A piece on Individualism
Upon my return from my journey into the Belly of the Beast, I have become quite contemplative on the fate of humanity. When I speak of the Bell of the Beast, I am, of course, referring to Washington, D.C. - the home government bloat and bureaucracy. I went up there with Ben to observe this nation's capital and attend the march to the Pentagon in order to protest the War in Iraq. What I saw there was nothing but groupthink collectivism on both sides of the debate. You had the brainwashed patriots that felt if you were against the War you were against the country and some going as far as to charge sedition to individuals, and I use that term loosely, opposing the War. Then, on my side of the debate, you had nothing but leftist kool-aid drinkers, that sneered at Ben and I, when they found out were not only Libertarians, but Capitalists.
This led me to think if these people are so free thinking, why are they thinking in only labels and not looking to investigate us and learn about who we were and why we were there and furthermore, why not put their differences aside in order to unite on a common goal. The answer is simple, lack of individualism and feeling compelled to be a slave to collectivism. This nation was founded on individualism and the idea that a person should be able to live free from government intervention and achieve as much happiness as possible.
So what happened? Where did the people go wrong?
People have discarded the idea that understanding who they are, independent from collective pressure, is extremely important. This requires one to throw off the shackles of social constructs and examine what they value and how these values build and shape the person they are. Of course people are going to have influences, that's natural, but it's imperative for an individual to be an individual by refusing to assimilate, to reject any restraint on their individual ego.
These constructs are all man made. Religion, the State, the Masses, your circle of friends, political affiliation - they all want you to be one of them. Become one of the flock. These devices cloud a persons Ego, can easily blind a person to feel they are inclined to be a "We." This is ridiculous! Everyone can be an I! One has to understand why this is so comforting. Standing alone, having individual thoughts and ideas can be frightening and it is much easier to fall back on the collective to prop one up, and this the problem. Human insecurity lies at the root of this problem.
What is there to catch humans as they are crippled to insecurity? Many people find comfort in a divine power, a higher power to guide one's life. But why should a human believe in anything but themselves? If humans could break free from a blatant collective put into place by man in order to dull one's reason. This abatement of logic allows religion to bend and mold would-be individuals into what is acceptable for the collective. A mindless drone that is willing to do anything by the creed of the faith. Man must be able to peer through the fog of Religion in order to understand themselves and recognize and glorify their ego. The State is the manipulator of religion and enjoys the fact that it diminishes independent thought, this being the main enemy of the State, the fear of the State.
It's quite clear how I feel about the State. The State is the most unabashed collective. The State has no purpose other than to oppress and take a mile when it swears an inch. How can an individual learn of himself when he must adhere to laws restricting the intellectual and economic pursuits of the individual? It is nothing but collectivism and conformity to surrender one's income to government, in order for it to redistribute it as it sees fit. This stress on status quo and marginalization is nothing but hindering the individual from realizing their true potential as individual and what virtues they hold dear. The State cannot apply excessive oversight with a nation full of individually minded people that will refuse the State in it's attempt to adjust individuals standing the economic realm. This is ridiculous. FREE YOUR MIND BY FREEING YOUR WALLET!
Beyond these huge institutions, people are heavily influenced by the collectives that are their friends and family. Man loves to conform to their social network in a lust for acceptance to quell their insecurities, it's just easier that way. Some individuals are more accepting to new and different ways of looking at an idea or issue, but a lot of them are not and when they collect themselves with others of the same sort, they end their lives as an individual and become part of a collective, and that is all they are. Insecurity drives this. The most productive and interesting, circles of friends, are those that are made up individuals that took time to themselves to realize their "I" and inserted these virtues into a group of other individuals and they exchange ideas and concepts and form friendships and relationships based on the respect of these virtues achieved by different individuals. It is quite healthy to seek out people of similar interests, but why conform totally? Absorb every aspect, every quality, of the group of people you have become close with? Or conform in order to be accepted? Ridiculous.
More narrow than friendships, romantic relationships can compel humans to dull their minds even more. At my young age of 21, not many have an accurate concept of love. When I observe "love" within my friends' and acquaintances' relationships, I shudder and declare if that is Love, than there is no such thing. It urges me to become more cynical of the idea and that it is yet another man made concept used to dilute man's thought process and put emphasis on other people than one's self. Love should be a celebration and respect of the values you found in another person, not a situation of belittlement and control. I will chalk this error up to immaturity, insecurity and inexperience and I hope that is all that it is. Man must be able to live freely within these close personal relationships and enjoy the glorification of their Ego while enjoying the companionship of another individual. A relationship cannot, simply, be a bilateral collective where differences are not allowed and assimilation is demanded. Man must avoid these relationships to reach their individuality.
The point of this piece is encourage my fellow man to question everything. If it is a concept you've held dear since your birth, question it! Look at it from both sides. I'm asking the whole world, every human being, to question and investigate everything you've ever felt a part of. Religion, country, friends, family, society, everything you know was made by man. Man must shake off these contraptions to fully understand themselves and be content and comfortable. Insecurity will ruin an individual's mind and the default is finding comfort in a collective or collectives. Man's mind must be free. Man's mind must be able to function on it's own.
MY FELLOW MAN, I IMPLORE YOU, LIBERATE YOUR MINDS!