Sick city

A few weeks back, I wrote about how you should be thankful for your friends and your family and offering gratitude. However, this week, I observed something different amongst people so this will be about my observations.

Everything that surrounds starts manipulating our minds and begins to influence us in a negative manner. Be it social media, lonely Instagram ‘influencers’, the politicians, news channels, what have you. Every single thing that goes on out there plays at least some role in influencing us, our thoughts, actions and our views. Being politically ‘correct’ so you are unbiased; being socially ‘woke’ so you don’t hurt someone’s feelings; being correct in every manner so you don’t ‘offend’ anyone. By the time you reach maybe 35, you’ve transformed into the exact kind of person that the system wants. The society will shape you into what they want, not who you want to be.

Imagine yourself like a bird, you are supposed to be free, exploring yourself and your limits. But early on, you are caged by the system, by your peers, by the societal values. Your individuality is nullified by the time you gain senses. That explains why the most gifted and intellectual people are cut off from society, because maybe they don’t want to lose their individuality? Or maybe they don’t want to be inculcated with the societal views that we all have been inculcated with?

You are supposed to be a product of your own thoughts, but as soon as a child is born, his identity is assumed, he’s told to learn and not learn certain behaviours, he’s taught to act in a particular way.

You ever wonder why they kill children and women and the elderly during wars and call it ‘fighting for peace’? There is no peace in war! But we in our nationalistic and patriotic ignorance are taught from an early age that war means patriotism. We are taught that in our schools.

We are meant to be free souls, exploring ourselves, discovering ourselves. But instead, we end up in a cage and we die because we are told by the big pharma that we cannot live unless we eat a certain medicine for our entire life. We are meant to learn about whatever interests us but our schools tell us to learn only what’s written in our textbooks. Safe to say, is that where brainwashing starts from? And as soon as you try to step out of your box, you are labelled a delinquent, a criminal and at times you are even put behind bars.

They will burden you with work, you will be a corporate slave, you will eventually fall sick and when you go insane, they’ll say ill help you. They might even sell you a session or two with a therapist, someone who is probably lonelier than you are. And they’ll take your money.

What’s funny is, they make you read what they want you to read. As soon you try to read something else, they label you a ‘sociopath’, a deranged loner who is a societal outcast, who reads ‘controversial’ stuff. Always remember the truth is always controversial. There is nothing as controversial. It’s just the truth.

They say progress is what builds a human, a country. It helps them both prosper. But is there really anything such as progress? Or is it just change? You build a country, kill some people, hang them to death and call it progress? No, it’s just change. There is no such thing as progress, there’s only change.

The smartest people are always the dumbest. Because they aren’t there to please anyone. They don’t want social validation. They don’t want approvals of people, of society. They are who they are.

Social isolation is an enlightening impact. It brings out the best of you at times. No wonder those who isolate are too smart for themselves.

I would be interested to hear what you readers think about this. For me, individuality should remain intact.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2022.

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