Systemic Freedom

What does freedom mean for you? Are you free to think? Free to move? Free to make decision? Free to gather information? Free from fear...?

We talk about our "west", as "the free world", yet are we truly free? Standards of culture, society, our education, beliefs, financial needs, along with other self-imposed and accepted factors restrict our movements and thoughts. We act out of necessity.

We must...

We must earn a living. We must to get on with our colleagues, and acquaintances. We must pay bills taxes, insurance. We must contribute to the economical growth. We must comply with the rules. We must accept what we are told. We must not revolt. We must show how happy we are. We must believe we are free...

But can we?

Can we believe whatever we want, without being prosecuted? Can we be who we want, without being judged? Can we live the way we like, without being excluded? Can we live the way we deserve, without being forced to do otherwise? Can we say, what we think, without being reprimanded? Can we think what we feel, without a pressure from others to think what we should, what they agree upon? Can we feel what we would, without being oppressed by beliefs? Can we acknowledge, we are nowhere near as free as we like, that we create ourselves an illusion of a world we crave for...?

With so many "musts" and so little "cans" are we really free? Freedom means independence, it also means the lack of restrictions. It means ability, and room for change. It means accessibility, and no oppression from beliefs, offices, and peers. Does this mean anarchy? No. Anarchy is oppression in a different guise. Freedom must be systemic, built right into the system, an integral part of it. Only a system that is built on the basis of freedom can sustain freedom...

Does systemic freedom exist?

No, it does not and never will. It is a utopia, a thought experiment, a dream, call it what you will. Yet it can be a goal, something to work for, to look forward to, never to achieve, but constantly strive towards. It can be a horizon, it could be hope.

"The system", any system, is inherently corrupt, as long as we let it be, as long as it is based on fear and scarcity, on oppression and possession, on control and power. Our own values, our own ways of life are the greatest contributors to the system of corruption. This does not happen abroad, somewhere far away. We are responsible, all of us, we create the system, we are the system. Without us, there would be no system, no power, no oppression, no possession, no destruction, no fear...

But our greatest inhibiting factor rules over our lives. We are afraid. Afraid of the future, or the past coming back to haunt, afraid of exclusion, afraid of poverty, afraid of freedom. Yes, we are afraid of freedom and the responsibility it brings. We are afraid to acknowledge our involvement. Freedom starts, where illusions end. Freedom starts inside, in the minds, in the thoughts, in the hearts of us all. not by creating an illusion that hides away the dirt, but by changing our ways for the better.

So let us explore it: Freedom and its ways. This blog is an invitation to a journey we can start together. Just take my hand and come along, I will show you magic... Only you need to ask yourself first: What does freedom mean for you?

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video / Foter / CC BY