Let us be completely unfashionable. Let us not say that our sexual desires are something that control us. Rather, let us control them. Out of marriage, that means celibacy, and in marriage, that means serving your spouse with your body. Paul contrasts this with the passion of the pagans, running after their desired partners.

And Paul says this is for all: there are no exceptions, married or single, the beautiful and the ugly, the shy and the socially skilled. This is a complete contrast to the memes of this time, where young women are encouraged to discover their sexuality and young men punished if they make an unwanted approach, and where your desire to be in love rules over all other obligations you have.

As if infatuation lasts.

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

(1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 ESV)

Then if we look at the second paragraph we find the complete opposite of the cult of celebrity. Our aspiration should not be tp be famous, or a celebrity, or have a great professional career, but to live quietly, work with our hands, and to mind our own business. We should not be dependant on a patron (such as the state) but be self sufficient.

And we should not be on the cursus honoriam of this age, working through task after task in the hope we will eventually rule.

I struggle with both these. Self control is a continual issue — but this very lack of self control is why we are, as a society, larger than whales when we used to be lean like weasels. And the first thing a young man needs to learn is to control his appetites or he will be ground down while his arteries harden.

And we have been taught that we need to win, we need to be number one. As if. Most great things come from teamwork, cooperation, and hard work. It is not given to one, it is not luck, it is hard work.

It is far safer, however, to be where the crowds are not. It is much wiser to not be part of the elite. And in these times, the application of this teaching is essential if, young man, you will not be broken by the spirit of this age.