Our unique individual birthright – Freedom

It seems there is a battle raging in some countries right now, and it’s all about freedom. 

What is freedom? My understanding is it’s the ability to be in control of your own life. To be 100% responsible for every thought, decision and action you make and take.

How can this work with 8+ billion “unique” people living on Planet Earth?

• How can this work when we have reached a state of believing we have the right to have whatever we want, do whatever we want?
• How can this work especially in today’s world where instant gratification rules?

Can this work in a society where our governments control so much of what we can and cannot do?

• Can true freedom work when we, in many societies, have been conditioned to rely on and believe that our governments know best; that they need to control us under the pretext of our safety?

How can true freedom work in a world that has morally disintegrated?

This topic may be uncomfortable for many people, but I believe it is a topic that we desperately need to have.

My common understanding of Freedom

Am I right in saying that today’s general understanding of freedom is:

• To have the freedom of speech?
• To have the freedom to go where you want?
• To have the freedom of religious belief?
• To have the freedom to believe what you want?
• To have the freedom to do what you want?
• To have the freedom to have what you want?

It became pretty obvious how quickly those freedoms were whisked away from us recently in the name of safety. Since the covid scare, many of those freedoms in some countries have become even more restricted, or have not been reinstated at all.

Examples:

• We are either too afraid or have been pressured into not speaking freely anymore. 
• “Freedom to believe what you want” is tangled up with the fear to speak your truth.
• “Freedom to do what you want” has still not been reinstated – examples: freedom to demonstrate; women’s rights and the freedom to choose.

The covid epoch was an interesting period as we all had oodles and oodles of time to think. As mentioned in a previous blog, I am not one to just believe what I am told. If things don’t make sense to me I will dig and sniff until I make some sense of whatever it is I’m unsure of.

Covid gave me a lot of time to dig and sniff and one thing that became very apparent to me was how important our freedom is. I also gained a much deeper appreciation of what freedom really is. This motivated me to meditate on how societies could live in true freedom successfully. “Successfully” is the operative word as I don’t see how it is possible to live with true freedom in today’s world.  

So this is where the topic may become uncomfortable for many of us. But as I mentioned earlier, I believe it is vital for us to spend a moment and contemplate whether I’m talking nonsense. Or, am I seeing something that may help us claim true freedom and live in a world that is much healthier, happier, and more balanced.

An overview of what I see in today’s world.

I’m nearing the completion of my 67^th year in this life. This has allowed me many years of observing and experiencing life. I have lived in different countries and experienced different cultures. So I do have some knowledge and insight into what I want to share here.

Standards and Degrees

Again, let me reiterate that there are degrees and levels to all of what I’m sharing here. This is a wide-angle view of what I see.

One of the most obvious and glaring things that I have noticed is how societies’ morals and ethics have in general, disintegrated. Once upon a time, there was an expectation and responsibility in maintaining standards which were in place to facilitate a healthier flow in life.

Let’s break this down a little

I’m starting at the top of the pyramid where 1% of the wealth and power resides. Basically, I would say a majority of the 1% are heads of multinational corporations and politicians. It seems these are the folk that hold and control the strings that move and manipulate everyone else.

I think we can all see that these people have so much wealth and power just by observing the lavish lifestyles and privileges they live.

Let me say here that I am not opposed to people being rich and making oodles and oodles of money. I don’t have a problem with that; my problem is when this wealth and power is gained through corruption, dishonesty and greed.

Do I have a right to make the above statement? I think I do

I know that governments are corrupt; I have personally witnessed that more than once. Growing up in Africa it was just a fact of life that my country’s government and most politicians in Africa were corrupt.

The electrical shock came when I witnessed the corruption in the political arena of western countries. This all happened in the 1980s and 90’s when western government aid was being pumped into African countries. We saw first-hand the mishandling of foreign aid and corruption that took place. None of those corruptions have ever been addressed or dealt with. So I’m going out on a limb here and claiming that corruption within world governments has intensified through the years and has now just become part of the system.

