Imposed Molds and the Lost Self: The Path to Freedom

A human figure composed of cracks, running towards freedom by breaking molds. A symbolic artwork representing breaking free from societal impositions and finding one’s true self, themed around identity, freedom, and individuality.

For some time now, I have been writing about the devastation of the self and freedom from a contemporary perspective. I believe that for a person to be able to say “I have lived,” they must first overcome these aforementioned conditions. Otherwise, it would be more accurate for them to say “I was made to live” rather than “I have lived.” 

Saying “I have lived” is more important than life itself. Because to complete this short and meaningless existence wholly by understanding it, contemplating it, and being ourselves is the highest step of being virtuous. Being virtuous is more important than saying “I have lived”; for it is only in this way that we can rebel against the meaninglessness of life, and the wicked nature of humanity and time. Rebellion is more important than saying “I have lived”; because those who do not rebel are defeated and die, while those who rebel die having lived. To live with our own self and freedom before we die, we must understand the molds and break free from them. 

I must point out that while advocating all this, I myself am fighting this battle first and foremost, and I often lose. However, no matter how much I lose, I do not weary of the struggle. To struggle on this path is also a virtue. I am trying to find myself in a plain and simple way and to be completely free. When I fall during this struggle, I understand that I have been looking at life from a perspective of mold-making. I am talking about possessing an object, belonging to a group, and how these things are said to make me me, you you, and him him. Unconsciously, this situation has dulled our perspective, governed our desires, and grounded our crises. Falling in this struggle is normal; but understanding the reason for the fall is equivalent to the first light appearing in a dark tunnel. 

Buddhism says, “the source of suffering and distress is desires” (dukkha, tanha). So, what is the source of desires? I am sure that in the time and environment where this teaching emerged, humanity was not subjected to this much desire imposition. With capitalism and subsequently techno-feudalism, people have become more hedonic than ever before. Moreover, these pleasures have become more artificial than ever, and the self has been devastated. Under these circumstances, our essential character, our essential happiness, and consequently our freedom have been stolen. And under these stimuli, reaching nirvana has become more difficult than ever. 

There are so many molds that directly stimulate our desires and steal our self... For instance, when you support a political view and a party, you directly become “that person” in people’s eyes. Are you a fan of a football team? Then you are “that person.” With showiness coming fully into play through social media, the desire to be “that person” in the eyes of others has become so slippery that it is no longer important to belong to a certain formation or idea, but to possess a certain object. According to the object you own, you enter a mold, and all your remaining self becomes unimportant and unnecessary. Humanity, realizing this, desires to possess rather than belong in order to be “that person.” The feeling of emptiness that comes with possession, and the sadness that comes with not being able to possess, make life even more meaningless and depressive. The person trying to create a self through belonging and possessing becomes more and more detached from their self with each passing day. 

A man leaves his poor village and goes to the big city. He earns money here and buys himself a luxury car. However, the main reason for buying this car is not comfort or ease; it is to be able to go to his poor village in that car and say, “I have become that person.” Consequently, the man who stuffs himself into the brand’s mold goes to his village and puts on his show. This quite ignorant person has succumbed to the imposed desire to be “that person” and has squandered himself for a hollow ideal. As a result, all that remains from his happiness, which dispersed like a cloud of mist, is a great void. But what if he couldn’t become “that person”? He would be heartbroken every day and close his eyes to life after a wasted existence imposed upon him. In both versions, this man, a laborer of what was imposed on him, will unfortunately never get to know and realize himself. 

In this era where social media, the media, corporatism, brands, and brand image are so important and intense, everyone has become like the ignorant villager I just mentioned. Even the most educated! Because education too has now become something to strive for to fit into a mold, and schools have become brands. Take a look around; not just education, everything has come to this. Personality has been destroyed. As long as we do not break free from these, is it possible for us to fully possess personality and freedom? We will not close our eyes after a life spent either living or failing to live what was imposed on us. With the wish that your eyes will always be open to life...