Freedom is an interesting concept.
If nothing else, the #freedomchallenge has taught me that there is more than one way to interpret freedom. Which means, the way in which we choose to move through this intricate world around us can vary quite drastically from person to person, depending on our interpretation. How much freedom we perceive ourselves as having, and how much oppression we're willing to accept, will ultimately decide what path we choose to walk and how we choose to walk it.
When I reflect on how my freedom is hindered, I feel privileged. There are places in this world where members of society have lived with such limited freedom that they are subservient and grateful for what privilege they do have. While some recognize the unfairness of their circumstance, others simply accept the life they were given. I am grateful to have been born in a time and place where where my choices matter and I am the conductor of my own being.
In the first world, however, there exist a population that have such a skewed understanding of freedom that they can be found marching for just about anything. While I am a proponent of taking a stand for what you believe in, with so many marches, I can't help but wonder if the lines between freedom and entitlement have become blurred. Either way, I hope someone was wearing a pedometer.
As I sit here and contemplate the capacity of my own freedom I wonder, Where do I fall on this sliding scale? If someone else has less freedom than I do, am I selfish for wanting more? But why am I comparing my freedom to another? Isn't the desire to exist in harmony with this world enough of a reason to take a stand?
If you've been following along then you will be familiar with What Freedom Means to Me, What Holds Me Back From Being Free, How I Express My Freedom, and If I Lived in a Free World How My Life Would be Different. If you haven't read along, then I'll let you in on our not so secret feelings about the government: they're the equivalent to having overbearing parents that keep you from living a life you desire. They paint an illusion of freedom while at the same time weaving a tangled web of red tape for you to navigate through. So how many times does one need to ask for permission to be free to finally have it granted? We ae still trying to figure that one out.
Now that we've established those freedom parameters, let's delve into 
A renegade is an individual who rejects lawful or conventional behavior, and what's more conventional than yielding to the demands of the government? In true renegade fashion, our next course of action to ensure our freedom, is to dismantle the government and introduce society to a system of anarchy. We're rallying the troops. We're storming the castle. We're organizing a revolt. We're totally kidding.
Although, keeping the government in check may require standing ground and pushing back we believe the first step to freedom is education, not only for ourselves but those around us too. Simply understanding that we are capable of creating a self-sufficient lifestyle is freeing. When we rely on the government to meet our needs we essentially enter into contract and enslave ourselves to their rules. One has to ask then, when every offering is tied to a condition are we really free?
If freedom is living a life of independence then we must sever ourselves from the idea that society can only function if they are governed. Some may cry that anarchy will lead to chaos and destruction, but you only have to turn on a television or pick up a newspaper to see that government does not alleviate corruption, especially when government itself if corrupt. Government does not equal peace, it does not equal harmony, and it most certainly does not equal freedom.
To be honest, when I first met Matthew his unconventional way of thinking made me nervous. Fortunately, his logic always made sense to me. I was hard pressed to find fault in his train of thought and so I began to wonder more myself. Though, with each new realization my stomach would feel unsettled. But why?
The deeper I dared to tread the clearer the picture became; through years of conditioning I had been taught to treat the government as a parent. As children, we naturally turn to our parents to provide for us; food, shelter, clothing, skills, and advice. However, as society has evolved the idea of experiencing a right of passage began to fade away. As youngsters aged, instead of learning from failures and working hard to overcome adversity, the government began to step in and the parental torch was passed from parent to government. Soon, young adults no longer expected to completely take care of themselves, not when they had someone else to do it for them.
While I believe that social programs can be beneficial, there comes a point when those relying on them need incentive to stand on their own two feet. When we condition society to rely on programs, instead of their own hard work or the support of their community, we create a lifelong crutch. The danger of having an increasing number of social programs, and those that use them, is that eventually the weight becomes too great for the rest of society to bare and the crutch begins to break.
Most of us will be familiar with the passage, feed a man a fish and he eats for a day, but teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.
Whether or not you are religious, there is much truth to this passage. If we teach ourselves to become self sufficient we set ourselves up for a life time of prosperity. What's more, when you lead by example, you can inspire those around you to make a change in their own lives too. I am witness that just by taking a few small steps to improve my health, I inspired others to do the same. More people around me began making healthier eating choices, exercising, and treating their bodies with respect. So, I have to wonder, what kind of ripple effect can I create by taking charge of my independence?
So what exactly is our next step to ensuring our freedom?
While the first step is education, there are actually many steps that follow. To ensure our freedom the Renegades will be establishing a homestead. We will create food security by planting orchards and gardens, and raising livestock. We will learn how to preserve what we grow so that in the years we see poor harvests we can still keep our bellies fed. We will tend the land so that it continues to provide, not only for us but for generations to come. We will network with our neighbours and build our community because, when you have community that which you cannot provide for yourself, you can receive from others. We will learn to repurpose, reuse, and create with our hands so that money is an asset but not a necessity.
