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Thinking free

In the great movie The Shawshank Redemption, Brooks Hatlen, the prison librarian (James Whitmore), is the totally institutionalized man. He’s carved out his safe little niche. He no longer knows how to survive outside the walls — and he realizes he’s unfit for the real world.

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), on the other hand, is always and emphatically his own man. He is never owned by the prison, even as he’s subject to the prison system’s every whim. No matter what’s done to him, his inner strength holds him steady.

“Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman) stands between them. He’s the guy who’s figured out how to work the prison system so well that he’s probably done better there than he would have outside. He admires Andy, but he’s terrified that he might be more like Brooks.

Andy, as you know if you’ve seen the film, gets hit the hardest. He’s wrongly convicted of murder. His upper-crust background leaves him unprepared for Shawshank’s brutality. His boyish looks make him the target of rape. And even after “the man” begins to appreciate Andy’s talents, he gains very little for himself. In fact, his talents become a liability when the corrupt warden realizes it’s handier to have Andy in prison than out.

Yet through it all Andy is free. Brooks is not. And Red has to make a choice. If Red is ever to get free, it will be because of Andy’s inspiration and helping hand.

—–

I’ve always talked about how freedom begins with an attitude — with thinking free. Some people just aren’t interested in hearing that because it means they have to shift the blame from other people (their parents, the cops, bureaucrats, Congress) and take charge of their own lives. Others dismiss it as nonsense on pragmatic grounds — because it’s ridiculous to say anyone can be free while stuck in a gulag or living in a police state. Others just think that action is everything and that thinking free is merely a form of idleness.

Even people who understand that you can’t live free unless you think free have a lot of trouble maintaining that belief, day to day.

I have trouble with it, I admit. The daily news — to which I am a junkie — delivers a repeated battering of the bad, scary, and helpless-making. Want to feel totally out of control? Just focus your mind on all the things that Congress, the gnomes of Wall Street, and militarized police forces are doing (or can do, or might do) to you.

How can anybody be free when cops are tasing bedridden grannies or the fedgov is taking over the already government-ridden health care system? How can anybody be free when our best individual efforts — to start a business, to save for the future, to educate our children, to build our own homes, even — are constantly subject to the interference of outside forces? And I really do mean forces — as in “do it our way or else.” As in “we can seize your money at will.” As in “we can take away your kids.” Or “we’ll kill your business and even toss you in prison if you don’t jump through all our unpredictable hoops.”

Even if no cops are battering down your very own personal door at this moment, isn’t it irresponsible to imagine yourself free in a world where so many others suffer oppression? So some would say. Aren’t you just fooling yourself if you call yourself free? Aren’t you just setting yourself up for a huge fall? So some would say.

Yet you know and I know that virtually the only thing that stands between us and the complete triumph of tyranny is our attitude — followed by our actions. We must think free — then act free — according to our own lights, no matter what the rest of the world does. That is literally the only hope for overcoming tyranny.

Whether we can push “the system” to its knees or merely survive as free-minded people (and thus outlive tyranny when it falls under its own weight), thinking free, now and always, gives us our only chance. However small that chance seems at times, we must take it.

For decades, there was very little that Andy Dufresne could do. But what little he could do, he did do — a few overt acts of defiance, but a much longer, invisible, and almost insanely patient effort to break down those prison walls. He couldn’t have done any of it without his dedication to his personal freedom against all odds. He couldn’t have done it without unshakable thoughts followed by coherent actions. He kept his thoughts to himself — but he kept on thinking free.

I expect for some of us the prospect of breaking out of a real, physical prison would be easier to face than the idea of breaking free while surrounded by the power of a militarized surveillance state. After all, busting out of physical walls takes certain easily definable things: a plan, tools, confederates, timing, whatever. You know where you are. You know what you face. You know where you want to end up. Hard as it is, it’s a very concrete project. (Perhaps literally concrete; sorry for the pun.)

