Why freedom Alludes Me
#freedomchallenge: What makes you feel less free?
Hosted by:@sagescrub
Hello my friends, @notconvinced here. I am quite new to SteemIt and want to start off by saying hello to my new and prospective friends, nice to meet you.
Considering that I most closely identify with Anarcho-Primitivism, there is not a shortage of reasons for my feelings of enslavement. I rarely feel free and humanity has not been free for a very long time.
To begin with, in America where the claim is ' Majority Rules', I am a minority on just about any topic you can imagine. Then of course, if you crunch the numbers, laws, regulations and societal expectations, you'll find none have actually arisen from the majority. All laws in America are created by a few and signed into law by one!
(Graph by fairvote.org)
In the last 100 years, voter turnout has never exceeded 65%, according to fairvote.org.Of these, at worst 49% do not get their way, so only 33-41% of eligible voter's decide elections and some regulation. When it comes to actual law, the representation is much lower, as there are just 100 senators and 435 Representatives with the President and Vice President. Again, at worst 49% do not get their way. So 536÷2=268÷(current population)=0.00008%. I find this unacceptable.
You can read about the process here.
As time, technology and society moves forward the requirements to be a citizen compound more and more. Each year we are expected to register our pets, renew our vehicle registration, prepare our taxes, renew our fishing, hunting and whatever other permits and permissions we are required to file, just to live. I believe this to be quite burdensome. Just fulfilling our requirements for citizenship is costly and time consuming.
The above of course isn't even an exhaustive list, depending on how vested you are into society. There's a growing trend where states are setting up DUI Checkpoints The more dependent you are, the less free.
Then are also all the laws that differ as you travel from one municipality to another. In one city or state you are "allowed" to carry your "registered" firearm on your hip and the next open carry doesn't exist. This even extends to the knife you are allowed to carry on your person.
One area allows up to a three inch blade to be concealed in your pocket, but if it's a folder it cannot open automatically or with mechanical assistance. While in some area's you can carry up to a 6" blade, but the interpretation of the specifics is quite vague and you can be arrested if an authority figure decides you have it for nepharious reasons, even if you are following the law.
I have a lake three blocks away, but I cannot fish it if I haven't paid for permission first. It doesn't even matter if I am homeless, hungry and ill because I cannot afford food. None of this would exist in a free society and this is just a sample of how regulated every facet of our lives are.
If you decide to upgrade your property by installing a fence line, building a garage or even a tree house for your kids, you must first purchase permission from a central authority. So, even the notion of ownership is an illusion. Property can be taken away from anyone for a myriad of reasons, some of which are purely for the benefit of convenience and profit for private corporations.
A good example is the serious issue of the many new oil pipelines currently being built and in the process of being approved. Many of you(if not all) may remember the protests around the country 18 months ago in North Dakota against the Dakota Access Pipline being built on Sacred Native American Lands.
I currently live in Nebraska where the Keystone Pipeline is nearing approval. This of course is being fought by the land owners, who's land is being taken from them against their will to build it. The fate of thousands of landowners rests on the decisions of three people. That's not at all being done by the will of a majority.
(From The World Herald)
Freedom literally doesn't exist on this planet.
Taxation is another area where I feel a lack of freedom. I am not interested in funding a Policing Force, but am required too or I face punishment. I am being forced to pay for a service that has (1.)never benefited me and (2.) has actually victimized me. This service does not make me feel safe or free.
For me the question is a misnomer, because it implies freedom is more a feeling than a right. Society is set up so your freedoms, which naturally are supposed to be available to all life are stripped at birth. Your parents at the time you enter this reality are required to sign ownership of yourself over to the state. This is not a voluntary decision. You are literally born a slave.
In America we have a now outdated piece of paper, which is supposed to guarantee your freedom, but this has easily been subverted. The American Constitution is heralded by many as a living document, which protects your freedom. For me, I see a document that implies only a few freedoms are necessary to live freely.
The Constitution lists the rights it affords you, because this list is much shorter than those it takes away. What the Constitution actually is, is a mandatory contract you are not able to negotiate, which defines your terms of indentured servitude to the few that may take your life, if they so choose.
With the rise in large corporations providing many of what we now consider necessary services like internet access, Health Care, Utilities and even legal representation, the signing away of any residual freedoms you have is the norm to acquire a service.
We as a majority and for many without any other choice not only rely on businesses for services, but employment as well. All because of the involuntary economic system's around the world. We must sell ourselves to corporations in an attempt to gain the finances required by a Central Authority to exist within its borders. Most times we must agree to their terms, which take away more of our freedom's.
Because we need money, we allow a business to dictate what approximate time we wake up, go to sleep, decide what goes into our bodies, in many cases we are required to put work before family and our private lives, maybe missing your child's birthday or your own wedding anniversary. Nothing within this speaks of freedom. They even control our choices of the products we buy, as they offer us what they choose, not want we necessarily want.
Everywhere we turn we run into a restriction or expectation we don't feel is necessary or even fair, yet we can be caged, killed, bullied, assaulted and shunned if we don't comply.
