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From: stan e [email protected]
Category: Category 1
Date: 23 Jun 1999
Time: 03:52:47
Remote Name: ip54.atlanta14.ga.pub-ip.psi.net
FREEDOM FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT PERSPECTIVE. ONE CANNOT TRULY BE FREE UNLESS ONE UNDERSTANDS ONE'S PLACE IN THE WORLD. ACHIEVING TRUE FREEDOM REQUIRES MANY YEARS OF WORK, BUT CARRIES WITH IT THE PROMISE OF ALL BENEFITS ONE ASSOCIATES WITH THE CONCEPT, MOST IMPORTANTLY, A LIGHTNESS OF BEING, A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE, AND OF PEACE AND OF JOY. ALL OF WHICH CANNOT BE SHAKEN BY THE INFURIATING TRIBULATIONS OF EVERYDAY LIFE. FREEDOM IS A TERRIFYING IDEA, BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A SENSE OF SELF, FAR STRONGER THAN THAT WHICH IS OTHERWISE DEMANDED BY OUR SOCIETY. THAT SENSE OF SELF CANNOT BE DEFINED IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO ANYTHING. ONE WHO DEFINES HIMSELF AS A REBEL, THEREFORE, CANNOT ACTUALLY BE FREE BECAUSE HIS IDENTITY IS BASED ON SOMETHING EXTERNAL, (THAT AGAINST WHICH HE IS REBELLING) IF THAT WERE TO CHANGE, HIS IDENTITY AND SELF IMAGE WOULD BE WORTHLESS, BECAUSE FUNDAMENTALLY IT IS NOT BASED ON ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE. SIMILARLY, ONE WHO DEFINES HIMSELF AS A MEMBER OF, SAY THE ELITE,IS LIKEWISE VULNERABLE, FOR IF SOCIAL UPHEAVAL ARISES OR IF CIRCUMSTANCES CONSPIRE TO DEPRIVE THIS INDIVIDUAL OF HIS SOCIAL STATUS, THEN HE TOO IS AT A LOSS FOR HIS OWN IDENTITY. A PERSON IS TRULY FREE DOES NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THESE THINGS, LEARNING EQUALLY FROM ALL MEN AND WOMEN AND MOVING WITH THE GRACE AND EASE AMONG THE CIRCLES AND SOCIETIES IF THE WORLD IN TIMES OF BOTH PROSPERITY AND ADVERSITY. SHAKING ONE'S SELF FREE OF THESE EXTERNALLY REINFORCED IMAGES AND EXPECTATIONS IS EXCRUCIATINGLY DIFFICULT. IT REQUIRES A RUTHLESS DETERMINATION TO RECOGNIZE ONE'S OWN INSIGNIFICANCE AND PETTINESS. IT DEMANDS THAT ONE FACE ONE'S INSECURITIES, IDENTIFY ALL THE CRUTCHES THAT ONE USES IN ORDER TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT ONE'S SELF AND FLING THEM AWAY. IT IS AN EXTRODNARILY PAINFUL PROCESS AS ONE MUST SEE AND RECOGNIZE ALL THAT IS NEGATIVE, DARK AND FLAWED WITH IN ONE'S SELF. BUT WHEN ONE IS FREE, THE TRIVIAL FORMALITIES OF LIFE FALL AWAY, BOTH IN HOW ONE VIEWS ONE'S SELF AND IN HOW ONE RELATES TO OTHERS. ONE RECOGNIZES THE PATTERNS OF THOUGHT AND BEHAVIOR COMMONLY ADOPTED BY OTHERS AND CAN THEM AT WILL-BUT NEED NOT DEPEND ON THEM AS SUBSTITUTION FOR AN INTERNALIZED UNDERSTANDING FAR MORE PROFOUND. I THINK FREEDOM IS POSSIBLE. I AM NOT FREE. I WISH I WERE !
In love of surrendering and searching for freedom: Stan Martin - South Carolina USA