Breaking free of something as nebulous as government is harder. But it requires the same fundamental tool: human will. Brooks Hatlen would never be free — even if the authorities opened the gates of the prison and ushered him out. Andy was always free, even when he suffered. Red’s freedom hinged on his willingness to follow Andy’s lead.

Like it or not, it’s our job to be the Andy Dufresnes of this world. It’s not just a matter of our own freedom. We’re the only hope of others who might be inspired by our courage and our innovation to follow us.

—–

It would be inspiring to hear how some readers of this blog keep up their commitment to their own personal freedom, and the spirit of freedom, when the temptation is strong to sink into hopelessness, futile anger, or depression.

31 Comments

  1. charles
    charles July 7, 2010 11:03 am

    Claire,
    As I have gotten older I have come to realize that many of the things that used to drive me crazy about the government are completely beyond my control. Rather than get myself all worked up over things I can’t change I try to ignore them as best as I can. I live in somewhat remote area and avoid contact with government agents as much as possible. I ignore stupid laws when I can, while being cognizant of what the consequences will be if I’m taken to task over them. I know where my line in the sand is located and I don’t expect to live forever. Strange as it may seem, all this ads up to a little peace of mind. The government is surly going to crash someday and when that happens, if I’m still here, I’ll do whatever is necessary to insure my well being. In the meantime I ignore it as much as possible and try to enjoy life.

  2. John
    John July 7, 2010 1:33 pm

    Hi Claire,

    I follow your blog regularly and enjoy it greatly!

    I live on the southern Oregon coast in the general vicinity of where your Cabin Sweet Cabin may have been located.

    In 1973 an author named Harry Browne wrote an unusual book titled ” How I found Freedom in an Unfree World”. It is a manifest on finding peace within yourself regardless of the outside influences. You may enjoy it?

    Write on!

    John

  3. Claire
    Claire July 7, 2010 1:59 pm

    Charles, yup. Your attitude (and lifestyle) mesh pretty well with mine.

    John, thank you for the kind compliments — and the mention of Harry Browne. That was indeed a very good and inspiring book. Hard to get nowadays, but I recommend it. And the southern Oregon coast … sigh, that’s one of the loveliest places in the world. Lucky you.

    I also fear that in the original blog entry, I might have sounded as if I, personally, needed the cheering up. Not really. I’ve become as philosophical as Charles and my own life is amazingly free of government interference as a result of years of choices. But some people need the courage and voice of experience others can offer to get going on their own free lives. And heck, everybody needs a little bucking up now and then. I’m hoping comments in this thread will help give people some ideas on how to keep themselves going when they feel discouraged in their efforts to be free.

  4. Joel
    Joel July 7, 2010 2:17 pm

    Love that movie.

    I regard those who think they rule me as a phenomenon that exists completely outside myself, like the weather. I can’t keep the rain or the sun or the wind from influencing how the day goes, but I can do what I can to stay out of their way and keep them from ruining my day. And yeah, if I get caught in a rainstorm or something there’s nothing I can do to undo that but it only screws up my life if I let it, and tomorrow will be different. The sky can rain on me, but it can’t rule me.

    If the worst happens and I’m imprisoned, I’m still free because nobody outside myself can enslave me – I can only do that to myself by accepting outside authority.

    The way I chose to remove outside authority from my life, to the extent I can, wouldn’t be for everybody. It involved giving up a lot of conveniences and accepting a degree of physical discomfort. But – getting back to the movie – so did Andy Dufresne. He made his life harder even than it had to be, because he kept his dream in front of him and wouldn’t let anything the prison did to him keep him from working toward it. He gave up twenty-odd years worth of sleep, digging and digging with his dumb little rock hammer, and spent his days refusing to become “institutionalized” even when anybody would have told him he was in there for life and he might as well give in and make the most of what prison life offered. He may be a fictional character, but he’s still a role model.

