Do you realize that most of the things we do in our ‘normal’ life are conditioned and conventional. Have you ever evaluated why you are ‘forced’ to do some things when a peculiar situation arises and why the majority of population imitate them? Maybe not, because you are too habituated in your thought process to even realize these facts.
I began to think of this subject when one of my friends made a statement like this: whatever happening is the will of god. god. How the religion has conditioned him! However, he does not realize it and he is not even ready to acknowledge the fact that the so-called truths and moral values in religion and society can be questioned. He is the perfect example I can give for a socially and religiously conditioned human being.
Whenever human beings have to encounter problems, grief and loss, they automatically depend upon an unseen power called god; but why? Is that not because of the fear to face the situation boldly? Is that not because they believe that the unknown power can solve it? This is called ‘escapism’, which is the easiest and widely followed. They just ask god to do it for them. After all, who is god? It cannot be discussed in length here but god is just a creation of man, as men need somebody superior to depend upon. If we look through the psychological perspective, spending time on prayer and other religious activities calms ones mind. It gives them comfort and mental strength. However, what is the basis of that? Is that not because I was trained like that from childhood? Is it not because I know only one way of ‘escapism’? There are many other ways of escapism, which society does not agree with. If my family and parents trained me to go the practical way, instead in believing unknown power, I would have been different; I would have become unconventional. It is very hard to get out of conventionalism and question the ‘set’ beliefs. It is a long process to realize the facts, then understand them and then to believe them. It is even more difficult to make other people realize them. Only a man who can think beyond the obvious, and who can imagine beyond what is black and white, can touch the silky smooth truth. Life becomes so clear and relaxing after one gets the taste of it. However, it is sad to see the majority of the populace still searching for the truth, when truth is just outside their conditioned mind.
The extent of conditioning is not limited to religion or society. It is everywhere, though you may not feel it. The way one talks, the way one chooses ones profession and even the way one studies may be conditioned. How many students have the mental setup to question his or her teacher if that person says something wrong or stupid? How many among the present generation is willing to question what one gets in classrooms? All what society and family needs nowadays is a crowd of bookworms and so-called whiz kids. They are in need to write computer codes and condition other easy preys in the corporate world. The whole world runs in the notion that those who score high or show high ability in being conditioned are the most brilliant and intelligent. They do not take into account that all these are relative. Like comedians, some are very good in imitating, talking and even thinking like others. Indians in particular of the present generation are excellent in this work and that is why call centers survive here. The ancient Greek civilization is known for their inquisitive minds. They never swallowed what was served to them. They did not gobble information. They sat and discussed over this information and approached it from all available perspectives. Only a society like that can survive the brunt of the time. This should be the way to go. Only a probing mind can feel what is going around. It is not about tagging things as right or wrong. It is about exploring the truth. It is about realizing the truth. It is about breaking the chains of conditioning and enjoying the freedom.
The more one talks to the inner self, the more one tries to understand oneself without any inhibitions, the more he/she will learn about him/her. They will understand the real self. Then, they will be free from the outside demands and will be at ease with them.
Get out of the inhibitions and the fake personality. Have no inhibitions. Dance to the samba music and be happy in life. After all, happiness is all one want in life- loads of happiness. Do not pretend. Have no artificiality. Whom will you deceive, yourself? Do not try because you do not want to die as an artificial person, but as the real one, right?