Modern Advice: Are You Truly Free?

Very few words can bring up pure happiness and joy the way “freedom” does. Our forefathers fought hard for liberty and freedom developing this nation. The worst punishment in our society is to take away someone’s freedom by putting them in prison. Many value it more than life itself, “give me liberty or give me death.” As an entrepreneur reading this chances are being free is why you decided to work for yourself in the first place. There’s nothing like the ability to work whenever you choose, any 20 hours of the day that you want.

With the hassle of managing our business and day to day life though many of us aren’t free, at least not fully. Too much of societal conditioning dictates how we should behave, what is socially acceptable, what we are allowed to say, and what information we obtain and perceive. Without being aware of these dangers our world becomes reclusive, lacking information, and stifles our individuality. The same individuality that should be making you shine in the office, among friends, and to your date.

Technology

You see everyone walking around, attached to their phones, getting a never ending stream of information. While this is essential for any modern day business owner, the addiction takes away our freedom to notice how others are truly feeling.

We often often spend the day disconnected and in our heads. If forced into an interaction like this we can find it difficult to make conversation and effectively communicate. What once people did naturally every day has been confined to programmed responses asking, “how are you?” with the appropriate response being only “I’m good.”

2. Media

From the moment we wake up until we go to bed we are being marketed and sold to. 90-95% of our purchasing decisions are subconscious. On social media we’re also targeted to constantly see things aligned with our values making us more certain of our beliefs vs having the freedom of other perspectives that might challenge them.

“Human behaviour [was not a result of conscious thought but] a result of unconscious efforts to control inner drives and instincts motivated by petty emotions, sexual desire and anxiety” – Pamela Odih, Advertising in Modern and Postmodern Times

3. Fear

Our own minds put mental restraints on us all the time as well. Fear talking to that pretty girl over there. The fear of demanding what we’re worth to a client. Even the fear of success and taking action to invest in ourselves are all beliefs that limit our true nature. Many people stay within their comfort zone wishing for more and day dreaming, never realizing the only thing limiting them is their own fears and mental constructs.

So what do we do? Put the phone down and look around more. Realize and look for the effects on how everything is being marketed and sold to you. Finally EVERY DAY take an action that breaks routine and pushes your comfort zone. Are you a slave to technology, marketing, and your own fears? Or are you truly free to act on the desires of your authentic self?