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Can we be Slaves to our Desires?


Epictetus argues that we can be slaves to our desires. In one example, a man clearly desires power and thinks he gains it by becoming Caesar’s friend; though in doing so, he becomes more like a slave. Although he may have increased his social status, he proves to be worse off and more enslaved than when he started. He now has to pay attention continuously to Caesar’s every word. He has to agonize constantly over whether the great Caesar views him favorably, and watch that he doesn’t do or say anything foolish.
I agree that we can be enslaved by our desires. I think the man who became Caesar’s acquaintance was enslaved by his own ambition for power. The only way for him to fulfill his ambition for power was to flatter or submit to many different people. In a sense, all politically powerful people are enslaved by their desires for power. Even Julius Caesar, who was considered the most powerful man in Rome, had to be careful not to offend......

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Approximate Word Count: 677
Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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