Today is the Fourth of July in the States, where many US Citizens celebrate Independence from British Tyranny.
Those who Celebrate (which is not everyone due to other Factors of the States' History) come under the same banner.
Freedom.
It is a word the citizens in the States frequently use to say Why they Believe that the States is the Best Country in the World.
They say that the States are Free.
But is it True?
Are We "Really" Free?
Well, let's look at it.
What does it mean to be Free?
If we do a quick dictionary lookup, we find a few definitions.
Definition: "The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint."
In the States, we have Freedom of Speech, which fits fairly closely with this definition.
There are a "few" restrictions, such as when it comes to threats of harm, but the States are much Freer when it comes to Speech than most other governments worldwide.
Definition: "Absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government."
This is the definition that explains where "Freedom" came from.
When the States declared their Separation from the British Government, this is what they were looking to be Free from.
In that definition of Freedom, the States did Free themselves from British Rule which was a Foreign Domination, and many would agree that it was also a despotic government.
This is most accurate to the definition we are looking at.
However, we also can say that throughout the history of the States, a dark irony exists that makes this definition of "Freedom" both True and False.
My Goal is not to dive into that today, but I believe it is worth considering for those celebrating today.
I will say that I Personally Believe the US Government is one of the Better forms of Government that exists today, and though it has its Flaws, it has Improved over time and which can Continue to Improve.
It may not be Perfect, but nothing in Life ever is, and I'd rather Live under this government than most other governments in the world.
However, I think there is one more Important Definition we must consider when it comes to Freedom.
Definition: "The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved."
Are we actually "Free" of Imprisonment and Enslavement in the States?
I look at the State of Wellbeing and I Question if We are Free.
Did you know that only 12% of Americans are Metabolically Healthy?
This means that 88% of people's bodies are unable to utilize Food correctly.
It means that most people are at risk for developing conditions like Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke, Obesity, and Digestion Problems.
There is also the problem of Energy (Mg-ATP) Production that is damaged when people are Metabolically Unhealthy.
Does this not make us Enslaved to Sickness?
What about Freedom of Movement?
How many people can Move as our Bodies were Designed?
How many people can Run without Shoes, or can Crawl and Roll on the Ground with no Issues, or Climb up Anything?
Then, how many can do those things Without "Any" Pain?
It is Rare, unfortunately.
Does this not make us Enslaved to Pain?
Which then brings us to Pharmaceuticals.
How many people are Forced to use Pharmaceutical "Solutions" that Do Not Heal Us or make us Free, but Require us to use their Expensive "Solution" for the Rest of Our Lives?
Is that not just another form of Enslavement?
What about other Addiction Tactics that Companies Utilize to Hijack our Psychophysiology and drive us to Desire their Products and Services, even against our own Wellbeing?
Tech Addictions, Food Addictions, Pill Addictions, and More that are all "Legal".
How many people are actually "Free" from all of these?
What about Monetary Freedom?
How many people are Truly "Free" Financially?
Credit Card Debts, Educational Debts, and more have led to 75% of people being in Constant Debt.
That Debt is just another form of Enslavement.
What makes it worse is that this Enslavement leads to another form of Enslavement when it comes to Work.
Due to the Necessity to pay these Extreme Debts, people become Enslaved to Workplaces that often make their Lives Worse.
80% of People are in Burnout, where our Bodies "Literally" are Destroying Themselves.
Though multiple factors drive Burnout, one of the Largest Impacts is the Workplace.
When we are Forced to be in Toxic Workplaces, working for wages that are Dramatically Under what is Required to live even a "Comfortable" Life, isn't this too just another form of Enslavement?
When we combine these Factors, what percentage of People in the States are "Truly" Free?
Less than 1%?
Less than 1/10th of a Single Percent?
Maybe not ever 1/100th of a Single Percent?
I am not asking these questions to make us feel bad, but because the only way we can Find Hope is to Question these Aspects of our Lives.
If our Goal is to "Truly" be Free, then we "Must" Face Reality.
If we call ourselves "Free" when it is Not True, then we are Truly Enslaved and Hopeless.
But, if we look at the World as it is, and Recognize the Forces that keep us Enslaved, it gives us the Power to Create Change.
Our World is not Perfect, and Freedom has Never been Guaranteed to us.
But if we want to Move Closer to True Freedom, we must know what is Enslaving Us, and then work to Free Ourselves from those Forces.
I want to see True Freedom, and I Hope more People will Rise to Attain that Freedom.