The Price of Freedom
The only reason “freedom” and “slavery” have ever been issues in any society is because there are people in this world who figure that they have the right to own another human being, either partially or completely.
Being a slave is to have one’s body, mind and energy, to any degree, trapped in service to another person or thing. It is also to be trapped in circumstances such as ignorance, pain, unconsciousness, despair and stupidity.
Being free is the opposite. It is the condition of self-determination. Power of decision over whom, and to what, you lend your mind, body and energy. Having the option and ability to accept or reject any person, place, thing or circumstance such as those above.
But slavery and freedom are not either/or propositions—not completely one or the other.
For most of us, the concept of owning someone is just nuts. We can’t even get our minds around the idea of owning another human being. Thank goodness we are in the majority. But we are not the problem (and when it comes to slavery, historically speaking, the majority does not always win).
Some people see freedom as dangerous. They see people who cannot be enslaved as dangerous. They are the type who think that if people were free, those people would be as mean and cruel as they themselves are.
Throughout human history, there always has been, and always will be, a percentage of the population who not only figure they have the right to own another person for their own enrichment, but are rather enthusiastic about the idea. So much so that they actively pursue the control and ownership of others on a daily basis. They want to own part or all of as many people as they can get their hands on. That’s right, dear reader. They want to own all or part of YOU.
Work it out for yourself. How many ways could you set about owning part or all of another human being—all or part? It’s an interesting and telling exercise.
To get you kick-started on the exercise, let’s go visit the modern slaveowner. Your local pimp. He turns young girls into sex slaves for profit.
The process goes something like this: seduce a young, lonely girl by flattery, cheap jewelry or offers of protection and stability. Promise her wealth, glamour and a better life. Get her in an agreeable frame of mind. Gradually dupe her into the idea that sex for money will give her the life she wants. Introduce drugs into the mix to increase her dependency. Once she has turned over her will, use threat and brutality to terrorize, disorient and get complete obedience. She is now a slave.
Increasingly, modern sex slavers are cutting out the pimping process and simply use kidnapping, brutality, drugs and terror.
Slavery can also come about by simple repetitive training, as is done with dogs and farm animals. Get them while they are young, keep repeating a message or behavior, then reward them if they say and do as they are told. Ostracize and punish them if they do not. Countries and cultures where unquestioning obedience to the rulers is taught and individuality is punished are all slave states to some degree. After a few generations, those populations simply accept that they are state property.
Now, without my naming any names, work out for yourself, how many of the above elements you see in operation in our society today. The exercise is very revealing. It will also reveal to you who, in our society, possesses a slaveowner mentality. Who is actively working on the full or partial ownership of other people. Who is working on owning part or all of you. It will also tell you who would fight against a person or group which is antislavery and works toward maximizing freedom.
“Constant and continual alertness is the price of freedom. Constant willingness to fight back is the price of freedom. There is no other price, actually.” — L. Ron Hubbard
Scientology and its practices concern freedom. Freedom from and freedom to. Freedom from unwanted conditions. Freedom to pursue and live a better life.
Some people see freedom as dangerous. They see people who cannot be enslaved as dangerous. They are the type who think that if people were free, those people would be as mean and cruel as they themselves are. So they work hard to keep the people around them from being free, in a misguided attempt to keep themselves “safe.”
The biggest nightmare to the slaveowner type would be a population of people who are alert to them, and constantly willing to fight back. They would be a robust, intelligent, self-determined, self-sufficient, independent, knowledgeable bunch who would come together to defend their own freedom and to help others break free.
They would be a group of people who were a lot like Scientologists.
