One idea I have been playing around with in my head (mainly as I have been wandering around random cities in Asia) is this idea that there are very very few things in life that we really *have to do.* While this is a very simple idea, I think it is actually quite powerful in that…for a lot of my life…I was at least under the assumption that there were certain things that I *must* do in order to live a fulfilled life or whatever that means.
The truth, or at least my operating assumption for now, is that as a human being, you really have no obligations to others. Now while society and other cultural norms and pressures tell you what you should and should not do – you are a free soul. A free person.
The reality…
Is that you can move to Vietnam or Canada or New Mexico and start your life over and you do not “really” owe anything to anyone.
From a purely biological perspective, we are not really born with responsibilities. Right? Like we do things, and some things out of instinct, but we do not necessarily have to take a certain path in life or have to be interested in certain things. The challenge is that now – in 2018 – specific interests or inclinations are highlighted – encouraged – well compensated for whatever reason.
But we do not have to follow them?
We are merely incentivized to.
I do think there are certain fundamental principles that *I* believe humans should follow. I think people should be kind, respectful, etc. But those are just things that I think. And they are not even things that I will likely always think! They are just what me – 20 year old jordan – thinks.
We should be kind to our family. Yes! I think! But does that mean you should? I do not know? You are also your own person.
I am certainly beating this point to a pulp – but the real idea that I am playing with my in head right now is the grand scale that is life. The grand scale that is the world that keeps spinning and turning until one day…grimly…we die.
And when we die…in our last few days of living…
We do not worry about our obligations. We do not worry about a pre-defined path. I imagine all we think about is what we lived. What we experienced.
And the sad thing to me…the really sad thing…is that many of us close doors for no reason. Many of us (and I understand there are often a multitude of circumstances) never fulfill what *we* want to do. It is not really always our fault. Society plays a big role. Things get in the way.
I just wish, though, that we could eliminate unnecessary points of friction in our own life – one of which is this big, widely misunderstood idea that we *owe* something to some path that we must follow and live on.
No.
We must be free.