Let’s add the influence of CEOs of multinational corporations into this political mix and the roles they play. We all know that corporations financially support political parties with handouts/bribes resulting in our politicians becoming corrupt puppets for those power-hungry players.

We also know that NGOs and politicians dance together. A relatively current example of that is Trudeau and his family’s dance with the WE Charity. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WE_Charity_scandal)

There are many examples of the dirt that can be found politically, it’s easy enough to find. At the moment Canada is in the news daily with its government’s corruption and lies. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6REscbjFXio&t=381s) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXjl8e_bwIw)

My point to this train of thought is that many powerful people in our society are greedy, power-hungry, dishonest and corrupt citizens. Again, I’m generalizing, but let’s just weigh out the power the 1% hold compared to the trauma and poverty that exists at the other end of the scale. Is that not an indication that a large percentage of those powerful people are focused on their own gains rather than taking care of the needy in this world?

A prime example is this pandemic and the lockdowns. The amount of money that was made from masks, vaccines, the plastic coverings in front of everything, the hand sanitizer etc. etc., versus the other end of the scale; the distress and trauma that resulted in the mental health and other health crisis. Why did the companies that made all this money not put all that money back into the communities to help support the catastrophe that has taken place? That was/is appalling behaviour.

Is it safe to say that the people at the top of the pyramid are the leaders and owners of the:

• Mass conglomerates that run our society; are they not the ones that spew out the pollution in their quest to fill the shelves for our mega supermarkets, building departments, book stores etc? Not to mention mass tourism, mass inhumane farming and mass fishing industries.
• Big pharma and the medical world where citizens are prescribed and encouraged to take medications that not only pollute the environment but create bigger health problems requiring the use of more environmentally unfriendly medications.
• The grand and powerful banks that make money off our money. Sure they provide us with banking services, but at a cost of every little service they provide us. 
• The insane world of wealth and power of the petroleum countries and companies.
• Insurance companies insist we need everything insured, but they squabble and nitpick when it’s their turn to pay us our dues.
• The arms industry has brought us to the brink of extinction.
• Let’s not forget the big fast food and soda chains that promote and feed us food and drink that create diabetes, overweight, and heart disease.

Add to this mix our political leaders, who are bribed and corrupted by these massive institutions, and let’s not forget the political deals made within the world governmental environment.

Within this political web also lies the powerful NGOs such as the UN and the WHO, and now we have the WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM gaining massive power; this mosaic of power-hungry giants are all in bed together.

So at the top of the pyramid sit the elites. They are busy making and breaking deals at whatever cost; all done in the name of gaining constant power and wealth at the expense of the health of our environment and of humanity.

Trickle-down effect

From what I can see, it looks like we, the hamsters, religiously and willingly spin the economic hamster wheel that the mass conglomerates have created. Not only do we support and pay them to maintain their insane and obscene reality, but we too have become influenced and motivated to imitate them.

How does this look through the wide-angle lens?

I believe it is impossible for us to be morally and ethically perfect – we are mortals. We all slip and fall – we have moments of weakness, fear and confusion. It’s how we handle those moments and what we do with them that matters.

Let’s try a moment of honesty here

Who can truly say they:

• Never lie, even a white lie?
• Never twist the truth?
• Never cheat?
• Never steal anything, even if you are not charged something or undercharged. Do you correct that?
• Never greedy?
• Never trick or manipulate anyone for your own gains?
• Never physically or emotionally hurt or bully anyone?
• Never judge anyone?
• Never make assumptions about anyone?

If anyone has never done any of these, you are a saint and a minority. These are weaknesses that swirl around us enticing us in making decisions to benefit us. Unfortunately, much of society now seems to have accepted many of these weaknesses as being fairly normal. Or, by not taking responsibility or being accountable for our thoughts, decisions or actions.

