Freedom Of Expression Is Meaningless Without Freedom Of Thought
One part of the world prides itself on enjoying well-earned freedom of expression, while in other parts of the world thoughts are censored, and the people who make them visible are punished for freely expressing their ideas. However, that freedom of expression – which many of us enjoy – is not always accompanied by freedom of thought. What is the point, then, of being free to express yourself if you don’t feel free to think?
Do we really have the freedom to express ourselves?
Oddly enough, we don’t have as much freedom to express ourselves as we think, simply because everyone feels free to think. But where is the censorship? More than censorship, what we have to talk about is manipulation.
The way of speaking is the result of the way of thinking. That is, the thought process is reflected in the way of expressing and communicating through language. Therefore, the more free of thought a person is, the more self-talk his mind will reflect. On the contrary, the more manipulated the thought is, the less capacity the mind will have to elaborate its own ideas.
Freedom of expression and freedom of thought do not go hand in hand
To what extent is freedom of expression possible when there is no freedom of thought? Freedom of expression is meaningless if it is not fueled by free, creative and personal thought.
We have grown up believing in the idea that we have freedom of expression. But at all times we have been manipulated by those who needed to implant in us an idea that was destined for their own personal benefit . People who, in some way or another, had or have power over us.
This is pure marketing: choose between this, that or that. Which one do you prefer? The option of a personal and creative alternative is not possible. And woe to the one who dares to propose something different or who defies the imposed order. Perhaps there is no explicit censure or stipulated punishments, but we all know what happens when the sheep leaves the flock, even if there are several to choose from.
We are slaves of our own freedom
People like to think that we are totally free, as if we are completely autonomous and independent, as if we are not influenced by our environment. But in reality, we are all forced to sacrifice part of our freedom to achieve a certain level of security and well-being, and even recognition.
It is true that it is not possible to be completely original, that ideas and thoughts, also knowledge, are built on the ideas, thoughts and knowledge of others. It is also true that our beliefs, fears and experiences limit us. And in this little can be changed.
The truth is that most people’s minds are not susceptible to change. This is convenient for many of those in power, one way or another. Insecurity, passivity and fear of reaching higher states of consciousness are good to keep people in check.
Delimiting free thought, giving easy formulas to choose from, maintains the illusion that change is possible: a limited change, but not as revolutionary as they want us to see. The established order does not like reflective people, who are capable of thinking critically, and in some way or another it does everything possible to suppress their intelligence. Think that free thought is the most revolutionary act of all.
