated this myth. Somehow, people convinced themselves that buying more stuff would make them happy. Epicurus saw this as a sad displacement activity away from true pleasure and towards a life of serial disappointments.

He saw that those objects of desire were just symbols of an inner void. Modern advertising actually makes this absolutely transparent as they try to link the actual product with a particular lifestyle. People buy that sports car but what they really desire is personal freedom; people buy a new larger house when what they crave is a loving family; people take expensive exotic holidays when what they need is a place for quiet contemplation.

Throwing money at our personal problems could be of little consequence if we were all rich. But I suspect most people are just getting by. Spending one's hard-earned money at the market of mirages could have the consequence of making us both poor and miserable.

The lesson from Epicurus is that those desires that are both necessary and natural will lead us to a pleasurable and happy life at virtually no expense. Happiness is free!

So why do we insist on following the herd? More importantly, how can we think through our desires so that we can see clearly what would make us happy?