Today's MOZEN: The Fear of Freedom 6/5/2015

By F LoBuono

Sometimes, I just can't stand it. I simply can't. Too many people are just so full of shit. There, I said it. People talk about freedom in this Country and don't have a clue as to the real meaning of the word. In fact, I think that it's worse than that. They are afraid of freedom and they don't even know why.

Freedom, real freedom, means a complete lack of attachment. It means accepting things (and people) for how they truly are. We must let go of any preconceived notions of how things are supposed to be. Instead, we should release our inhibitions, allowing our minds the room to grow. Eventually, if we keep our minds and our hearts open enough, we reach the level of freedom known as enlightenment.

However, most people cling to the things that they've been conditioned to believe - without question. It seems to be easier to accept convention than it is to challenge it. So, instead of choosing the road less traveled they use the well-worn path. They are afraid of the unknown - literally. Learning something new is a challenge that must be accepted to be effective. And, that can be hard for many.

Freedom is also a great big thing and can, therefore, be terrifying. It's just too big, too detached for most. Being free can mean standing along - totally alone. It's like being on a small rowboat in the middle of the ocean. One cannot escape the overwhelming feeling that you are completely isolated. The ocean is too big, too vast. We are too small, too insignificant. We are intimidated by the shear vastness of it. So, we are afraid. The same can be said of freedom. We are afraid when we stand apart. We prefer the comfort of convention, so we attack that which we don't understand or doesn't fit within our "rules". We don't dare be alone in our little rowboat in the middle of the ocean. We much prefer sharing the voyage with hundreds of others aboard a nice, big cruise ship. So it is with freedom. We talk about it all of the time; Home of the Brave and Land of the Free - that's us. However, whenever one of us tries to break with convention, to be truly free, they are almost invariably brought to heel. We certainly don't want anyone rocking the boat. And, those that do are cast adrift.

The latest example can be found in Bruce Jenner's transition from man to woman. Once the "World's Greatest Athlete", the former Olympic decathlete will now be known as Caitlyn Jenner. Overall, the response to Jenner's transformation, as highlighted in a recent Vanity Fair cover, has been positive. He has received a goodly amount of support, particularly from the LBGT community that hopes the high profile nature of Jenner's name will bring much needed understanding towards transgender people. However, there are still those fearful enough to not even make an attempt at understanding. For example, The Blaze, Glenn Beck's ultra-conservative blog, published an article by Matt Walsh with the title, "Bruce Jenner is not a Woman. He is a Sick, Delusional Man". Really? Really. This is exactly what I mean. What is Mr. Walsh so afraid of? What is it that Jenner is doing to cause Mr. Walsh to call him "sick" and "delusional"? Well, the only answer that I can think of is Jenner does not fit into Mr. Walsh's box.  Jenner had the temerity, the COURAGE to live the life he had always envisioned for himself. Perhaps, Mr. Walsh is afraid because Ms. Jenner has shown him what life could be - if we live it freely. He is not afraid to be in the rowboat in the middle of the ocean. The very THOUGHT of that scares the shit out of Mr. Walsh - because he does not have the same intestinal fortitude as Ms. Jenner.

I'm not sure that I understand all of the reasons that Jenner made the decision that she ultimately did. The World's Greatest Athlete does not become a woman on a very regular basis. So, there is a sensational aspect to it. Some people have said all the hype is reason to be suspicious of the act. I'm not so sure. It is just too complex to attempt for just money or publicity. No, there is much more going on here. I, for one, want to know why. I do so because I am not afraid to learn. I want to ask questions. I want to understand. However, in the end, it is not important for me to understand. It is only important that I accept. And, I am not afraid.