Most people value freedom. Growing personal freedom begins by challenging the cultural narrative. To challenge is to confront, question the validity of, or defy. Learn why this is healthy and how you can benefit from it.
When a culture begins to sensor ideas, it’s a sign that freedom is under attack. It started with banning books from schools and public institutions and grew. Today, the freedom to question the folklore of the culture is under attack.
It’s important to recognize the milestones along the path to freedom or oppression. You can tell when a culture is trying to mask its intentions. For example, a government doesn’t say we are a fascist regime. Instead, it will persecute anti-fascists.
Tips for Achieving Personal Freedom
Freedom and independence are the basis for a healthy society. There are different degrees of freedom. The first is the freedom to think without overt or covert interference. The second is freedom of expression and action, with the condition of not causing harm to others.
We’ll show you some practical steps to find your personal freedom. Your success in executing these strategies depends upon the culture. It is more difficult in oppressive and restrictive cultures. Some dictate what religious values and beliefs you must have. It can also dictate what relationships are permissible. Here are some quotes to get you thinking about freedom, culture, and folklore.
“The starting point to freedom is to begin questioning the cultural narrative you have been sold.” — Bryant McGill
When we accept the folklore as facts, we buy into the underlying propositions that promote values and ideas. If these values and ideas are positive, we have an open, inclusive, and vibrant culture. If these ideas and values are negative we have sectarian division that promotes harmful ideologies.
“When knowledge is scant or conflicting, folklore takes over.” — Paul Smith
“Are you a communist? No, I am an anti-fascist. For a long time? Since I have understood fascism.” — Ernest Hemingway
Reasons for Challenging the Cultural Narrative
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.” ― Albert Einstein
If you investigate the national folklore, it will lead to your personal beliefs. You’ll want to protect them. People learn to protect their beliefs because they are a part of our identity. It’s okay to question what you believe. You must learn that you can change what you believe.
Doubt is the lack of certainty. It’s a healthy response that prompts us to take action. Doubt brings you a crossroads. You have the decision to ignore this feeling or start questioning. There are good reasons to begin challenging the cultural narrative.
“A fool thinks he is always right; a wise person always doubts himself.” — Debasish Mridha
People protect their beliefs even if they don’t know the facts behind them. Investigating the concepts of a belief system can be a challenging undertaking. In some cultures, you may even put yourself in physical danger. Don’t be like most people. Don’t accept things at face value—question everything. Seek the facts; you’ll be glad you did.
Milestones Along The Path to Freedom or Oppression
Recognizing the signs of cultural fracture is essential. One of these is systemic racism. Critical race theory (CRT) is one way to explain and expose these elements. CRT explains how racism is a systemic construct. It is designed to exploit people of color. It is a symptom of a systemically normalized and supported form of racism.
Growing personal freedom means helping others remove the barriers to their freedom. One startling element in our modern culture is the overt and covert protection of racism. No one seems upset as long as you don’t point it out. Emotions come to the surface when signs of nationalism and patriotism are revealed.
In the same way, a fascist government will not admit that it is fascist. It simply persecutes anti-fascists. It’s the same for those who are racists. Racists don’t like to admit it publically. Racists become upset when you discuss the points of Critical Race Theory because it unmasks their racial bias. (1)
Characteristics of a Skewed Cultural Orientation
Our cultural orientation is the moral campus. It provides the blueprint for thinking and acting. It becomes a significant component of self-identity. (2) These points are part of the list of symptoms of cultural cancer. Because discrimination is a part of the accepted culture, it becomes invisible. Those who benefit from it see it as an entitlement and protect it as such. There are several common characteristics of an unhealthy culture. See which of these you can spot in your world.
1. Targeted Nihilistic Tendencies. Rather than reject all moral principles, they justify reasons for the preferential treatment. Religious beliefs based on sacred texts are often used to support their prejudice.
2. Anti-Self Issues and Propaganda. It is the belief that we are wicked, defiled, and unworthy. It makes it possible to mistreat people, especially those who are different.
3. Misdirected Anger and Blame. Anger and blame are focused on marginalized groups and often become scapegoats. If there isn’t a problem, politicians will create one so that there is a target for anger and hatred.
