From Inhibiting Desire to Creative Desire – Malek A. Boukerchi
29.08.2023
Excerpt from the collective work Envier ou avoir envie
By Malek A. Boukerchi – “Dream-watcher-weaver,” anthropologist of social bonds, philosopher-storyteller-lecturer, extreme ultramarathoner
“The poor man is not the one who has nothing, but the one who envies.” – Seneca
From destructive inhibiting desire to liberating, creative desire
An ode to creative desire (E.N.V.I.E.) as a Narrative Epistemology of Engaging Virtues
We live in a strange era. One marked by immediacy, speed, and the amplified influence of social media, which reflects and magnifies materialistic success. In this context, we want instant results from any endeavor—playing an instrument, starting a business, dieting, sports—with visible, immediate performance.
Inhibiting desire – EII (envie-inhibitrice-impatience)
Societies of comfort have flattened our inner drive, diminishing patience and the perseverance needed to cultivate genuine achievements. The EII operates through comparison and material desire, focusing on what we lack. But as Aesop wisely said: “It is the enjoying, not the possessing, that makes one happy.”
When EII gives way to patience and the desire to live rightly, simplicity and harmony with oneself and the ecosystem emerge. As a guiding principle: “Make your impatience your greatest enemy” (Zen adage).
Liberating desire – ELP (envie-libératrice-patience)
ELP is not a fate to endure but a personal challenge for the benefit of others. It is about aligning with life, nurturing patience, and harmonizing with humans, nature, and objects. True fulfillment lies not in material desire, but in the spiritual momentum that connects and gives meaning. Cultivating ELP strengthens inner wealth, fosters unity, and sustains joy.
Embodying ELP: Ultra-Marathon Extreme (UME)
Extreme endurance challenges mirror life itself, confronting fear, courage, abandonment, perseverance, competition, and cooperation. Success in UME—or in life—requires resourcefulness, belief in oneself for the sake of others, and commitment in the present moment.
Through ultra-marathon experiences, ELP becomes tangible: fears are virtues, discouragement is elegance, doubts are answers, detachment is freedom, and encounters with others are stories. Without ELP (or HELP – highlighting our interdependent creativity), there is no fuel.
Key takeaway:
Alfred de Musset’s advice encapsulates the ELP spirit:
“To succeed in the world, remember these three maxims: see, is to know; will, is to be able; dare, is to have.”
See, will, dare – the guiding principles for liberating and creative engagement.
This excerpt emphasizes transforming envy from a destructive, impatient force into a patient, creative, and socially engaged energy that nourishes both personal growth and collective flourishing.