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In a culture that over-glorifies self-martyrdom at the feet of the false gods of capitalist productivity, quite a few of our genuine NEEDS have been shunted into the category of WANTS.
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At the same time, WANTS have been demoted to the realm of indulgent superfluity, aspects of existence that are unnecessary and therefore INEFFICIENT.
Capitalism loves efficiency. If (some) WANTS are inefficient, well, it's not hard to ascertain capitalism's opinions of them.
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Capitalism loves efficiency. If (some) WANTS are inefficient, well, it's not hard to ascertain capitalism's opinions of them.
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Add in the whole rigamarole that NEEDING is a clear indicator that we can't do it all by ourselves (hello, rugged individualist narrative!), which is shameful, and not only are our WANTS a problem, but so are our NEEDS!!
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For example, we have been convinced that art & beauty are wants, not needs.
As @TheNapMinistry preaches, we have been convinced that unabashed rest & relaxation are wants, not needs.
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As @TheNapMinistry preaches, we have been convinced that unabashed rest & relaxation are wants, not needs.
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Maybe you think that receiving emotional safety & honesty from the people you're connected with is a want, not a need.
Maybe a genuinely comfortable bed is a want, not a need.
Maybe joy is a want, not a need.
Maybe love is a want, not a need.
Etc.
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Maybe a genuinely comfortable bed is a want, not a need.
Maybe joy is a want, not a need.
Maybe love is a want, not a need.
Etc.
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On the surface, calling love a mere WANT might seem bonkers.
But sit with that for a second.
How many times have you behaved as though love -- for yourself, for others, from others -- is just a want? NBD?
And what were the consequences of that?
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But sit with that for a second.
How many times have you behaved as though love -- for yourself, for others, from others -- is just a want? NBD?
And what were the consequences of that?
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We literally cannot function if we don't sleep, but how many times have you postponed NECESSARY rest because your tank wasn't utterly empty yet, and so your day off would just be an indulgence, a source of guilt?
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How many friendships, loverships, situationships, kinships, etc. have you allowed to continue because you've convinced yourself you don't "NEED" the qualities of connection you yearn for? How much of your genuine self have you silenced because of that?
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Manipulated WANTS are what keep people consuming far beyond what is generally sustainable but is NEEDED for capitalism to continue its voracious gluttony for the sake of those on top of the heap. Our true wants (NEEDS) get buried beneath conditioning & pernicious...
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..advertising that manipulates our needs (WANTS) for acceptance, connection, recognition, entertainment, rest, & even the barest simulacrum of "good enoughness" within a context where our human failings & inefficiencies will always mean we fall short of the mechanistic ideal.
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Categorizing WANTS as unnecessary prevents you from getting to know the shape of those wants on a level that allows you to perceive which of them might very well be unmet NEEDS, things that will support you in flourishing.
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Shrinking your NEEDS down to barely-survivable levels ensures both your ongoing continuance and, if asceticism isn't also what you WANT, completely preventable misery.
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Venus & Saturn might seem to be strange bedfellows, but remember that Saturn exalts in Venus's domicile of Libra.
Saturn's focus on bare necessity is balanced by Venus's reminder that without beauty, what's even the point?
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Saturn's focus on bare necessity is balanced by Venus's reminder that without beauty, what's even the point?
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Saturn freezes out the false niceties that cover over the reality of what's true, what's present, what's needed. Venus demands that you face the realities of your desires, admit what it is you want, even and especially if it's scary.
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In the face of oppression and/or trauma, claiming your "wants" as the "needs" they are can be an act of righting the scales of justice, an act of rejection of the structures that have prevented necessary thriving.
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Imagine what it could look like to reject the want/need binary altogether.
I haven't settled on a way to do this yet, but I've been playing with "giving myself [rest/nourishment/pleasure/etc]."
Removing "want/need" handily removes shame, guilt, & what I call The Shoulds.
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I haven't settled on a way to do this yet, but I've been playing with "giving myself [rest/nourishment/pleasure/etc]."
Removing "want/need" handily removes shame, guilt, & what I call The Shoulds.
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anyway this thread is truly unhinged so i might delete it come morning but in the meantime i hope it gives you something to think about!!!!
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