    Unlike him, I don’t ever expect to get where I want to be. I have to make my freedom inside the world I’m in, because like you said the world of authority is nebulous and can only be withdrawn from to a certain degree. But within that space I’ve carved out for myself, mostly inside my own mind, I am free. Nobody can take that away from me – I can only give it away myself.

  5. Judy
    Judy July 7, 2010 2:26 pm

    Viktor Frankl
    ‘Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.’ After reading Dr. Frankl’s story and thinking about this quote, it has become part of my life’s credo.
    Do I treat everyone as I would like to be treated or do I stoop to ‘their’ level?

  6. MF in Missouri
    MF in Missouri July 7, 2010 4:08 pm

    Claire,

    i know what you mean about the news. I listen to , I watch it, I read it.

    BUT I saw a movie. In it a man lives in the hills with his dog and his guns. In the first scene, he comes in to his cabin, His dog opens the fidge and brings him a bottel of beer ( really love that ) . The first words in the movie are, as he turns his laptop on are ” I wonder what lies they are telling today.”

    That is how I handle the news each and every day.

    That keep me going time and time again. he keeps my mind on the edge questioning everything “they” say.

    try it works great.

    mo

  7. Winston
    Winston July 7, 2010 4:21 pm

    Thinking Free isn’t really something I have a problem with…the struggle is implementing it. Faceless acts of subversion are how I keep my head above the water. Allegedly ;]

  8. tzo
    tzo July 7, 2010 4:30 pm

    4-1/2 year old daughter.

  9. Penny
    Penny July 7, 2010 4:54 pm

    I’m a high school teacher in the public school system. This year, my coteacher and I (I am a special education teacher) are planning to “go off grid,” as it were. We plan to do the three inane, trivial things that the administrators want to see: a word wall, a Learning
    Focused lesson plan, and an essential question. After that, we plan to go our own way. Instead of trying to teach inner city youths about Jonathan Edwards and Longfellow, we plan to do far more relevant projects that are learner centered and self-selected. We’re going to try to take down the dominant paradigm from the inside, one kid at a time. I’m okay with losing my job if it comes to it, but I’m not okay with abusing kids anymore by force feeding them crap that they can’t even begin to comprehend and then wonder why they drop out or abuse drugs. You know, this is the first year I’ve been excited about teaching school, largely because I plan to show them what a democratic society, or rather, classroom looks like.

  10. Philalethes
    Philalethes July 7, 2010 5:23 pm

    Harry Browne’s How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World is all about how thinking free is the indispensable foundation to becoming free; it changed my life. Unfortunately, it’s been out of print for a long time, and is hard (or anyway expensive) to find; however, a PDF version can be gotten from the Harry Browne website (maintained by his widow) for $9.75; it’s not a fancy production, but everything’s there (except, for some unknown reason, the index).

  11. Ellendra
    Ellendra July 7, 2010 9:04 pm

    I think the hardest time I had maintaining my free mind was when I was stuck in a wheelchair. Granted, the meds I was on had me so loopy for a while that I couldn’t have spelled “freedom”. Maybe that was the first step I took back, one day I just decided that the meds weren’t helping with the pain or anything else, so I just stopped taking everything. Some of the meds were supposedly so “addictive” that doctors warned against going cold turkey, but I did it anyway. I reclaimed my brain.

    Then, I think I posted here about finding out that my friends had me on their “Stuff to Grab if TSHTF” lists. Shortly after I came across an article about how some attitude problems with dogs were solved by giving the dog a “job”, and showed various dog-powered vehicles their owners had made. That gave me ideas for a dog-powered wheelchair. Never made it, but the ideas snowballed, ideas about ways to cope and build an independent lifestyle regardless of the fact that I couldn’t walk.

    I guess that’s what taught me the lesson you described, that you’re as free as your mind is, whatever your body is going through.

