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Self-love, or self-obsession? || Acharya Prashant (2018)
Acharya Prashant
5.9K views
6 years ago
Self-knowledge
Selfishness
Spirituality
Morality
Object of Desire
Higher Purpose
Guilt
Duality
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that concepts like self-love, self-centeredness, and selfishness are only problematic when there is ignorance about the nature of the self. He argues that being obsessed with something requires knowing the object of that obsession; if one does not truly know their body or their self, then self-obsession is based on a false premise. He draws a parallel with desire, stating that the problem is not the desire itself, but the object toward which it is directed. One must understand what they are truly concerned with before labeling it as love or obsession. The speaker addresses the common social duality where withholding resources, such as time or money, from others is automatically labeled as selfishness. He clarifies that not giving to another does not necessarily mean one is catering to their own ego or physical desires. He suggests that there is a third option beyond the binary of 'me versus you.' True spirituality involves dedicating one's life and resources to a higher purpose that transcends both personal gratification and worldly demands. He emphasizes that time and resources should be devoted to something meaningful and beautiful rather than being squandered on trivialities. Using the analogy of a burger, Acharya Prashant distinguishes between morality and spirituality. While morality suggests that giving the burger to someone else is better than eating it yourself, spirituality asserts that the real issue is the waste of resources on something as insignificant as a burger in the first place. He concludes that one should not feel guilty for withholding time or resources from others if those resources are being directed toward a higher purpose. Guilt is unnecessary when one's life is committed to something far more important than the satisfaction of personal or social whims.