4. Delusional Denial Tendencies. Delusions are an obvious sign of a mental disorder. Accepting false or skewed beliefs is the result of continual indoctrination. A person cannot tell what is real from what is imagined. This often manifests as imaginary friends and enemies.
5. Extreme Racial Paranoia. It is the unreasonable fear of races different from yours. The American Psychiatric Association does not have a specific category for extreme racism. However, it has been a recognized symptom of mental illness for over 30 years. Political and social pressure have kept racism an acceptable mindset.
It has been the basis for oppression and slavery since the beginning of colonialism. Nothing has changed since the 15th century. Institualized racism is perpetuated by organized religion, from extremists to moderates. It becomes an invisible but powerful factor in how people think and act.
6. Unequal Power distribution. The degree to which a society distributes social power depends on specific traits. For example, Japan greatly respects age, social status, and titles. In the USA, age discrimination is rampant.
7. Uncertainty avoidance. The degree to which a society tolerates risk, change, and situational uncertainty. Some cultures have a high tolerance for change and struggle to maintain social views. You see this in cultures like the USA, France, and Japan. These cultures resist change in social structure and human rights.
8. Individualism-collectivism. The contrast between individual and society. It is the degree to which a culture values individual accomplishment versus the interests of society. The United States had the highest individualism score of any country. This is based on Hofstede’s Culture and Dimensions survey.
Individuality is not a negative trait unless it overrides the health and welfare of others. Extreme individuality promotes cloistered selfishness to the detriment of others.
Society has specific regulations to protect the health of citizens. Sometimes, these rules clash with perceived individual rights. In the 1970s, automakers began installing automobile seatbelts. This is because the data showed these devices significantly reduced serious injury. It is the same with the laws mandating people to wear helmets when operating a motorcycle. In both cases, there was significant resistance to these practical health measures.
Today, in the USA, this conflicts with public health issues. It manifests in the refusal to vaccinate and wear face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Despite the scientific data showing vaccines and face masks prevent the spread of this contagion. Some people place their rights above the laws and reasonable behavior. One of the tips for achieving personal freedom is to pay attention to those who are actually qualified to render an opinion about something. In this case, you should follow the advice of the CDC, not TV personalities.
It also manifests as systemic racism combined with other forms of social cancer. We see it when police officers use their fear of people of color to use deadly force.
9. Masculinity-Femininity. This is the measure of autonomy of rights each gender has on a continuum from full autonomy to zero freedom to make decisions about their lives. It measures the control over gender-based rights and privileges. It’s the tendency to emphasize stereotypical roles. It perpetuates masculine or feminine gender roles, attitudes, and traits.
Some cultures still impose backward worldviews regarding female rights. It manifests in paying male employees more than female employees for the same work. Many backward cultures regulate reproductive issues such as abortion and stem cell usage.
Japan has the highest masculinity score with regard to restricting females in career options. However, the USA has the highest overall masculinity score. It legislates reproductive choices to unwritten laws hindering the earning power of women.
The same unwritten rules apply to the career options for people of color. There are equal opportunity laws and protections in the USA, but lawsuits for race discrimination persist.
One of the first tips for achieving personal freedom is to find out how much you have and how many freedoms are restricted. For example, if you are a woman living in the USA, you don’t have full autonomy over your body. If you have a pregnancy, your life is in jeopardy more than ever in the last 100 years.
Laws limit your ability to terminate a pregnancy for many underlying medical reasons. As a result, medical complications are causing more deaths than in any other modern culture. Physicians fear treating women because they can be sued for providing necessary medical care. The only way to prove a woman’s life is in danger is when she dies. Challenging the cultural narrative is necessary to restore some level of rational thinking.
10. Orientation of Short-Term Versus Long-Term Goals. It’s the emphasis a culture places on short-term versus long-term goals. The survey shows people in the US rate highest on the scale for expecting immediate results and instant gratification.
It follows that companies in the USA are focused on short-term results. The stock market and CEOs get paid based on current results. Many companies in other parts of the work are the opposite, valuing long-term sustained results. These generalizations of the culture don’t apply to all members of any society.
