Through the past couple of months I have gone through somewhat of a transformation. I don't know exactly what happened but sometime during the semester I felt like things weren't right. I found myself reading a lot more about things that have nothing to do with what I'm in school for, but it made me think. This may have been the first time I really thought about anything in my life, where I'm going, and what I am I really doing. Doing independent research on a variety of topics, I have come to realize a lot of the assumptions that I have made about my life and society, in general, are completely false. Below is the list of ideas that I have come to believe.

I Am Not Free

All my life I have been told what to do, how to act, what to think, when to think, what to wear, how to talk, sit down, shut up, don't run, be quiet, do your homework, be a "good" child/student/citizen, and the list goes on and on. I never really questioned anything. When I did question something I accepted answers like, "that's just the way it is" and that was OK with me. So I did what was told. Among the many definitions of freedom one of them is "the power to determine action without restraint." If you think about it all of the actions presented to people are among a subset of predetermined options. So if one "chooses" any one of those subsets are they really making a choice? I say no. What do you think?

Education Is Not the Key to Success

Before I go into to this, let me describe what I mean by "Education" and "Success." When I speak of education, I am referring to formal education, government enforced schooling K-12 and college. I believe knowledge is more valuable than formal education. Some my argue that you gain knowledge through a formal education, but i beg to differ. Through education the only thing you know/learn is how to behave, how to be a good child/student/citizen. This education is beaten into people from childhood to adulthood, from the classroom to the corporate office.

When I speak of success, I am referring to achievement of true self reliance and independence. Most people measure success by materialistic things, cars, clothes and physical appearance. I must admit, I am guilty of this as well, but I am trying to break out of the mold that was force upon me. Forced to worship things as if it will make or break the man I have grown to become. I see success as realizing your true potential and moving forward towards self reliance and independence.

Education, as it is fed to us, does not lead towards independence, rather we become more and more dependant on "experts" telling us what to do. I came to this realization after I read this essay "Seven Lessons of a School Teacher" it's a good read. I believe being in search of knowledge and enlightenment is the key to success.

... to be continued....