Some people say that there is a type of people in this society who are content with being "overqualified" and refuse high positions. Their "low desires" make people often suspect that they have no ambition.

Obviously I have grown up, and I should have abandoned the innocence of childhood and the uprightness of youth long ago, and wandered among all kinds of people for "bread and milk", but I still feel as calm as being "arranged by the teacher" "You must be an obedient child.

I thought that this little old man-like "pacification" was only temporary, and the big dye vat of society would eventually dye them into various colors. But over time, the little old man-like young people turned into little old men. Ordinary middle-aged people still have "low desires", do not care about fame and fortune, and are content with themselves.

Why is this?

Because what they want does not require such a strong "utility". 1. Zhuangzi's "low desires"

To put it simply, perhaps it is the "freedom" from the inside out that makes them so "low desires".

This kind of freedom can stem from one's "persistence" in a certain interest, or even a certain "belief."

With this kind of interest and belief, no matter how high-end "milk bread" is, it is an indispensable companion. Zhuangzi thousands of years ago is a good example.

According to records, in the era of Zhuangzi, princes were competing for hegemony, and princes and kings were thirsty for talents. For a talented person like Zhuang Zhou, "the fragrance of wine is not afraid of the depth of the alley." No matter how low-key he was, he was still "discovered" . In order to recruit Zhuang Zhou for his own use, King Wei of Chu sent an envoy to invite Zhuang Zhou with a thousand pieces of gold. As a result, Zhuang Zhou was unmoved in the face of fame and wealth. He said:

A thousand pieces of gold means a lot of profit; Prime Minister, honorable position. Didn't you see the sacrifice in the suburbs alone? After he was raised for several years, his clothes were embroidered with colorful embroidery, so that he could enter the Ancestral Temple. At that time, even if you want to be a lone dolphin, how can you achieve it? I am in a hurry to leave, and I will not be defiled. I would rather drag my tail in the filthy canals and feel happy than to be restrained by the people of the country. I would rather not be an official for the rest of my life just to speed up my ambition.

You must know that Zhuangzi lived a life of pure water and little water, but for him, he would rather stay in the "filthy ditch and enjoy himself" than take orders from the princes. The country goes to join in the chaos and strife.

Some people say that this is Zhuangzi's "arrogance".

Yan Xiaoer feels that to maintain his tranquility and freedom, he must meet the world in this "aloof" form, then "aloof" is a rare "self-control".

At this point, Yan Xiaoer thought, maybe it is because too many people are controlled by "desire" and too few people control themselves, so "chasing fame and fortune" is not considered People who are interested may become "stubborn", "arrogant", "ignorant", "childish", etc. in the eyes of others.

Don’t judge others’ “persistence” based on your own utilitarianism. 2. The "tailor-made" boy

I once heard a story about a Japanese boy.

The boy’s ideal is to become a bus driver in the future. The reason is that he loves the city where he is, and becoming a bus driver can not only solve the problem of survival, but also allow him to accompany the city he loves and slowly change. old.

After knowing the boy's thoughts, his teacher was undoubtedly a little surprised, and inspired him that he could become a big shot like the mayor of the city and be able to protect his city.

The young man said: "I like 'tailoring clothes' and don't like 'not overestimating one's abilities.' If I had the outstanding talent to become a big shot, I would have shown it long ago during my studies in the past, but it's a pity that I didn't. I You must acknowledge and accept everyone's differences, and leave the matter of becoming a great person to the outstanding people. I can just do what I can do well." 3. People who truly know how to enjoy life will not be "desired". consumption.

From the boy’s story, back to Zhuangzi.

Perhaps Zhuangzi at that time also made the decision to "stay away from the court" in a "tailor-made" manner:

My talent has nothing to do with fame and fortune.

I'm just doing what I can do well.

Looking from the side, we can also see that seeking high and far is the mentality of ordinary people, which is opposite to the "low desires" of Zhuangzi and the young man. However, what they are doing is just trying their best to preserve and pursue what they cherish, and such things happen to be not just "fame, wealth and money".

They are the ones who truly know how to enjoy life instead of being consumed by "desire".

From this point of view, when everyone in the world is seeking wealth and profit, Zhuangzi's "arrogance" and the young man's "tailor-made clothes" are the so-called "low desires".

From this point of view, is the emergence and popularization of this concept of "low desires" the sad thing about this era, at that time, that we need to reflect on?

Are we enjoying life? Or is desire "enjoying" us?