11. Disparate Treatment and Impact. Disparate discrimination is intentional, and disparate impact is unintentional. People can claim not to be racist unintentionally. You can also be racist and try to label it something else less unsavory. The alt-right movement is an example of a culture that speaks about racial superiority. In reality, it translates to racism and preferential treatment for those in the cult.
12. Prejudiced Storytelling. People have a natural inclination to select others with similar traits or traits they find attractive. (3) Storytelling strengthens the desired values. It alters the criteria we use to select those we want to associate with and develop relationships.
A narrative can also be used to demonize, marginalize, and ostracize people or ideas. The world’s largest genocide occurred in the USA from 1491 to 1691. During this period, colonizers reduced the Indian population by 95%, resulting in an estimated 130 million deaths. (4) Yet, the story in the USA was that they found a mostly uninhabited country. The indigenous people were treated as inhuman, savage invaders.
The same kind of storytelling is used today to demonize immigrants. Immigrants are the scapegoats. Today, immigrants are portrayed as job stealers and leeches who use government benefits. People of color are portrayed as sinister and evil. When they try to integrate, they are often seen as criminals.
A prime example is the case of Ahmaud Arbery,(5) a black man who lived in Brunswick, Georgia. He was a high school football star and went for a jog in October 2021. Three white neighbors observed him running, so they assumed he was a burglar, chased and shot him fatally.
13. Contextualized and Synthesized History. Contextualized history is connecting events from a specific perspective. Combined with synthesizing, it enables one to craft a storyline to fit a goal or agenda. It is the thinking that propels both religious extremists and racially motivated crimes.
14. The Blinders of Nationalism and Patriotism. National folklore becomes patriotism, which is rather dangerous in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, there aren’t any safe hands in the military. And this is why doubting our cultural narrative is imperative, not an option.
When corruption and favoritism exist, not everyone can be free. It’s why we should not accept fairy tales, which the dominant religions present as facts. We should be skeptical. It helps us spot the negative bias and prejudice of an unjust system. The starting point to freedom is available when it is acceptable to begin questioning everything. One tip for achieving personal freedom is to stay away from those with excessive pride in national identity.
Your spiritual beliefs should not be the basis for rules governing others. What you believe about things you cannot prove should not be a benchmark to make laws. Superstition and mythology should not be the source of policies that govern our society. Unfortunately, this is what nationalism tries to do.
Many sages tell us that the first step toward freedom begins when we doubt all the stories we hear. Doubting our cultural narrative is only the first step. The next is challenging the status quo. For example, the story of Jesus in the New Testament is one of an outcast who rejected the story of organized religion. He then embarked on a mission to challenge our national folklore, which changed the fabric of society.
Some believe doubt is the first step of the awakening process. It requires courage to challenge these systems. You will encounter resistance as you question the stories that support cultural folklore.
Summation of Characteristics of a Skewed Cultural Orientation
Here’s a pro tip for achieving personal freedom. If you read through the list but fail to recognize them in our culture, you are not observing what’s going on. You may be a victim of indoctrination techniques. If you don’t think these characteristics are unhealthy, you are likely a victim of cultural indoctrination.
The Five Steps to Find Your Personal Freedom
1. Recognizing, questioning, and doubting our cultural narrative
The first milestone along the path to freedom is recognizing the signs of oppression listed above. It is crucial to understand and embrace your current reality. This includes both your strengths and flaws. Realize that life is a journey. Learning to accept yourself and the circumstances you find yourself in is the foundation for change and growth. Acknowledging and owning your life’s challenges empowers you. It allows you to make conscious choices and transform your life.
Acknowledging the existence of a preconceived cultural narrative is important. It’s essential to question its validity and challenge societal norms. They may constrain your individuality and cap your aspirations. Remember, personal freedom lies in living a life that aligns with your values and beliefs. This is better than adhering unquestioningly to societal pressures. There are several tools to accomplish this task.
