Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           And,asissotypicalofyoungmen,theprinceendedupblaminghisfatherfortheverythingshisfatherhadtriedtodoforhim.Itwastheriches,theprincethought,thathadmadehimsomiserable,thathadmadelifeseemsomeaningless.Hedecidedtorunaway.

           Buttheprincewasmorelikehisfatherthanheknew.Hehadgrandideastoo.Hewouldn’tjustrunaway;hewouldgiveuphisroyalty,hisfamily,andallofhispossessionsandliveinthestreets,sleepingindirtlikeananimal.Therehewouldstarvehimself,torturehimself,andbegforscrapsoffoodfromstrangersfortherestofhislife.

           Thenextnight,theprincesnuckoutofthepalaceagain,thistimenevertoreturn.Foryearshelivedasabum,adiscardedandforgottenremnantofsociety,thedogshitcakedtothebottomofthesocialtotempole.Andasplanned,theprincesufferedgreatly.Hesufferedthroughdisease,hunger,pain,loneliness,anddecay.Heconfrontedthebrinkofdeathitself,oftenlimitedtoeatingasinglenuteachday.

           Afewyearswentby.Thenafewmore.Andthen...nothinghappened.Theprincebegantonoticethatthislifeofsufferingwasn’tallthatitwascrackeduptobe.Itwasn’tbringinghimtheinsighthehaddesired.Itwasn’trevealinganydeepermysteryoftheworldoritsultimatepurpose.

           Infact,theprincecametoknowwhattherestofushavealwayskindofknown:thatsufferingtotallysucks.Andit’snotnecessarilythatmeaningfuleither.Aswithbeingrich,thereisnovalueinsufferingwhenit’sdonewithoutpurpose.