To anyone else whom this article resonated, I recommend the journal of Henri-Frederic Amiel^1 and the Rhinoceros Sutta^2 for further explorations of a similar problem space and ethos.

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1 - https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henri-Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Amiel

2- https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/StNp/StNp1_3.html