We spend our lives running, caught in this endless race for success, for accumulation, for control over things we will never truly own. But what if our very existence is nothing more than a simulation? What if all of this is just a test, an experiment in something we can’t even begin to understand?

These questions aren’t new. Philosophers and scientists have wrestled with them for centuries. But today, in the Tigrepop universe, we have to ask ourselves:

Is this realization mediocre… or is it actually liberating?

The Theory of Simulacrum: Are We Living in a Manufactured Reality?

The idea that we are living in a simulation has gained traction in recent years, popularized by figures like Elon Musk, who stated at the 2016 Code Conference that it is highly probable that our reality is a simulation created by an advanced civilization. However, this concept goes back much further—long before The Matrix became a cultural reference.

French philosopher Jean Baudrillard, in his work Simulacra and Simulation (1981), argued that contemporary reality has morphed into a simulacrum: a system of representations that replace the real to the point where we can no longer distinguish between what is reality and what is just a representation (Baudrillard, 1981).

Baudrillard suggests that we are living in a kind of mirage; we believe that what we see and possess defines our existence, but perhaps we are merely actors on a stage, playing out a script we don’t even control.

Obsession with Possession: A Trap Within the Simulation?

We are trapped in the need to possess, to have. This obsession extends from material objects to experiences and social status, subjecting us to constant pressure to “be someone.”

Psychologist and philosopher Erich Fromm explored this impulse in his book To Have or To Be?, arguing that capitalist society promotes an obsession with “having”, which leads to alienation and existential emptiness (Fromm, 1976). We’ve been sold the idea that owning more will make us happier or more complete, when in reality, it might be the very thing preventing us from actually enjoying life.

This obsession with possession is a kind of social contract we sign without reading the fine print. It throws us into an emotional rollercoaster, climbing higher and crashing down relentlessly. And in the end, everything unravels into the same inevitable conclusion.

Mediocrity or Liberation? The Power of Letting Go

If life is just a simulation or a test, what’s the point of chasing these illusions of possession and control? Letting go of this pressure isn’t resignation—it’s a declaration of independence. It’s not conformism, but rather the choice to live in the present, free from the weight of ownership and expectation.

As British philosopher and writer Alan Watts once said:

«The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves in order to be happy” (Watts, 1966).

The idea of enjoying the moment isn’t some cheesy self-help mantra—it’s an act of rebellion in a world that constantly pushes us to obsess over what we lack.

According to studies published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, true well-being and lasting happiness are more strongly linked to being rather than having (Brown et al., 2018). Learning to appreciate each moment, without the constant urge to accumulate, gives us a sense of purpose that neither money nor status can ever provide.

If Life Is a Simulation or a Test, Then Possession and Control Are Illusions Bound to Collapse.

Choosing to live, to simply exist and enjoy the moment, is one of the few ways to free ourselves from the weight imposed by the system. This isn’t about mediocrity, but about seeing beyond the mirage—accepting that the only true meaning is the one we create in each passing moment.

And that is where real freedom lies.