Some interactions fill us up, even energize us. There's a connection, not a transfer. But others leave us depleted. There's a heaviness we feel, and perhaps a sense of confusion. We worked hard, and empathy might continue to radiate through us to the point of becoming anxious thoughts.
Our young minds buy into this cultural message, and they decide, This must be very important. I'll remember this. So they invite in a new voice that repeatedly declares: If you want to be valuable, you'll need to buy many things.