'Temptation, the fiend at my ellbow.' - William Shakespeare

Oh, I´d be happy if it was just the ellbow...! 

Today´s morning I ordered a coffee to go with all toppings available at my local coffee shop. While waiting in line, I virtually poked all the people located close to me, bought some trending stocks through my banking app, booked some flights through my travel app and downloaded all top 10 music albums released during the past 24 hours. 

When leaving the coffee shop I had 23 new friends requests and 1 call from my bank.

Does infinite availability really provides our lives with maximum value? 

Modern temptations

Have you ever counted the number of strawberry yoghurt brands available at your local supermarket?

I did. Mine offers 43.

Having said that, nobody might blame us for not understanding today´s dynamic anymore and/or driving crazy from time to time. 

The world has grown a lot during the past decades. Human intelligence has built an empire of technology that supposedly will be strong enough to take over the world´s leadership at some point of time in the future.

The insatiable desire for more has started to outgrow us. 

Who needs 43 different types of strawberry yoghurts that don´t even contain original strawberries? Who has time to try them all?  

But:
'Temptation always starts in your mind, not in circumstances.' - Rick Warren

The cheese is not the problem. It´s the mouse seeking it.

However, human intelligence (hypothetically) excels a mouse´s skills. Lucky us!

The difference between us and the mouse is, that we realize that it´s a temptation while the animal doesn´t. However, surprisingly the fact that we identify the trap doesn´t necessarily keep us from stepping into it. It requires will power. 

Strong character is needed! 

'Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing-up, a sound set of values - and witnesses.' - Franklin P. Jones 

To close a deal there are two things required: offer AND acceptance. 

You may offer me 43 or even 430 different, attractive, good looking, dietetic and healthy strawberry yoghurt brands. I could (and I will) deny them all. 

There are just three magical words needed. No, thank you!  

If you know your values, temptation will lose its attraction. That´s why today´s generation requires a clear set of core values to be able to survive in the jungle of infinite opportunities. 

'Virtue is insufficient temptation.' - George Bernard Shaw

Our virtually built second life should be simply a bridge between one and another point in real life. Points with a real heart beat.

Media is just a medium. It´s neither the sender nor the receiver. 

Media has no proper value. It´s the message that does.

In a world where even relationships are just one click away - and where we often can´t estimate if they are fake or not - we may do one step back and rely on our own human senses from time to time. 

If you enjoy seeking something, make sure you can touch, smell, hear, feel or see it with your own eyes. 

While opportuny may knock only once, temptations tend to lean on the doorbell. Regardless, vehemence doesn´t provide extra value. The world hasn´t been taken over by technology yet, which means that our own will power leads still. A deal needs two active parts to be closed: an offer and its acceptance. The simple act of rejection can provide us with a lot of life quality sometimes: more space to breath. Furthermore, temptation loses its attraction when virtue is lived. Don´t forget: Media is a medium, thus simply a connecter. 

I´ll leave you with one of my favourite songs.
Be strong, steemians :)

Marly - 

Robbie Williams: 'Strong'

My bed's full of takeaways and fantasies of easy lays
The pause button´s broke on my video
And is this real 'cause I feel fake, Oprah Winfrey, Rikki Lake
Teach me things I don't need to know 

Picture sources:
Title image: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/
Opportunity quote: http://q.likesuccess.com/
Free cheese quote: pinterest.com
Devil quote: http://i.enki-village.com/
Pokemon sign: https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/