Loose: On Letting Stuff Go

A wise Buddhist monk once explained the power of letting go through the act of holding a cup of tea. Holding the cup for a few seconds doesn’t take much effort. But after minutes, serious discomfort sets in, which, an hour later, has turned into unbearable agony. Only by putting the cup down, we release ourselves from the pain.

Holding on to stuff can be painful. Yet, many people are masters at holding on tightly to things like people’s opinions, grudges, (ex)lovers, material possessions, bad memories, and worries about the future. Through a persistent, uninterrupted clinging to all this stuff, our lives become heavier and more unpleasant by the day. But if we let go of stuff, even if it’s just temporarily, we’ll experience relief.

In today’s world, letting go is an act of rebellion. By putting the cup down, we revolt against a society obsessed with accomplishment and prestige, that celebrates toxic passionate love and unhealthy attachment, and favors greed over contentment.

Loose is a collection of re-edited and revised essays on various topics. Originally published in video format on the Einzelgänger YouTube channel, these short works explore the art of letting go, inspired by different schools of thought: from Schopenhauer’s philosophy to Diogenes to Taoism.