Freedom Versus Control
Someone will fill your mind with what to think. It might as well be you.
~Ray Davis
Every time you give your power to decide your path or to be who you are away, you are disempowered.
Freedom struggles in the face of controlling paradigms because many lack a strong enough impulse to be autonomous.
It is as though much or our species lives in a traumatized state that seeks someone to fill in the blanks for us. Religion, government and other institutions have successfully stepped into the void for thousands of years to fill for us.
In our time modern times, mass media has ushered in an era of control through “cool”. People have learned that they are empowered by being like someone else, rather than finding the unique qualities and purposes that make them who they are.
It is not a cult of the like-minded and conditioned by centralized authority that leads to the Nirvana we seek. Some see this centralized control – often through government – as the only means for solving a nation’s or the planet’s problems. But I believe, it is a planet filled with autonomous, self-empowered individuals that choose to work together for the common good.
The former is our weak-minded, easy-way-out attempt to reach the same end. The latter must be our goal.
That is not to say we can operate in a selfish bubble. Nothing we do is without links and impacts on everything and everyone around us. A free empowered individual is one who creates bonds of choice and mutual benefit rather than being forced.
I think it is an innate mistrust in humanity driven by constant examples of reasons to doubt the motivations of those around us and our secret feelings of inadequacy and uncertainty that drive us to concede our potential to some outside authority that “knows better”.
The challenges are many in going from where we are now this state of empowered autonomy linked to a commitment to the common interest. There is probably not even agreement on what that human being looks like and some will deny it’s even possible. Some would surely use their increased empowerment for destructive ends, like a teenager experiencing the first taste of freedom. We shall not have that answer until we set its attainment as our priority. None of these can be a reason not begin down this enlightened road.
The how is uncertain and this is what frightens the powers that be on the planet. Because they have interests to protect. They have come to value order over any other virtue.
How can you begin? You can begin each and every day by being aware of who and how you give your power away. You can strive to use the power you do have judiciously, positively towards your interests, but not selfishly or abusively against others. You can mentor those in your sphere of influence to do the same.
You can begin to see that institutions are there to serve our needs and not the other way around. Understand that their authority and relevancy comes from the people they serve. You can pull yourself in the direction of freedom and autonomy one decision at at time, until any other approach seems foreign to you.
Follow your bliss. Experience your bliss. Become your bliss.
Ray