The only time I truly 'feel' free is when I am on a hike in the middle of the mountains where there is no one within earshot. The problem is, this is simply a false and temporary feeling. I can cross paths with an Authority Figure at anytime and be questioned or detained.
There are many other ways our own decisions restrict our freedoms as well, but I don't feel these pertain, because they are choices, so are not the actions from an outside source. For this reason, these choices are made because of the freedoms we are allowed.
I could literally continue writing for months naming all the ways our freedoms are limited, but I think the information stated here is plenty.
Challenge Rules
You have one week, until Friday February 9, 2018 at 11:59 PM PST (UTC -8) to enter this contest.
Tag your post with #freedomchallenge so that we can see all the entries in one place
Include a link to this post in your contest entry
Winners
I will select and announce three winners for this challenge after the deadline has passed.
I reserve the right to use any combination of hand selection and random selection for choosing the winners.
Reward
1st place will receive 6 SBD
2nd place will receive 3 SBD
3rd place will receive 1 SBD
philosophical blogs
Main photo and hiking photo, "This is the only time I feel free" are original content
Very good points, is it illegal to not register a baby? (I had mine at home unassisted so I wouldn't know LOL) a lot of what you spoke of, for me, I consider to be voluntary. Yes "they"can abuse you for a short period of time, but once you are free, you are free and "they" will leave you alone. Taxes only apply to those with state contracts (social insurance here in Canada, social security in your case) @wwf has a lot of good info here as well as @deanclifford.
It's only voluntary if there are no consequences if you decide not to follow them. I have no idea how things work in Canada, but I have a prison number in America to prove it isn't voluntary.
Nice to meet you, my friend.
You volunteered a name? Citizenship? It is so diabolical when you sit back and look at every choice that leads you down that path. There has to be a system in place to keep the brainless reprobates in line. Us in betweeners who have the capacity to govern ourselves get caught in the crossfire, but that is how we grow/learn. Nice to meet you too!
I am not sure what you mean. I do live my life as if the rules are voluntary, but must keep in mind what happens if I get caught.
So, do you mean Voluntary because you live by your own choice regardless of the consequences? If so, I agree that is one perspective and I do the same.
Unfortunately, I have an extensive criminal record and just one more run in with the law could cage me for life.
If you give them a name, and claim to be a citizen of Americuh, that is voluntary, they may threaten but what's the worst that happens if you don't identify yourself or make any claims? They kill you? There is no sure fire answer, every situation is different, but recommend reading some of Rob's stuff. Some embassyofheaven.com there lots of answers out there to avoid cages
We simply have differing perspectives and that's great, because individuality is what it's all about.
@notconvinced, thank you for participating in the #FreedomChallenge!
I too feel most free when I am in nature and around no one else but who I choose to be around. Sounds of traffic, trains, and other unnatural noise pollution has grown more annoying to me. I agree that it is an illusion to try to get away from it all. But I still choose to live far away from a city, now I am living in a rural area off grid. I choose to live within an hour of a decent size city for convenience but I feel far enough away that I can live more free and it helps me to feel more free. I feel that I can put less pressure on the system that way as well as having more peace of mind. My blog on steemit is to inspire others to do the same in turns of taking steps to put less pressure on the system and be more independent from the system.
This totally disgusts me! I really hope that a democratic blockchain arises that the majority of "citizens" use proudly and demand that our laws are redefined by our choice and our will.
We have a lot in common my friend. I too live mostly off grid. I am in a nomadic period in my life and do not own property. When I do decide on where and when to settle, my requirements nearly mirror yours.
To be far enough away from a good sized city to fully be away from the hustle and bustle, but close enough for access to the many resources they provide.
Your last point about a Blockchain Democracy is an awesome idea. The biggest reason many give against voting for every issue is cost. An automated decentralised cheap Blockchain style platform could make it a reality.
I am glad I came across your channel and your challenge. It has already enabled me to meet more good people here, such as yourself and given me some much needed exposure.
Your generosity is a virtue and I hope to be able to do something similar in the near future. I have to start actually earning something here on SteemIt first though.
I am surprised more people have not Upvoted and commented on your efforts.
Again thank you for the challenge and for the interaction on this post.
Hey, it is nice to meet you too @notconvinced. It's nice to share common ground, opinions and ideas. I wish us both the best of luck in achieving our dreams! I am sure you are making the most of your nomadic adventures and learning a lot. I look forward to learning more from you here in the future.
Thank you for your compliments. I am OK with the upvotes I get... Steem is helping me to appreciate quality over quantity, from the old paradigm I came from. The interactions, recognition and inspiration here are worth more to me than earning steem :) Of course its nice too.
Are you a member of PAL/MSP?
no, what the heck is that?
I think this link explains it. They have a contest I was going to nominate you for, but we both need to be members. https://steemit.com/hf19/@thenightflier/pal-peace-abundance-liberty
Hey @notconvinced! Thanks for thinking of me for the contest :) I am interested and curious. I am signing up and going through all of the "activation hurdles" right now.
I am glad the platform interests you. Another great one to compliment your writing talent is @qurator. https://steemit.com/qurator/@gingerninja/join-qurator-today-for-a-lifetime-of-upvotes-and-support