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Friday, October 31, 2014

Choices



Freedom is all about choices. The problem in our modern world is that so many of our choices are not really choices at all.

Take voting for example. You have your “choice” of which corporate owned shill to vote for. The money necessary to run for office makes a politician beholden to their backers. There are a few outsiders beyond corporate clutches. The are either famous enough or have enough of their own money to make a go of it. If they do get elected, they'll never get anything done -unless they too play the game. How many reformers have been swallowed up by the system, their former passionate causes reduced to slogans and bad memories.

How about a young person who's just completed their mandatory time in prison? I mean school. After years of schooling and maybe precious little education, they are set free. What are their choices? Work, more school or the military. That's about it. If their parents are wealthy they may grant them a bit of subsidized time to do other things, but then will be expected to “grow up.” Seems to me there should be a lot more choices out there. Is it freedom when you are only free to starve?

Look at housing. You have a choice: rent or own. Those not part of that system are disenfranchised in so many ways. Let's say someone decides to live in a small RV or on a boat. They've got to figure out ways to have some sort of address. Most governments do not recognize the nomadic state. Vehicles have to registered and insured and that requires a static address. Snail mail has to go someplace. A truly nomadic person has no voting rights, so even that weak protection is lost to them. If you are classified as homeless, forget it. The government will bulldoze your tent and squash your backpack.

Once a person wakes up to the fact that their choices are not really choices, they see it all around them. Sometimes our choices are like a bad joke: death by hanging, death by fireing squad, death by drowing, death by poison . . . Sure, there are choices, but death is always a part of the choice.

Here's the thing, the first step in making real choices is to see the false choices. Until a man discovers exactly what the problem is, he can't even begin to fix it.

Of course, that might be hard and even dangerous.

. . . freedom always is.

-Sixbears

16 comments:

  1. Sometimes your posts are pretty laid back and relaxed. Then others (such as this) hit the nail right on the head with the fire of truth.
    When you do crank one of these out, we ensure our 3 teenage kids sit down and read it. This is reality.
    Despite attending university, etc, they have all learnt the old adage.
    Never let schooling get in the way of your education.
    All 3 are now questioning their "choices".
    That.... is a start.
    Thanks for this!

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    Replies
    1. You are welcome.

      I wish your kids all the best luck. It's tough out there.

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  2. Some are able but most will never ever have the option of choice. That's the way it's been and it's the way it will be.
    Most will live just to exist but just existing isn't living.
    Life is difficult for the majority and becoming even more so. It's a sad state of affairs...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It true that most don't get a choice and those with the opportunity rarely truly use it. That makes striving for it all the more important.

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  3. No one is completely free. We are slaves, if not to some one, to some thing or just to the "system".

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    Replies
    1. Most of us could be a whole lot more free, if only we could see our chains.

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  4. Great post and I whole-heartedly agree with your last reply here...most people could be a LOT more free but they just don't see themselves as slaves, to their employer, the bank, etc.
    Hey, thanks for the visit to my blog and add; hope you enjoy coming over!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!

      Happy to have you on the blog list. You are on my regular reading schedule now.

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  5. Well said. I no longer am vested in the system of the lesser of two evils. The sooner that we recognize that the system has failed, the better. They no longer have the consent of the governed as we no longer have representation.

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    1. When the system doesn't work, build one that does. Anything that can't be fixed will be replaced.

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  6. Our country has change for the worse. Even if you save and scrimp to pay off your home you don't own it. Try not paying the real estate tax on it. It will be confiscated for the taxes they say are owed.
    I see the day coming that all our children will be living at home, working together to pay the government to keep them from taking it for taxes and leaving you homeless.

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    Replies
    1. The kids moved back in a few times, with husbands in tow. Even had 4 generations under my roof for a time.

      Just my wife and I right now, but you never know. Heck, we might be the ones moving in with them someday.

      Delete
  7. choices made wisely work well

    Wildflower

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  8. To paraphrase Viktor Frankl, "The only true freedom you have is how you will treat your fellow man."

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