Freedom is a pretty remarkable thing. And I’ve never seen it from the vantage point of being on the wrong (not free) side of the wall, so I can only imagine it’s that much more remarkable for those who have.
One of the curious things about this world we live in is the quickness with which we take remarkable things for granted. It’s hard to say why that is…a million different reasons, probably. But I’m thinking that one piece of that puzzle has to do with the over-availability of comfort. Another with our tendency to judge a situation too quickly based on prevailing assumptions.
When it becomes possible, without too much toil, to satisfy every want and need, comfort is too accessible. Further, when we begin to internalize the assumptions offered up by society, to make them our own, well, then the trouble really begins.
Because then you’re no longer free.
A quick, and rather mundane, example, and then I’ll let you on your way.
Last week I dropped my iPhone for, roughly, the 50th time, squarely on the concrete sidewalk. It was immediately clear my luck had run out, and a quick glance at the glass touchscreen confirmed it. A spiderweb shatter covered more than half of my screen.
I walked into my house and called the Mac Store…
Okay, that right there, did you see it? Probably not. You probably have no idea what I’m talking about because it’s as natural for you as it was for me.
I assumed that was my only choice. I broke my iPhone, so I called the iPhone people and asked what I needed to do to get it fixed. Looking back, their answer delights me. At the time, it pissed me off. $200 to replace a piece of glass? I bought the whole phone for the exact same price.
But that’s the thing, this is how our freedom is stripped away. We stop thinking about how we can be part of the solution to whatever problem we have. We willingly give others control over us. Maybe you don’t see the connection here between your freedom and your assumptions. I’m only now beginning to see it myself. But it’s there, clear as day if you’ll commit to looking.
Our automatic responses – our assumptions – to the many experiences we have throughout the day, affect our actions, our behavior. If the assumptions we make cause us to spend far more than we ought to for something, or if they lead us to the conclusion that we’re incapable of handling something ourselves or, worst of all, keep us from believing that more is possible…
Such are the signs that freedom is leaving the building.
Don’t let it go. Start questioning those automatic responses. Pay attention to your first reaction/response to something, and then consciously choose something different. This is where it begins. The first in a thousand tiny steps on the road back…to freedom.
Oh, and that $200 iPhone repair? Yeah, cost me $16.99 to do it myself.
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“Comfort is too accessible” – absolutely! And while it is easily accessible, it comes at such a high pricepoint, as you make clear. Comfort may cost us our freedom and leave us as incompetent specialists. Questioning your assumptions is a good recommendation to fix this. (And your iPhone!)
Yep, too accessible and a hard habit to kick. Like any drug, I s’pose. You keep me honest now Fabian…deal?
I’m constantly questioning my assumptions….and re-questioning them over and over
Your post gets down one thing I really like….being more present. We have these automatic responses built in on the way we think things should work. A ‘bigger’ example is the way most live their lives. Thinking that getting a 9-5 job, toiling away and then retiring is the only way you can live. It’s not and it involves questioning you assumptions.
Also, I’m trying hard to be more resourceful and look for answers myself instead of depending on others. This doesn’t mean by any means that it’s bad to ask for help (I sure love giving it). It just means that before assuming I don’t know or can’t find the answer, I look.
Nate´s last blog ..Do People Really Get The Four Hour Workweek?
You’re ahead of the pack Nate…a penchant for questioning assumptions isn’t so easy to come by. Coming to it so early is a gift that will serve you well, I’m certain.
So true, it’s amazing how someone putting a fence in front of you can often stimulate you to find a better alternative path; if you are willing to look rather than just stand and complain about the fence.
And that’s the trick, isn’t it Janine? Finding the fortitude to climb rather than bitch about the obstacle. So many lessons this life offers us…cheers!