Burden of freedom

August 15th, 2023

Judging by the ongoing rise of far-right movements and political parties and the number of people supporting them everywhere around the globe, it becomes clear that freedom is a burden too heavy for many people to bear. Freedom becomes something people want to escape from, all the while shouting about its preciousness and how the other side (or made-up bogeymen) are trying to limit or take away the same freedom they have willingly abandoned.

That is such a massive projection!

Freedom (as is a religion) is something deeply personal. Freedom (as is a religion) is something that can truly be experienced in private only. Freedom (as is a religion) is something that is not given but worked on throughout your whole life. Freedom (as is a religion) is not something shouted out in words and slogans but felt within the self. That is why I am especially wary of people who are loudly and angrily screaming out about freedom (and religion).

It is not possible to understand and take proper action about everything that is going on at the same time on a local and global level. Every decision we make brings the possibility of getting it wrong and then suffering the consequences. And owning to those consequences by admitting being wrong — and that is impossible for the majority of people. That makes submission to authority such a tempting option. Somebody else will make decisions and will make everything all right. And if things are still not going correctly, then a convenient scapegoat will be pointed out. And it is always the others — the other political party, the other religion, the other race, the other ethnicity, the other nation — the demonic other that is responsible for all problems and shortcomings. So then, with spitful slogans about freedom, the demonization of others starts.