Freedom Is the Thing
Honestly, I don't think I'm qualified to talk about this. Freedom is a word we've heard again and again since we were kids, and I still can't say exactly what it is. Maybe this question never has an answer.
But if freedom is personal, it gets much clearer when I look at my own life. To make it even simpler, let me start from the opposite side.
What is not freedom?
- Playing games vs. getting lost in games all day.
- Having the courage to talk to a girl vs. being driven by sex, with a different girlfriend every week.
- Sleeping on a schedule vs. working all night just to prove to myself I'm working hard.
The answer is easy. For me, freedom is self-control. It has nothing to do with how much money I have, how busy I am, or whether I have a good girlfriend. The key is control.
I have to keep this in mind, because I lose my freedom often. I get hooked on anything that gives high dopamine. I can work for hours without leaving the keyboard, watch porn with no limits, and play games till morning.
So freedom isn't something I have. It's something I take back, one small choice at a time: closing the game, closing the tab, going to bed.