So, in a lesser sense, we have joined the elites in becoming shark-like in order to gain what we want, and we justify our actions.

Let me stress again, there are degrees in all of this. None of us are perfect, but at some level, and at times, many if not most of us fall short of living a standard of life that is governed by moral principals

I guess a good way to judge where we are in today’s world is by looking around and seeing our own circle of family, friends and acquaintances. Who strikes us as living or lived a life of trying to be a good and honest person all the time; or, of trying to stay focused on doing the right thing at whatever cost; I know I fall short of this high standard.

So, can we try an exercise here? Let’s close our eyes and picture our world today with the obscenely rich and powerful at the top, and then the rest of humanity below trying to get on and ahead in life. In this scenario, we cannot forget the world’s trauma as that plays a major role in our species’ sickness. How far can you see this world surviving in a sustainable, positive and healthy manner?

That’s why this conversation is so important; through my wide-angle lens, I do not see our society surviving with our present-day mentality. With each new generation being influenced by the previous, we just disintegrate further and further.

Now, let’s visualize a world where we have freely decided that we want to implement and live in a world that has a foundation built on moral standards.

What could that standard look like? I would say the easiest way to start visualizing this is by creating a standard that makes sense. What makes sense is living by “what you do not want anyone else to do to you”.

Principles built on how we want to be treated

I don’t think anyone likes or wants to:

• Be lied to
• Be manipulated or have the truth twisted
• Be cheated on or out of anything
• Have things stolen from them
• Live with greedy people
• Live with selfish people
• Live in poverty, hunger and fear
• Be abused in any way
• Be disrespected
• Be bullied and pressured
• Be judged unfairly
• Have people make untrue assumptions about them

Let’s visualize an environment where we focus on how we want to be treated. A world where we have compassion, empathy, humility and respect; where we help people; where we have time for people; where we honour, accept and encourage individual unique and creative energies; and where we are honest, reliable and trustworthy. A world where we can all feel safe instead of living in an energy that is fear-based, indulgent, selfish and filled with self-preservation.  

My belief is, that if we can create an environment that is based on a foundation built of selflessness, honesty and compassion, this will require everyone to be 100% responsible for every thought, decision and action we make and take – successfully claiming our unique individual birthright – Freedom

“There will be times in your life that you will be challenged to choose between honour and something else. I am asking that you not sacrifice your honour for the sake of acquiring easy things.”
― Idowu Koyenikan, Wealth for All: Living a Life of Success at the Edge of Your Ability

Our world should then dramatically change. One can still work hard and be motivated to make oodles and oodles of money and become rich if that is one’s drive. But, let it be good, honest, and clean work.

If decisions and actions are taken based on a standard that looks out for everyone focusing on respect, trust and acceptance, we should be able to handle being responsible citizens. By being honourable and fair-minded one should willingly and happily help the people and communities that need help.  

“Selflessness. Humility. Truthfulness. These are the three marks of an honourable man.”
― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

Our Governments would then not need to have so much control in our lives in the “name of safety” as we would be capable and responsible for taking care of ourselves, our families and our communities.

Our Government leaders and politicians would also do the right thing and not be swayed and tempted by corruption as they too would live by the same standard.

By facing our responsibilities and actions we would be accountable for our decisions and actions and therefore the justice system could function in an honourable and moral way.

I believe, that accepting our own responsibilities and being accountable is the grounding principle to guide us in making healthier decisions.

Again, this is a wide-angle view, there will always be people who will fall short of any standard; we are all mortal; there is no such thing as a perfect world. But by having a standard and being guided by that standard we should have a chance of living a life that allows a more balanced and healthier flow to life for all.

We are unique individuals and Mother Earth is home to us all. We cannot be squeezed into a box that suits the masters above; Freedom is our birthright, it is our breath.

I believe though, there is another fundamental element to this vision that I can see. That will be the next rabbit hole I go sniffing and digging up.

Thanks for hanging in here with me. I would love to hear your comments.

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.