My apologies for bringing Jung into this, but Jung said, "...the best political, social, and spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others". I've spent a modest amount of time with people of the "3rd world" and I have found that they don't do this as much as "1st world" people. It seems to me - whether these "little" people with their "little" traditions know it or not - that they have a more integrated psyche. Could it be possible that many of us, in the "first" world, have much to learn from these "little people" and their "little" traditions? Maybe we are the "3rd" world in regard to self-knowledge...? Maybe, there are fundamental aspects of "1st" world States that rob us of this integration... and maybe this is by design...? Anyway, as a Liberty focused individual, I find the picture in this post inspiring! So here is my "rant":
You may not believe this. You may think it's crazy talk. You may be a little perturbed by the following sentiments; as admittedly I am. We people... the people I know and/or could relate to on a daily basis. The lucky ones on this floating rock(yes, there aren't 3 of them). Yes, you all, that have a disproportionate advantage/privilege in this regulated commercial world; us "fortunate" people that happened to be born in a "1st world" country. It works for us...the whole fucking big fuck-off shit storm works for us. It could work better but relatively It works for us; especially in the materialistic fashion. Materialism and the coercive forces controlling this big tradition in the world right now benefit US....for now....and we pay it/them homage as it consoles our primitive fears with shiny objects and seductive rhetoric.
There is a "them". A "them" not represented here through this device. They could be considered the vanguards of what we all are truly after. They are the few little traditions that speckle the globe that by chance are fortunate enough not to be completely under this modern big tradition's influence; you will not find their stories in books. They see and feel this thing we are all after regularly. They look on confused perplexed, as they see our desperation as we run away from it. They see the fear and the follies this creates. They see us scrambling away from the earth, away from ourselves, into concrete cubes talking to each other through handheld devices searching for something. Extending our lives and searching searching searching... They see us wringing our hands at the thought of having no power to power powered things to make better-powered things that will save us from powered things that we previously made from powered things as we all scream "we need cleaner power!" They know..., they know something very powerful these little traditions, these "little" people, and it's very very simple. So simple, so small, so true and so clear, that we can't see it. Indeed, no matter which direction we look we are looking in the wrong direction: Indeed, the materialist looks out instead of in.
They know that the thing that we so desperately want is the same thing that will save the lives on this planet. They know that this simple thing that we find so hard to accept in ourselves and others will also make our lives feel lived: Indeed, on our death beds, our eyes won't need to be dimmed by drugs and pretty little lies to hide the extent of our follies and save our loved ones from the inconvenient feelings inspired by the existential angst and pain they see in our 100-year-old faces. These simple people have done something very simple but enormously brave by our standards. AND IT IS THIS: They regularly accept and demand the responsibility of their individual autonomy and pay homage to it in themselves and others, and understand that that is what saves lives and that that is what will "save this planet from us". It won't be newer better technology, or better consumeristic shopping practices, or a bunch of different regulations upheld by guys with guns, ...not voting, nor protesting, but rather a general understanding that no one, regardless of their fancy hat or elected position, has a right to control anyone else with force or fraud. It is every individual's self-accepted ownership of themselves and a general contempt towards anyone that tries to control anyone else, regardless of their purported benevolent reasons, that will free us to live without worry. That's the fight - or lack of fight - that changes our footprint on this planet.
They know it's not your flag, not your leaders, not your ideologies, not your carbon tax, not your checks and balances, not your guns, etc..., but your freedom. Take it whenever you can. Give it always. Honor the free. You own you. Be brave. Get healthy.