Did you decide the school you first attended? Did you choose the sport you first played? Did you get a chance to pick your own fears and anxieties?
Of course, you were small then. Which means, you were meant to be protected, but, I am more interested in knowing, what happened when you were no more a kid?
Was it you who decided your college, or your parents did it for you? If it was you, did you choose it, because you really liked it, or just because, you were told that it was best for you? But, since, you were still a student, the real world was still a step away. When it came to job, did you make a call based on work, or once again, it was compelled by other factors, which earlier used to be secondary, but suddenly became primary? Talking about your job, how many times have you been to office out of love and not out of compulsion?
You may say, this is how the system works, and there’s hardly anything you can do about it. Fair enough, let’s move on.
Did you fall in love because she was the most beautiful girl in the world, or once again, did the choices run out? Did you marry her because you wanted her for life, or it was a societal obligation? Did your kids see this world, because it was your dream, or the parental pressure did the trick?
Remember, when you bought that car? Was it supposed to satisfy your need or maintain your reputation? What about this big house?
My question to you, is simple: what actually do you decide? Is it the food, the clothes, or the electronic device you are currently using? You may not even drink a glass of water from a natural source. You are supposed to buy that. And remember, any consumer product you buy, eventually benefit a few number of people. So, any choice offered to you there, is misleading.
Freedom does not necessarily mean big things. It lies in the simplest of things that we do in everyday life. Doing anything you want to… speaking your heart out… being a lover to anyone… travelling or staying anywhere in the world… eating whatever you want…
Despite all of this, let’s say you do make a choice, but, was it really an act of freedom? Ever thought, whether decisions are your own, or are they affected by the media, advertisements, propaganda and all kinds of lies? Was your mind ever free, or will it ever be? I don’t want the answer; I want you to ask yourself the same question.
There is a way out though. As a matter of fact, the world has become simpler today, and it does give you a few options. And in this case, your options are: either you cut your wings and pretend to celebrate your freedom, or, you may find your freedom inside the prison walls.
Deepak Rana 