"This was freedom. Losing all hope was freedom." This quote really poped out to me because I feel like, in a twisted way, it is very true. Hope is what keeps us going, the powerful force that drives us forward, but at the same time it can be a serious disappointment. When we hope for something enough, we almost convince ourselves that it is going to happen so when it doesn't we are filled with remorse and disappointment. To lose all hope means to lose all desire, and although it is a depressing point, that is true freedom. Freedom from desire, freedom from hope is the freedom from all things the cloud your mind. Humans are constantly setting goals so that they can achieve their life's ambitions, but what if you had no goals, you had no hopes? Wouldn't that mean that your mind is completely free. There would be nothing to work towards and nothing to disappoint you. I don't agree that people should lose hope, because when you lose hope you lose passion and when you lose passion you lose fulfillment. Without hope your mind could wander freely, but at the same time you would accomplish nothing. Hope is what drives us and causes us to set goals and achieve greatness, but if you think about it without hope our minds would be completely free.
The second quote that really caught my eye was this, "It's only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything." When you are able to completely let go, even if it is the hardest thing to do at the time, eventually it will open the doorway for new experiences and new ideas. The same goes for losing something, or in this case everything, only when its is completely gone can you move on and pave a new way. If you think about it, many things that are precious to us are really just an impedement. You may love your kids, but they do significantly restrict your choices and actions. Everything that you truly value, in one way or another, is really just holding you back in some regard. When you have lost everything you no longer have to worry about them (which doesn't mean they aren't still on your mind) and you can truly experience things burden free. It may sound harsh but it is the truth, everything we value has some way of holding us back.
Conner,
ReplyDeleteA very thoughtful post (thanks for sharing your thoughts!). I like YOUR take on this, but wonder if Palahniuk's is ultimately offering a (somewhat trite) take on that old Janis Joplin tun, "Freedom's just another name for nothing left to lose."