Divide Not Unify

The title of this post is an odd one. However, it comes after a great deal of thought to the way people approach the world. Stemming from the basis of man's nature, I would like to see the world populated with more dividers and the elimination of those who unify.

Man's Nature: Conflict

Throughout the ages, we are wrought with a history littered with conflict. It is that simple. No matter how much one tries to gloss over it, we are a population that is violent. Just look at the 20th century as an example. Our most notable time periods are denoted by war. WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam all allude to time periods. War is in our nature.

"Peace on Earth'

This is a myth that costs more in terms of resources than anything else. Guess what? Peace is a pipedream. When in man's long history was this achieved? The answer is never. Of course, the purveyors of this lie will point to the fact that we are now entering into the age of Enlightenment. Well, that is also horse dung. The truth is that we are no more enlightened than before. Man's nature is conflict because that is the basis of nature. Man resides in the Animal Kingdom and cannot refute the laws that exist there.

Progress Out Of Conflict

I saw an interview with one of my favorite writers, Christopher Hitchens. He stated that his idea of being a divider is because that is where progress is made. I agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment. Those who are 'unifyers' are the ones who ultimately tear things apart. It is only the dividers (and sometimes those who conquer) who end up moving things forward.

Take the situation in Libya at the moment. Those who are rebelling against a tyrant are the ones who might have an impact on that society. Fortunately, we are blessed to have the 'Great Unifyer' in the White House. Of course, he stood by for three weeks while people were being slaughtered on the ground. His unifying is causing thousands to be killed. So much for that concept.

Appeasement

Those who want to unify engage in the act of appeasement. This is a path that the weak take. While it will get politicians a round of applause, appeasing those who mean harm is never a good thing. Everywhere you turn you can point out situations that require strength. Instead, you find a host of people who want to appease them. Whether they are politicians, marketers, or do gooders, the truth is these people are simply weakening that group. Only those who can step back and see this have the power to overcome this.

Take the weight epidemic in our country. It seems that people today consider obesity to be a civil right. Thus, picking on a fat person is the equivalent of violating their civil rights. How absurd. Only a pure simpleton would try to equate being 150 overweight with being blacks while suffering discrimination because of it. That is asinine. But the unifyers want to make everyone happy.

Freedom is not about making everyone happy. And it certainly isnt allowing others to establish a system where you are held captive. 95% of obese people will claim they have a illness. They like to point to emotional issues they are dealing with. Past abuses are referred to as the cause why one is fat. Hogwash. Deal with them and move on. The fact that one is using food to cope shows an immaturity on that individuals part. It is that simple. Get the help you need to correct the action. That is what freedom is about.

The world needs a new way of thinking. Those who like to promote the same old recycled ideas never move society forward. Instead, they just spew the same concepts which enslave everyone who is foolish enough to follow. Those who want to unify are guilty of this. Stop doing that if you presently are. Divide instead. It is the only way to make a difference.

Debt Is Not Freedom

There is a great debate going on at the federal and state levels about the amount of debt our governments are racking up. There are many who feel that we can continue to spend without any penalties. However, there is also a growing band of individuals who feel that perhaps it is time to stop running up debts that our children will have to pay for.

So what is the answer? Personally, as a lover of freedom, I feel that debt is an albatross around the neck of anyone who bears it. Look at what is happening around the country and you will see how bad things are. At the personal level, people are entering bankruptcy because of their spending. And, at the governmental level, now that revenues are decreasing, the over spending of the past is coming home to roost.

Debt is a jailer. The other day I put up a video about the Federal Reserve and the banking system. This is simply the originator of all debt. From here, it grows until it is around your neck. Debt is the noose that someone else can close at anytime.

People work their entire lives to pay their bills. Look at the average savings rate and you will see this. People simply have nothing to show for their years of effort. They are slaves in the highest sense. Their entire working existence benefited someone else. To me, this is the epitome of slavery.

Everyone seems to think there is an income problem. This is the American way of thinking. Sadly, for most, it is absolutely inaccurate. The truth is that there is plenty of money coming in. What causes the problem is spending. We see this in both individuals, companies, and governments. The truth is excessive spending amounts to volunteering to live as a slave. It is that simple.

Consider the plight of the American people the last decade or so. We felt we were entitled to live the 'high life' regardless of whether one could afford it or not. The idea started that we were to live in the nicest house money could buy. The term McMansion" was born. Of course, this then extended to the nice automobiles (new not used) and vacations to exotic lands. Since free cash was not available for these ventures, the refinancing of the homes because our ATM. At the same time, we were racking up credit card debts to the tune of tens of thousands per household. Nobody believed there would be negative consequences of all this spending.

Of course, we all know what happened. The housing market collapse bringing with it the entire global economy. Suddenly, people found themselves either unemployed or underemployed. And guess what came knocking at the door? The debt collectors. Overnight, millions of people could not pay their mortgages, car payments, credit card balances, and home equity lines. The negative side of debt reared it's head. Why was anyone surprised? The idea that one could get away without 'paying the piper' was insane. The day of reckoning always comes.

Basically, if you are to be free, then you must realize the importance of eliminating all debt from your life. Those who continue to carry this around are guaranteeing they will remain enslaved for the rest of their lives. The lessons are clear but few seem to want to learn them. Debt = Slavery. It is that simple.

I believe the American people, and most Western societies, need to acclimate themselves to living about 25% lower than they were. As a culture, we spent at least 125% of what we brought in. It is time for families to deleverage. Sadly, I feel that few will. Most are going to carry their ignorance back into the same hole again. We are terrible students of history. For whatever reason, we believe that 'this time will be different'. It never is.