  12. naturegirl
    naturegirl July 8, 2010 12:04 am

    Before the attitude, and any action, one has to decide what they really want in/out of life. Then they have to accept that it can and will change at different stages of their lives. Once it’s determined what that is, then the attitude to get it & keep it can follow. It takes courage to “be different” when maintaining your freedom may mean not living a lifestyle similar to everyone else around you. One person’s freedom could be another’s nightmare, example being a homeowner vs a renter. For some owning their own home is their freedom, others don’t want to be tied to anything.

    The decision to not follow the herd, not follow what is “suppose to” be done, is usually a compromise. Some think of compromising in a negative light, others think it’s a trade off. To accept any personal freedom means you have to take the responsibility of living, the responsibility of action, & thinking about what you do.

    They are dwindling fast, but we still have a certain amount of choices left that we have control over. If we approach these choices from a security (literal and figurative) point of view, it gives a whole new perspective to your thinking. As was mentioned, one has no control over what other people do, but we can still choose our reactions to it. The easy way is to be like everyone else, accept what someone else thinks your life should be. The smart way is to decide what you are, and then do all that you can to live it.

    I personally don’t think anyone can be/think/live freedom until they understand what their freedom really is. Think of it like a career, pick it and then do what it takes to make it work. Every day. It brings a natural peace that isn’t found any other way.

  13. Bennie
    Bennie July 8, 2010 1:33 am

    As far as I am concerned, anything is better than being behind bars and dealing with that world. Anything.

  14. Pat
    Pat July 8, 2010 6:09 am

    I’m amazed at what this kid [“barefoot bandit”] has taught himself in the interest of survival. Think what he could have accomplished if he put his mind toward positive results.

    (He reminds me of a poor man’s Thomas Crown, out for kicks.)

  15. Devin Quince
    Devin Quince July 8, 2010 6:19 am

    Awesome and inspiring post as usual Claire. Your blog along with a few others have opened my eyes in the last year or so.
    In Frith,
    Devin

  16. Tom
    Tom July 8, 2010 10:29 am

    Some of this will sound silly:

    Sometimes I wear my seatbelt…..sometimes I don’t…

    Sometimes I wear my helmet….sometimes I don’t…

    Sometimes I pay sales taxes….other times I trade or barter….

    Sometimes I obey the speed limit….other times (such as if a REALLY good driving song comes on the radio)……I drive fast….

    Sometimes I use the ubiquitous hand sanitizer…..other times I ignore it…

    I’ve taught my daughters to have a healthy disrespect for institutions, “proper behavior”, customs, and rediculous laws….

    I’ve taught my daughters how to defend themselves…..

    My dog isn’t licensed……

    Neither are my cats…..

    I do not censor my daughter’s web exploration……I do however have crypto-software installed…..

    I’ve taught both daughters the “4 rules” as espoused by Jeff Cooper…….

    I do not own a trigger lock…..nor( given the age, maturity, and knowledge of the people in my house)….do I intend to purchase any….

    I don’t have state-government mandated smoke alarms…..

    I love my children……but I don’t worship them (the all-encompassing”for the children” mantra/justification doesn’t cut it…)

    I own my mistakes……..

    I do not accept my doctor’s words as holy writ…..and he/she knows it….

    My diet is actually pretty healthy……but sometimes I have a big, fat, greasy cheeseburger……just because I want one……

    I am going to vote this November……but it won’t be for either branch of the statist machine…..lol

    I do not advocate these choices for anyone but me……..figger everyone gets to paddle their own boat….

    best wishes
    Tom

  17. Bill Green
    Bill Green July 8, 2010 11:15 am

    Good stuff, Claire. From Carabini’s recent book: “Liberty is won when you accept the idea that you are the sole master of your life; when your life is subordinate to none, and no other life is subordinate to yours. When you accept that idea, you are liberated. There will always be those who will claim to be your master, but you will know otherwise. For a libertarian, paying tribute to Caesar may make sense, but believing that tribute is Caesar’s due does not!…Liberty is a state of mind that does not require the indulgence of others.”

