Stop the Bullshitting, Too Many Freedom Cages You

Find the balance between freedom and discipline

A few years ago, I watched the show “Border patrol” on CBS reality. In that particular episode, a man drove to the border in his red sedan car. After a routine search, the border officers called him aside for further questioning and investigation. They scanned the car and discovered a shit load of drugs hidden in some secret compartments of the car.

After plenty of questioning, the drug peddler confessed he wanted to take the drugs to New Mexico in the southwestern part of America. Following his lead, the police and drug law enforcement agency raided their hideouts and apprehended the other drug dealers.

While watching this, I wondered. Why the hell does the government crackdown on drug dealers?. Like, why aren’t they free to sell drugs, and why aren’t the buyers free to take these drugs if they choose to. To my thinking then, we were supposed to be free to do whatever we like as long as we don’t hurt anyone else. If I chose to take drugs and kill myself, I should have the right to do so. By the way, the drug dealers do not force anyone to buy these drugs.

Despite my thoughts being naive, It came from our inert desire to be free. We want to choose whatever we feel is right for us without being restrained by the government and even nature, sometimes.

In the Covid-19 era, like you might be aware, the no-mask camp has argued that we cannot and shouldn’t be forced to wear a face mask. What makes us humans and distinct from other sentient beings is our ability to make choices for ourselves and change our minds when and if we choose to. That makes us feel alive. And sometimes, we see to guide that freedom with all that we have.

My older brother explained to me the event of the crack epidemic in the United States. In the 1980s, crack cocaine was rampant, leading to a high rate of drug-related crimes, addiction, and deaths as primary consequences. How free could these people be let to be free?

Freedom Comes At a Cost

How free do you want your ten years old child or niece to be? Not so free, I guess. You want her to be free enough to express herself, free to play around the house and watch TV sometimes (especially when she is done with her school assignment). However, you don’t want her to be free to watch adult content, or stay out late, or try hard drugs.

You know these things are not necessarily bad. But at ten, she cannot handle the responsibility that comes with engaging in these activities.

As adults, we fall for the delusion that we can handle our “freedom”. Sorry to burst your bubble, you probably can’t. We have built societies based on the value of restrained freedom. And you can develop yourself too on the value of restrained freedom.

I spoke to a new friend recently. She called in the morning while I was reading. As we talked, I got to tell her I have a morning routine that nothing stops me from missing (except an emergency). I could hear the disapproval in her voice. She said she hates routines. She loves being free and spontaneous. She wants to sleep when she feels like it, watch Netflix when she feels like it, and eat just when she feels like it. Yeah, I said. That is freedom, but that is the surest way out of the freedom you really love.

If you had a regular job, would she be sleeping and eating and watching Netflix whenever she wants? She told me that was the reason she quit her regular job, and now she freelances. Not surprisingly, she is hardly getting by. And if she continues on that lane, her cage would be financial insecurity.

Do you know why plenty of freelancers fail? It is because they come to the industry with the idea of freedom to do whatever they want to at the time they want to. That has never worked.

Freedom comes with responsibility.

Freedom That Works

The freedom that works is restrained, and we have to work for it. There won’t be rest or retirement for one who hasn’t worked. Retirement is a refreshing time because you have been working for so and so years. And have saved up money to be ‘free”. Even your yearly vacation would not be valuable if you haven’t been busy and grinding all year.

Building good habits keeps you free. Free to make good choices. Free to change your life for the better. Building good habits helps you make money, live healthier, nurture good relationships, which grants you more freedom to build more of the good stuff.

How Freedom Cages You

The crack epidemic of the United States shows what happens when things are not checked, both at the government level and individual level. Take, for example, you sleep when you want to, eat when you want to, and watch TV when you want to. In no time, the negative effects will knock on the door, and it won’t be what you had expected.

Perhaps you become obese. You will have no strength ( and no “freedom”) to go hiking if that is something you like to do. If you become diabetic, you will have no freedom to eat foods and drinks you otherwise could take. And if you smoke crack in the name of freedom, you may develop lung disease or psychological impediment and maybe lay sick in the hospital without the freedom to choose or move. Drugs could lead you to crime, and you end up in jail. Your freedom gets taken away from you. You get caged.

Too much freedom when not checked cages you. And while checked freedom lets you become free, unchecked freedom gets you caged.