It is easy to push people’s buttons.
Say something wild about a sports team. Call them lousy. Watch how the crowd splits.
Some shrug it off and say, “The Penguins? They are okay. I like hockey. What is your problem?”
Others lose control. “Forget you, you bitch! The Penguins are better than you or your bitch ass team. You work in a factory.”
See the difference? The first just enjoys the game. The second makes it part of who he is. That is the test. Who is free, and who is still trapped.
Breaking free means leaving behind the ideas others force into your mind. But sometimes people stop halfway. They exchange one false comfort for another. One that promises a nicer, safer world instead of a harsh one. It is easy to stop there.
Many young men wait for some authority figure: whether a thinker, a commentator, or a public speaker, to defeat the opposing side. They wait for someone to save society.
They want a savior.
But that is the problem. The place in your mind where you expect a savior is what made you vulnerable in the first place. Someone gave you a map for life, telling you where to go. Made the path simple.
Breaking free means being alone.
If you have a place in your mind ready to plug into any ideology or leader, you will always be controlled by someone else’s agenda.
Some who come to places that promise to teach independence start to depend on the system instead. They follow strict rules and advice from the group. They wait for guidance before making decisions. The place meant to free them becomes another form of cage.
The goal should be to learn how to think for yourself, not to trade one set of instructions for another.
True freedom comes when you take in everything: words, videos, advice as information to test and judge. You try things out and decide what works for you. If someone can make you angry by mocking your favorite team, then look inside. There might be someone else’s control still inside your mind.