    I think the difficulty in evaluating this may lie in our definition of freedom and in confusing it with fulfillment itself. Fulfillment comes from how I live, not from my circumstances. If I live as a free man in that I accept responsibility for my life and actions, then fulfillment can be maximized regardless of my immediate circumstances. So I could die fulfilled in a concentration camp at the hands of some wicked jack booted statist.

    In the words of Aragorn (with slight modification): “A day may come when man fails, and the last man follows the rest of his race out of manishness, and becomes a beast like them. But this is not that day, and I am not that man.”

    alltta.wordpress.com

  18. Sandi
    Sandi July 9, 2010 12:55 am

    Interesting blog and comments!

    A different perspective:

    Freedom is not found in our environment or circumstances. It is a gift found in the same ancient choice that has existed from the beginning…

    What (or Whom) do we believe?

    “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 (Spoken at the time to a culture in captivity to government, prejudice and ignorance. Tryanny, struggle, systems, etc…)

    “What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.” Eccl. 1:9

    “I am the way, the Truth and the life…” John 14:6
    ( Spoken to a lost world seeking freedom in revolt rather than surrender to the only true salvation and freedom fighter. Most of us would die to preserve our own freedom. How many would die to save a world in revolt to the very One Who created it?

    Freedom is found in the living person of Jesus Christ, and once found, can never be taken away by any government, system, circumstance or evil that would keep you from it, past, present or future.

    “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within[b] you.” Luke 17:20

    Jesus chose. He chose to exercise the freedom to submit His will to His Father’s and come after a lost and fallen world – to seek – Whosoever will… also choose… and choose to accept and receive the only real freedom… freedom offered by the King of Freedom – who laid His own down so we might have a chance and a choice for eternal freedom.

    Once you taste the eternal freedom offered, everything else is just a temporary Pilgrim’s journey with a heart at rest despite the fact that for now, there is nothing new under the sun, what has been done before will be done again… until Gabriel blows His horn.

    Then there will be no more opportunities to seek or find – true freedom!

    Praying all will choose wisely!

    Blessings to all you seekers!

  19. knuck
    knuck July 9, 2010 4:11 am

    The only power that other people have over you is the power that you give to them. Your energy or”karma” is yours to use as you see fit. If you choose to use your energy in a negative way,that is your choice. Personally,I choose to be positive. Make a control freak libtard come unglued and unable to function: enjoy yourself! Living well is the only way to maintain sanity in this quick little journey that we are all on. Gobble up life and living. Take none of this for granted. When you are taking the big dirt nap,the only thing that you leave behind is what you have done for others. Make it count.

  20. Sean
    Sean July 9, 2010 6:52 am

    Having been the reluctant holder of a ticket for the next Grim Reaper Special, on multiple occasions, I suggest that anyone alive take Mayamete’s advice to Fletcher Christian. You eat life or life eats you. Life is short, often painful, and always difficult. If you can’t live in a free state of mind, you may as well lay down, and curl up your toes and die. I have met more than my share of people out to steal everything they can lay their hands on in life, and people who do almost nothing but cry until they assume room temperature. Having had a bellyful of both, I live my life out loud, the way I want, if I can, and I take pains to keep off others toes. Live free, anyway you can, or die.

  21. Ray McKee
    Ray McKee July 9, 2010 9:01 am

    +1000 on what Sandi above so eloquently said. For me what works against the stresses of job, news, politics, life in general is the incredible peace of heart and mind that is bestowed upon the person that has a personal relationship with Jesus, the Messiah.
    I prayed for years for the kind of peace that I have now. Through bad genes and age I am in incredible agonizing pain 24/7, yet I am at peace. My heart is no longer troubled. I have no fear. I hate evil and am prepared to do evil harm. The peace that I have allows me to enjoy every second of every day and to love my beautiful wife with all of my energies. She spoils me rotten and I play catch-up. This is a “fruit” of the peace.

  22. wilderness
    wilderness July 9, 2010 9:06 am

    Excellent article because it point out one of the most desired possessions of our enemies and that is our minds, our thoughts. They seek with every fiber to reach and control the minds of the young because they know this is where their opportunity for power and domination is born.

