To be one series of conditioned responses after another, each and every day — and please excuse me for saying so — is a rather lackadaisical way to be. It merely entails letting what was poured into you (over time, by society) internally flutter around to emerge out again (externally) slightly modified, slightly altered (but essentially being the same-old-thing). It is the way most people are, and it is the way the bureaucrats want you to remain. They want you to emit what was injected into you. The powers-that-be don’t want any Walt Whitmans, John Lennons, or Rosa Parks questioning things. No way! The powers-that-be want to everyone to robotically conform and nicely fit into their prearranged patterns. Period. They want everyone to remain being the cogs in the nice prearranged machine. The powers-that-be are themselves part of that humongous machine and they will use domination, force, and will blindly do anything to preserve it. Reacting, day in and day out, only like you were programmed (or miseducated) to react… is a very mechanistic/machine-like way of being. Most people do not question enough. Most people do not perceive enough.
Real freedom exists beyond mere conditioned responses. To dwell in (and “as”) real freedom may be an arduous task that may not (at all) be possible for the halfhearted. Real freedom may involve getting laughed at, ridiculed, hated, spit on, and ostracized. Real freedom may involve going beyond a fallacious essence that was given to you to exist as. Real freedom is a precious jewel that no money can buy, that no amount of bartering can acquire.
Spider Web Sugar Candy … Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2019
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Lovely spun-sugar web 🙂
And yes, they never want you to think for yourself.
Thanks, Scifi! … and yes, heaven forbid if we ever actually thought things independent of the all the crap they instilled! 🙂
I’ll just go and ask my wife what I think about this!
🙂 Ha! Yes, when they say, “Jump,” we better ask, “How high?)! 🙂
Death to conditioned responses, so drone, so dull, so “I have no life.” I have no desire to be enslaved. Great post Tom, clarion call.
Thanks, Paul! 🙂 So many are blind to it, unfortunately.
Sadly so.
well penned, Tom, and as always, great shot!
Much appreciated, Michael! Stay warm up there in Minnesota! 🙂
😁
A favorite song that I keep near at hand for occasional listening makes the same point you make here, so wonderfully well. Perhaps you’re familiar with the song.
Speaking of freedom, I’ve already set my clocks forward one hour. Apart from needing to do a mental calculation for one dental appointment, it hasn’t made a bit of difference in my life. That in itself is interesting to ponder.
Thanks for link to Pete singing. Timeless wisdom.
I never heard that one but thanks! 🙂
Funny about the clock thing! Tic Tic Tic yeah!
Freedom…real freedom is precious indeed! 🙂
Amen!
🙂
Excellent, important post, Tom! Think critically. Ask questions.
Yes, so glad that you see the deep significance of it! 🙂
Well stated!
Thank you very much, MP! 🙂
This is liberating. Thank you.
Much appreciated, Ray! 🙂
A difficult thing to do, but always worth the effort. Well stated.
Yes! Thanks much, Eilene! 🙂
Some food for thought for us and a beautiful sugar-spun web which is a feast for the eyes as well.
Thanks, Linda! 🙂 No spiders on their webs in this season; that’s for sure!
No, they are curled up until Spring, then watch out! We have a torrential rain and wind out there now makes it sound like the end of the world!
Same here! Really crazy weather! Some water leaked into our garage area but it wasn’t bad. The weather anymore often seems unnatural and ominous (indicating that something is — with the overall balance — wrong).