Add your own evidence signalling we're all slaves in the comments and I'll gratefully put them on the list below.
Go up to a slave in ancient Rome and ask them if they believe they are a slave. They would not be in the least bit offended and would immediately say yes, why do you ask? And probably invite you for a drink.
If that was me today I would be offended if asked and likely would think anyone asking was a bit of a nut. Today, I've forgotten that I'm a slave. Not on purpose. It is not even how I have been raised by the system though it looks badly like it is. Nor is it wealth and power whom enslave me.
It is me, who does it. I am angry with me about it. And I project my anger onto anyone who asks.
I choose it. But It's not 'on the earth' where I make my choice. And it is on the earth were I will face the consequences of my choice.
It's so tempting to try and escape - "Of course I'm not a slave especially today. I have democracy you fool!". Besides, slavery was abolished long ago. Wasn't it?
The thing is, I do not have to be poor to be a slave. Wealthy people can equally be slaves. The powerful too. It has nothing whatsoever to do with material wealth, though I too often project onto that in another spectacular escape from what is real. So what gives?
It all depends on if I'm in control of my own mind and body, on the earth - 'the wine' and 'the bread', on the altar. Can I bring myself to drink, and eat. I'm not religious you know...
That is all. I'm thinking about my mobile phone use for starters as an easy to observe example of my own self induced slavery. But that's only a minor example really.
More so, that the state, who I've willingly chosen, as my Master. Or whatever it is that I chose as the authority I appeal to, for protection. Remembering that God is dead, I have killed him, and with what shall I wash my hands of all the blood? I'm not religious by the way. But having an alternative authority with the power to direct the law used to be an incredibly useful device for slaves. Yes, it did not free them. But they retained the opportunity for it.
I use the excuse, the escape, that good Old Henri took that away and left me with a single authority to plead to for protection in exchange for my freedom, No longer any competition for my body and mind between many archons. It's not that Power is evil. It is that I have chosen Power, and there's no longer an alternative for my psyche to appeal to. See *notes.
I'm proposing the reason I refuse to admit I'm still a slave today is not for the scrutiny of logic and reason. It is because I'm no longer aware, that I'm not aware of it - I paraphrase the grate secretary Rumsfeld here. I've forgotten that I'm a slave, largely because I allow a cult narrative - the one driving so called democracy which projects multiple illusions reinforcing a faux freedom, to lead my thought.
It's not that the state is evil or that I'm an anarchist. Far from it. I'm just observing whats in front of my face and refusing to find an escape route to take me away from what I can see clearly.
I'm going to list out all the things which uphold my proposal that we're all slaves, in an attempt to dissolve the illusion that we're free. At least the folks in North Korea and China - where its a national past time to submit ones freedom to the state, can still largely accept it. They're way ahead of us on this psychologically thanks to the great Kong Qui. Which is what's at the root of our denial - its our psyche, stupid!
Is there a solution, a pathway across this scary forbidden zone? Yes, sort of. And it must be walked along upon the shoulders of myth and symbol - there must be a story to tell and to be heard, which the great masse all can understand. Not by logic and reason or feelings. But by intuition. There is one leader today who is close to this but who still has a way to go and may not make it, the brave soul.
Its not really a solution. It is a conversation which I can automatically understand and pin my hopes on with enough confidence, to change my mind. It is a change of my mind, a metanoia. There is a story, which can be told, that I can follow without the need for a Master to protect me.
I was watching a butterfly this evening on the lavender. It was a bright thing full of energy. But its wings badly torn from a day of a billion flutters, getting from 'the bread' to 'the wine' while it still had time. It was happy and confident knowing full well the night was soon closing in on its short life. Thats the thing. It already knows, by intuition.
And there's me, concerned with how I will bring myself to eat and drink over my many decades. I do not yet know.
Please add your evidence to the comments below and it will soon appear in this list:
- A common trope is that "I own my job. Immigrants should not be allowed to steal it from me"
- Getting work seems to be like a drug for most people. Surely we want to get rid of work?
- Chinese imports are bad for me because they are cheap. We should tax them with the tariff to stop the stuff we really want getting into the country
- Typically it takes 2 parents incomes to keep the household above water today. What of the kids?
- A majority of people do not like their job. So why excel when you won't get the just reward for it?
- Tax exemption is only possible on renouncing citizenship
- All people keep voting to tax earned incomes. And to privatise un-earned incomes
- Of course there still an alternative. But no one is telling me about it. Its very close to me. It might not be on the earth. And it will come no sooner than I ask for it to.
- Tune in to Drone Zone on SomaFM