Sunday 24 January 2016

Is Freedom Free?

Free Freedom!

Posted by Emmanuel Francis
Image result wey dey for freedom images
It is interesting to note that most of society is free. There 
is a percentage of the populous that is incarcerated for 
crimes against society. So too, are there people who 
live in political cultures that do not value the freedom 
of its' people. 
Image result wey dey for freedom images Image result wey dey for freedom images
Nevertheless, the majority of the people in the world live
in relative freedom. They can choose whom they marry, 
what they do for a living, and where they live. Most 
societies allow their people to move around freely 
without restraint. As long as an individual is obeying 
the laws, that person has wide latitude in conduct.
The freedoms offered by governments are physical 
freedoms that all its' law abiding members enjoy. 
However, many operate in a "prison like" atmosphere 
regardless of what they are given. This prison does 
not exist on the material plane. Rather, it is a creation
of the mind. It is manufactured from an individual's 
belief system. These beliefs become people's jailers.
Most will tell you that they can think for themselves. 
To suggest that they are incapable of creating their 
own ideas is met with an overwhelming attitude to 
the contrary. All their success, experiences, and 
intelligence give a sense of independence. They 
mistakenly believe that their belief systems is of their 
own making. Unfortunately for them, it is not.
A fundamental concept to creating the life that you 
desire is to create a belief system that works for you.
Contrary to what most think, our beliefs systems are
shaped by the influences around us. Teachers, parents,
friends, co-workers, and institutions all have input into 
the beliefs that we live by. Have you ever noticed how 
children's ideas often reflect those of their parents? 
This is so common that political organizations poll school 
children during Presidential elections because they 
accurately reflect the sentiment of the adults.
The governments of the world are masters at shaping
the belief system of its' people. Through the use of 
propaganda, public opinion is swayed based upon 
the desires of those in power. 
This is often done in the name of nationalism. A group 
of people is established as a threat to the society. 
Events are shown to validate this viewpoint while creating
the emotional dislike towards that group. Thus, the 
government is free to act as it see fit with the full support 
of its people. Unfortunately, most people do not have 
firsthand experience to form a solid conclusion. Of course, 
they will defend their belief even though that are not certain
where it came from.
It is common for people and organizations to manipulate 
other's beliefs for the sake of control. The government is
one example. Some religions throughout history has 
acted in a similar manner. They used threat of an angry 
Deity and eternal damnation to control the masses. There 
were numerous instances where the Church of England
was the most powerful organization in Europe. With a 
following that is under control, it is much easier to maintain
influence. Naturally, there are many denominations where
this is not the case. So, too, are their many people who's 
lives are enhanced by their religious affiliation. 
Unfortunately, this is not true in all instances.
The key to a belief systems is creating one that works for
you. As an adult, you have the freedom to believe anything
that you desire. Spending time questioning where some
of your beliefs came from is healthy. It is also effective 
to determine whether they still work for you. If they assist 
you into being happy, joyous, and free, then they are 
worthwhile. However, when they instill pain, perhaps it is 
time to rethink them.
Ironically, the beliefs that seem to cause the most chaos
in people's lives come from those who love us the most. 
Many individuals suffer from psychological disorders due
to the influences of their parents. Things such as low self
esteem, abandonment, and sexual issues all come from
our upbringing.
Image result wey dey for freedom images
Typically, one who suffer from any of these, was made to 
feel guilty and shameful. Their worth was shown to be 
tied to their performance which never was good enough.
Mistakes were not forgiven but something to be used as
a weapon to make the other feel worse. All this was done
as a form of control.
Leap forward 20 years and you find that a person who 
grew up in this atmosphere often still carries these beliefs.
Even though recent experiences will prove to the contrary, 
the individual still hears the words of the parent. It affects
the relationships with friends, lovers, coworkers, and 
oneself. 
Without some help, the person is often incapable of 
healthy interaction with others. There is a degree of 
sickness in all that is done. Thus, the individual turns
to other things to fill that void that exists whether it is 
drugs, alcohol, sex, or food. 
However, if the belief system was viewed as insane,
the person might be apt to change it. Simply altering a
few of the basic beliefs one holds regarding oneself
miraculously changes life.
The more that we can accept that it is likely that what 
we believe came from other, the better our chances are
of attaining freedom. There are many things that were 
taught to us by others growing up which serve us well. 
This is especially true if we were raised in a loving 
home. However, society being as selfish as it is, there 
is much that stands in our way of happiness. Analyzing
our belief system gets to the root of what motivates us.
A system that contains a great deal of fear will cause 
one to often act out of that fear. The opposite is also true. 
To create 'our' life, it begins with creating 'our' own 
belief system.

To Your Success
Hubert Koh
Founder and Chief Success Officer,
67GoldenRules.com

3 comments:

Kennygroovy said...

That's really true and the extent to which the Nigerian Government under Muhammad buhari makes such provisions is highly disheartening.... indeed there was a country.

The Destination said...

hmm...@Kennygroovy, we could rightly say that, and indeed there is a country.

The Destination said...

hmm...@Kennygroovy, we could rightly say that, and indeed there is a country.