I suggest you start the process of eliminating any debt you have immediately. Take any extra money and pay off your credit cards now. Remove that burden from your life. Start to exist on a cash basis. If you can afford it in the moment fine. But, if you lack the funds, then you are to pass on the item. 'Charge it' is removed from your vocabulary.

The mindset needs to change. Get rid of the idea that you are entitled to anything. The truth is you are not. You are entitled to what you can pay for. That is a motto you need to adopt. Again, it is freedom we are after and that comes with a price. Many had to lay their lives down for that. Your contribution to that cause is to be in control of you desires. Instant gratification needs to be replaced with discipline. This is the path to freedom.

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How Quickly It Can Change

I spent a bit of time reading about the events over in Japan. For those who were on another planet the last 48 hours, Japan with hit with the 5 strongest earthquake of the last 100 years. This natural devastation send a powerful tsunami through the county. Many thousands are dead with more fear with the perilous situation regarding a few nuclear reactors. If these have a meltdown, the death toll is sure to climb proportionately.

What does this all have to do with a blog about freedom. My point is to emphasize how quickly things can change. Life, as we know, is precious. It can be lost in an instant. I am certain that many of those killed had plans for the future. They held dreams of things they wanted to experience before their time here ended. Sadly, Friday morning saw that come to pass. Everything left on the 'to do' list is left unfulfilled. In other words, it no longer matter. These people are gone.

Statistical analysis leads me to believe that most of the ones who are dying in this tragedy existed as slaves. Since most of the world lives according to the mandates of others, it is no surprise. Freedom is given away by all people on a daily basis. I only hope these people were happy when the end ultimately came.

My point is that you have no time to waste. None of us know when the death will knock on our door. It is one of the mysteries of life. Perhaps it would be better to have an end date in mind so that we could experience what we wanted. However, we are not afforded that luxury. Therefore, it is imperative that we all make the most of every moment we have left. And, for me, it starts with reaching out for as much freedom as humanly possible. Live free or die. A motto worthy of serious consideration.

I wonder what the viewpoint would be of those who passed away in the last 48 hours. Do you think they would do things differently? I believe they would.

The Opinion of Others

This is a lesson I keep learning over and over. I am one who takes things to heart, like most people. There are times when I allow the opinions of others to influence me more than they should. Of course, this defect is something that I continue to work on in an effort to overcome it. Behaving like this is poison in my life.

Family

The worst offender of this is often family. There is an old saying, "you can choose your friends but you cannot choose your family". Old sayings are old for a reason; they contain an element of truth to them. No matter how you break it down, we are all stuck with the families we have.

One thing I will mention that is important is that, for most, our family members love us. In their hearts, they want what is best for us. However, too often, they seem to think they know what that is. The truth is that our family members, statistically speaking, are just as messed up as the rest of society. While they have their wonderful attributes, they are also prisoners of their own creations. Take a look at their lives and you will see what I mean.

Many will tell you they only 'want you to be happy'. Nevertheless, when it comes to those who are closest to us, this is not exactly true. A more accurate statement is 'I only want you to be happy as long as you do as I think you should'. This is the true meaning behind what they say.

If you doubt this, try and do something that would set your family on their ears. Do something that goes directly in opposition to their core values. For example, if Orthodox Christians, bring home a Muslim; date a Republican (or Democrat); cheer for the Red Sox against the Yankees; quit your job and go to work for a charity. Whatever the belief, attack it with your choices and see what response you get. In most instances, you will find the additional caveat 'as long as you do as I think you should' is attached.

Enslavers

I chose family because that is a scenario that most people can identify with. Parents do not stop being parents and many refuse to allow their children to live their own lives. Using the guise of love, family members actually become enslavers. They pull out the whip to beat one for opposing the family belief system. Well, the truth is that if you are a lover of freedom, you will seek your own life. Dogma is dogma regardless of the source.

Family are not the only ones who behave in this manner. We see it from friends, neighbors, and co-workers. The mindset of 'keeping up with the Jonses' is nothing more than an acting on the concern of what others think. Again, there is no reason to engage in this behavior.

The truth is that captivity comes in many forms. Allowing the opinions of others to dictate our lives is a self-imposed prison. Fortunately, like any detainment we volunteer for, we have the ability to parole ourselves at any time. Freedom can be grabbed at any moment. The key is to be willing to test our old patterns of behavior.

A Life You Want

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what life you want. Personally, I am a believer that people have the freedom to choose whatever they want. The sad truth is that few people are willing to exercise this option in their lives. How many people out there are working in careers that were actually chosen by someone else? We see it all the time. Someone became a doctor (or whatever) because his/her parents expected it. At the same time, we see people dating/marrying someone who is 'from the right part of town'. This is another example of how our choices are manipulated by others.

I always suggest that someone sit down and decide exactly what he or she wants. Over the years, I realized that few people ever do this. Instead, they wake up one day and they are middle aged. In looking around, it is realized there are 2.2 kids, a career that is despised, and debt is so abundant you could wallpaper the house with the invoices. I venture to say this was not the plan for many 20 years previous. People end up wherever the current of life takes them without any idea what happened.

To be free, you need to take charge. One thing you can do is to stop considering what others will think. In the grand scheme that is your life, it is not important (the opinion of others). What is important is that you start exercising your freedom by taking control of what you want. It is your life to live as you see fit. There is nothing that says you are obligated to travel this journey in a manner that someone else dictates for you. However, failure to do this means that you will live the rest of your days accountable to those who you are trying to please. Sadly, when those people are dead and gone, you will still be left with the regret that is your life. Be mindful of this the next time you allow yourself to have your choices dictated by others.

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