Friday, July 25, 2008

Fear

We live in a society that is gripped by fear at its lowest levels. We don’t give a shit about what’s right and what’s wrong. Neither are we subject to the laws of morality. All our lives and all our choices are affected by fear, one way or another; literally or figuratively.

Let’s look at the literal side for the moment. Foremost here is the fear of someone stronger than you. Fear of standing up to the common norms of the society though we know them to be completely wrong. Fear of taking a stand and fear of living other than as told.

Let’s flip the coin. What do we get; the fear of losing, the fear of rejection, the fear of living without some kind of backing or support, the fear of our own inadequacy.

What’s the point of making a choice I ask? When that choice has nothing to do with what you see, feel or think. It’s not even governed by what you believe. It is only dependant upon the all encompassing fear. Then we have the nerve to shout about the travesty of it all. When our own actions are doing nothing to change it then what gives us the right to shout!

The irony of it all is when someone else’s choices start to govern our lives and to impede upon our miserable existence; we look for compassion. We squeal and squirm and plead and cajole. We cry and laugh and shout and reason. Then we fall – defeated – failed by our own convictions, appalled at the fact that the choices that destroyed us were made while giving in to fear and were not dependant upon reason or any other more useful human sentiment.

Is it really that surprising or even appalling for that matter. Isn’t this what we ourselves did all our lives. Now that we have lost everything and have nothing to fear, now that we have regained our senses; we may see things differently but that’s no reason to complain. Isn’t this what we deserved all along? I leave you to judge by yourself albeit with a quote.

“Life is simple. You make choices and you don’t look back!”

P.S. I wrote this a long time ago when I was really angry. I feel its now time to share it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As Sartre puts it: "Hell is other people".

Fear of public opinion and ostracism as a consequence of utilizing our right of 'free-will' (whatever that means) is too overwhelming for a common man to overcome and thus arises deluded contentment. Path of contentment, I say unfortunately, is what most of us ultimately decide to follow.