In Velvet Cages

In Velvet Cages: A Life Undone by Small Pleasures, Jeffrey Remeses Akosa exposes the hidden cost of comfort. Drawing from personal trials—from becoming a father during the COVID lockdowns in China to wrestling with the sweet addictions of youth—he unpacks why bad habits feel so irresistible, how the brain wires us for ease instead of growth, and what it truly takes to break free.

This is not another “quick fix” self-help book. It is a mirror, a challenge, and a manifesto for anyone tired of circling the same patterns and calling it life. With a rare blend of philosophy, science, and raw confession, Akosa shows that freedom is not found in escaping chains but in forging new ones—chains of discipline, courage, and chosen identity.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by procrastination, distracted by comforts, or haunted by the question “Who am I becoming?”—this book will give you both the warning and the way out.

Because in the end, we are all building cages. The only question is whether they will be prisons of pleasure, or fortresses of purpose.