— Analytical Tools
— Meditation
— Awareness Tools and Techniques
— Natural Healing Modalities
2. Growing personal freedom reflecting on your desires and dreams
Take the time to reflect on your deepest desires and aspirations. Engage in activities that help you rediscover your passions. Identify your true purpose. Yes, you’ve got one. Reflect on your strengths, values, and aspirations. What resonates with your authentic self? By pursuing your passions, you will begin to carve your own path. This will unlock a sense of joy and fulfillment that leads to personal freedom.
What makes your heart skip a beat? What dreams have been put on hold due to societal expectations? Evaluate your true passions and embrace them without hesitation. By reconnecting with your deepest desires, you can set a path that brings joy and fulfillment.
Once you have goals, then you can set a course to reach them. Creating SMART goals is important. If your goals are in writing, you are much more likely to reach them. Knowing what you want and where you want to go is essential. Follow your dreams; they are the steps to find your personal freedom.
3. Shedding fear and embracing self-expression
One of the most significant milestones along the path to freedom is learning to let go. Many of us carry the weight of past experiences. Traumas, limiting beliefs, and emotional baggage hinder our progress. If you can learn to release these burdens, you open yourself up to new possibilities. You can do this through therapy, forgiveness, or meditation.
In our quest for personal freedom, fear often acts as a formidable barrier. Challenge yourself to let go of the fear of judgment, criticism, or failure. There is power in self-expression. It doesn’t matter what medium you choose. It could be through art, writing, or simply living an authentic life. Freedom does not come from conforming. Freedom comes from embracing your unique individuality and sharing it with the world. Embracing your creativity is one of the steps to find your personal freedom.
4. Pro tip for achieving personal freedom — cultivate friendships
Creating personal freedom is not a solitary journey. Surround yourself with people who uplift and inspire you. Seek out like-minded individuals who share your values and aspirations. By building a supportive network, you’ll find encouragement and guidance. They will help you keep progressing on your path toward freedom. Remember, the company you keep can either fuel personal growth or hinder it.
5. Celebrating milestones along the path to freedom
Personal freedom is not a destination; it’s a continuous process. Celebrate each milestone and small victory along the way. Celebrate every step closer to your personal freedom. Break free from expectations and defy the status quo. By focusing on progress rather than perfection, you’ll find motivation and inspiration to keep going.
Summation of the steps to find your personal freedom
Challenging the cultural narrative may not be easy, but it’s undoubtedly worth it. By recognizing societal pressures, you unmask their power. Nurturing your dreams and embracing self-expression gives you strength. Shedding the fears of society opens the path to freedom. Remember, personal freedom is not a destination but a lifelong process of growth. Stay committed, celebrate your milestones, and never settle for anything less than the freedom you deserve.
“It’s the questions we can’t answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question, and he’ll look for his own answers.” ― Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man’s Fear
When we begin questioning, we discover how much effort they spend denying our spiritual side. The cultural narrative suppresses and demonizes information about anything that threatens its control.
The dominant culture promotes counterfeit worldviews, distracting us from the inner journey. They want to ensure that what you believe supports their superstition and mythology.
We are creatures who have an undeniable drive to explore the unknown. But, the national folklore does not support this quest. Instead, it presents us with the counterfeit of the Abrahamic religions (6). These are the Western organized religions, the mythologies of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
There are many varieties within the Abrahamic religions. They all sell a version of the afterlife. This diverts us from exploring the unknown existential fear of death. However, there is a more direct way to explore the unknown. We call this approach spiritual exploration using a variety of spiritual technologies.
Final Thoughts
The first tip for achieving personal freedom is not to settle for the boundaries of an oppressive culture. Remember, growing personal freedom starts with challenging the cultural narrative. Learn to challenge every source, including the government, religion, and political leaders. It will help you become a freethinker.
Find others who are on the same path. Many people undertake this journey solo or with others on the same mission. If you follow the steps to find your personal freedom, you will never turn back.
References
(1) Critical Race Theory Unmasked in the Cultural Folklore.
(2) Skewed Cultural Orientation.
(3) Humans are wired for prejudice, but that doesn’t have to be the end of the story.
(4) Genocide of Indigenous Peoples.
(5) What We Know About the Shooting Death of Ahmaud Arbery.
(6) Abrahamic Religions, Wikipedia