It is not truth that we seek. What we seek is freedom. Freedom from boundaries that we put on ourselves.
Everyone out there yearns for freedom. But, no one begs to ask the question of what freedom is. Freedom is painted as the ability to buy luxury cars, sip champagne in a private jet, to be draped in luxury and excess. But is this truly freedom? Spending your whole in chasing to afford things you really don’t even need. Freedom is the most misused word in human history. It was once used to cause revolts and civil wars but after the industrial economic expansion freedom is often portrayed in a fancy essence to make people work as labours.
Foundation
How did this all begin? I mean freedom was never meant to be slaves in all of human history. Where did this go wrong? Well, the answer lies in the industrial revolution and the rise of consumer capitalism. This facade did not naturally arise. It is a masterfully constructed illusion planted into every major marketing machinery. In the early industrial revolution, people needed workers not just poor labours but people who could study and manage things. After all an industry is a machine that needs masters to control. These industry founders and so-called masterminds created the school system. The school system was meant to prepare kids for different forms of labours clerks, researchers, managers and all sorts of works. But most people were farmers and self sufficient why would they work for some industrialist 8-10hrs and earn few extra bucks.
After giving 8 hrs of freedom for few extra bucks is not freedom rather slavery. To this perception of intellects the geniuses created a plan. They gave birth to aspirational living. Aspirational living basically meant to show people what they are missing out and create an aspiration in them to chase. They started marketing their products for ease of living like home appliances and slowly slowly people wanted to buy more. More products require more money. More money means people have to give up on their self sufficient living and switch to this new slavery that paid them extra bucks to buy these flashy products.
This was not enough. People started selling owned lands, farms and settled for this pay scale slavery just to be part of that aspirational living and not being left out. Advertisement, media, and entertainment were all weaponized to pose a flashy life of luxury. And slowly the freedom idea changed from being self sufficient and invest in self growth to a shopping list. Then came world war to help the elites even further. World war showcased the importance of possessions. Freedom which was detachment suddenly became having as many possessions as you can.
Look Beyond
Modern marketing channels like influencers, films, media houses, and even the sales people have all been marketing materialistic living for too long. Even a 5 year old kid wants buggati. But no one begs to question do we need buggati? In order to escape this illusion you need to understand freedom and give it your own definition instead of picking definition from marketing channels. First part of freedom from where I see it is family security if you have one. If your work can put food on the table your one duty is fulfilled. Chasing materialism purely will lead you only into slavery. Yes it can take you out of a clerk’s job but you will be a CEO is it not slavery? You get millions to give away 13-14hrs per day. But do you even need those millions? And is there no alternative to that kind of life? I am not saying you should not live an extravagant life or you should not earn money. Money is crucial part of modern living
But you have to differentiate wants and needs if you truly wish to be free. There is no limit to wants but there is a limit to needs. And it is only when you have satisfied the needs and have the self understanding of wants you could be free. A free life is one that is dedicated to self exploration, self discovery and adding to the world. Just creating another cemented building where bot like humans work isn’t adding to the world.
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