Boys in a Pasture, 1874 by Winslow Homer

If you know what you really need, you don't desire so many things.

The more you desire (power, sex, material goods), it is almost always a reflection of the fact that you don't know what you really need.

Epicurus thought what you really need were three things.

First of all, you need an analyzed life.

You need to make time to trace the origins of your emotions, unpack your emotions, and calm your mind.

The second thing is freedom, independence from authority; he was an anti-authoritarian.

He moved out of Athens and created the world's first commune, living among friends, generating just enough wealth to live but not enough to thrive, or buy luxuries.

The third thing was friends.

If you have these three things, you don't need anything else.

The other stuff is symptomatic of a person who doesn't know themselves.