In many communities, Steemit included, there seems to be a growing attentiveness to the concept of freedom. This is reflexively linked to the economic, political and social spheres of life. And yes, there absolutely is reason for this. However, maybe we are missing a more primary freedom - a freedom that I could argue to be even more essential.
We can all relate to moments, hours and even days of intense and overwhelming anxiety, worry or fear. It is crippling and at least in my experience, stops any form of peace, rationality or progress right in its tracks. In most cases, we are able to get over this and while this is unpleasant, we are sooner or later able to move forward, probably changed, but nevertheless, no longer a captive to these emotions. This is expected and normal for a human life.
But, this is not what I want to talk about. I want to discuss the emotions which colour our minds and lives for years on end. And while there are many people who are excessively conscious of this, I believe that the great majority of people are living in crippling amounts of fear and aren’t even aware of it. Including you. And certainly me. Yes, this includes the fear of losing a loved one or being retrenched, but more importantly, it is the fear of loneliness or rejection that forces us into moulds. It’s the fear of financial instability that leads us into a career which we hate. It’s the fear of being unloveable that encourages us to swallow those corrosive diet pills before breakfast. I am talking about the fear that distorts our identity and shrinks our dreams. Or maybe doesn’t shrink them, but rather discreetly puts obstacles before every step along the way… until we wake up at 6am again, with debit orders, destructive coping mechanisms and a devastatingly ordinary life.
Do you see what you’re risking? You’re risking your freedom. Something which you strived for. And while you may try to justify blaming your society, your parents or your friends, that’s not the solution. It’s an excuse. You have allowed fear to write the script of your life. Or maybe it’s your ego that has written the dialogue, but fear has certainly written the stage directions.
I have realised this and am trying to now do better, since I know better. We all have lives which are products of our past, which often means living in tangles of obligations. I am not suggesting that you abandon these and I am absolutely not denying responsibility. These obligations need to run their course, but now that you are conscious of how your past fears have influenced your present, you may choose to limit their power to dictate your future, and inevitably limit your freedom. You see, responsibility can be brought into my argument in a big way. We have the responsibility to use our lives to the best of our ability - to reach for and achieve all that we are humanly capable of. I believe this to be the responsibility that comes with our opportunity to live.
So, while we can discuss the tyranny which we experience at the hands of society, the economy and political structures, this is not tyranny in its worst form. The most limiting form of tyranny is the way in which we allow our fear be in control. The fear which, if unchallenged will destruct far more dreams and lives than that which could ever be accounted to external factors. Let’s start with ourselves.
