More Stuff From Epicurus

Epicurus observed that people in modern society ran in circles, unaware of the source of their unhappiness: "Everywhere you can find men who live for empty desires and have no interest in the good life. Stupid fools are those who are never satisfied with what they possess, but only lament what they cannot have."  And one can certainly hear echoes of Buddhism in his prescription for the soul: “The disturbance of the soul cannot be ended nor true joy created either by the possession of the greatest wealth or by honor and respect in the eyes of the mob or by anything else that is associated with causes of unlimited desire."

First of all, these quotes are in a book I'm reading.  I don't want you to think I'm spending a lot of time reading influential 4th Century BC Greek philosophers to kill time during commercial breaks of reality TV shows.  My curiosity is always stimulated when I find yet another source of the wisdom that we are so fortunate to have found in Alcoholics Anonymous.  This wisdom was written down 25 centuries ago and was influenced by an Eastern philosophy that is even older yet.  Once again we see the idea that a life dedicated to making the lives of others better is the best life we can live.  I note again the word "others."  I'm always looking for something outside of myself to fix what ails me.  As you can see, it doesn't exist.