    I used to believe in accidents and coincidences in this regard but I was wrong. These aren’t accidents and coincidences that are happening. This is planning.

    This made my day and if you watch it it will you will smile too!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0heL2Czeraw&feature=related

  23. Kelley Klalchuck
    Kelley Klalchuck July 9, 2010 9:20 am

    “They may torture me, they may even kill me. Then, they will have my dead body. But they will not have my obedience”.
    M. K. Gandhi

    Great observation about Shawshank Redemption. Andy had hope. Red was afraid to hope. Remember the harmonica?

  24. SiGrayBeard
    SiGrayBeard July 9, 2010 11:30 am

    Thanks. I am here courtesy of the WSRA link, although I read here from time to time.

    Like Pete at WSRA, I have been worn down in the last few days with just the overwhelming barrage of bad news. It is a dark age we are going in to. I needed the message.

  25. parabarbarian
    parabarbarian July 9, 2010 12:31 pm

    I am tempted to say that great minds think alike but I am not sure I am qualified to do more than waste your time.

    Once upon a time I was known to some as “enemyofthestate” but, as I assimilated the ideas behind gulches, withdrawing of consent and virtue based ethics, I also realized that the state is no more an enemy than a hurricane, earthquake or any other natural disaster. While it is certainly a good thing to find ways to avert a disaster or, failing that, divert the effects there is no point in making myself an enemy of what is, at the core, an unthinking phenomena. It certainly wouldn’t call myself “enemyofthetornado” or enemyofthetsunami” and I finally realized that “enemyofthestate” was no longer appropriate.

    Hence I became “parabarbarian” which I hope better illustrates my new and (hopefully) improved methodology.

  26. Lonejack
    Lonejack July 9, 2010 2:15 pm

    I too came to this site courtesy of WRSA. Also am a news/information junkie and have wallowed at one or another in all the addictive permutations of emotional negativity regarding macro events, especially lately the Gulf tragedy. Thank you and your bloggers for the many practical and inspirational messages. Much I knew already, but being a numb skull, I have to be reminded now and then of the bigger picture by kindred souls.

  27. Pat
    Pat July 9, 2010 5:51 pm

    Quote: “Great observation about Shawshank Redemption. Andy had hope. Red was afraid to hope.”

    And on those days when I find myself feeling “afraid to hope,” I take a break from the radio, newspaper, or computer. I get busy, physically or mentally, putting my mind on other things.

    Sometimes I get out my revolver, and go out and target practice, muttering “Come and get me,” till I feel resilient and in control again.

    Other times I grab a trowel and go sweat it out in my herb garden.

    I often indulge in some crafts which force me to concentrate on specific tasks; worrying about “news of the world” causes mistakes I can’t afford to make.

    I invite a friend for a cup of tea, and we discuss poetry, or recipes, or a movie.

    Anything that takes my mind off the idiot workings of this country or this world, all of which have nothing to do with my personal life on a daily basis, works for me. The best way to get away from the influences of fedgov is to ignore it, to place no importance on it. Then… I just go out and live my life.

  28. Liberty Card
    Liberty Card July 9, 2010 10:54 pm

    Government has enslaved us long ago, taking small freedoms from us when they didn’t affect us personally. Consider what ABATE said during the helmet law debate, you force me to do this now, someday the government will be forcing you to do something too. You don’t care if the government forces me to wear a helmet – it’s good for me. You don’t care if the government stops people from smoking in restaurants, in homes, in cars, it’s good for me. You let the government tell car makers to put seat belts and baby seats they approve of in the cars you drive, it’s good for me.

    Well guess what, now government is forcing you to do something YOU don’t like and you are upset. It’s too late, you should have told them to keep their hands off your retirement plan, and off the wages businesses pay entry level workers.

  29. To Vote Or Not To Vote? - Daily Anarchist
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