Estimated reading time: 6 min.

Dear reader,

Welcome back to Guiding Words.

In the previous lesson, we explored the distinction between emotions and feelings and concluded that by shaping how we interpret the events of our lives, we can influence our feelings and cultivate more positive responses, even in challenging circumstances.

Known as The Land of the Free, despite being the last Western country to abolish slavery, the United States of America has long positioned itself as the world’s greatest champion of freedom and self-expression. In this lesson, however, we will examine the concepts of free will and freedom from an individual perspective, rather than through the lens of ideology and society.

The American Psychological Association defines free will as the power or capacity of a human being for self-direction. The concept of free will suggests that inclinations, dispositions, thoughts, and actions are not determined entirely by forces over which people have no independent directing influence.

Meanwhile, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines freedom as the quality or state of being free: such as the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.

Yet, these definitions raise a fundamental question: Can a species driven by the same physiological needs—homeostasis, growth and reproduction—deeply embedded in the genome of every living being, truly claim to possess free will?

Rather than asking whether, unlike other species, Homo sapiens possess free will and, by extension, freedom, perhaps the more revealing question is: Why do we so desperately want to believe in free will and freedom?

The belief in free will and the expectation of freedom stem from the fact that we are conscious beings, aware of our own existence and convinced that our lives hold inherent value. This belief is so deeply ingrained that it has been enshrined in human culture and law. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by the United Nations, states: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience […].

Building upon this fundamental assumption, and to justify the constant expenditure of energy in caring for ourselves, preserving our lives, and striving for our ambitions, we must believe that we, as individuals, are inherently valuable and therefore worth the effort. And if these two premises are accepted as truths, then how could we accept being constrained or restrained by anything? The belief in free will, and by extension, freedom, becomes the psychological pillar that justifies our investment in self-preservation, growth, and expansion.

Yet, the belief in free will and freedom does not erase the existence of the forces that influence us, both within and without. Rather, only by letting go of the desire for freedom itself can we gain self-awareness and clarity of the many forces that constantly shape our choices.

But how does one cultivate self-awareness?

By making a conscious and intentional effort to observe how our emotions and feelings fluctuate in response to our internal (hunger, pain, desire) and external (societal expectations and pressures) environments. As we train ourselves to become active observers of our emotions and impulses, we move from merely reacting to internal or external stimuli toward acting with awareness and intentionality. It is in those moments of stillness, as we step back and contemplate the different paths available to us, that we come closest to the true nature of free will and freedom.

But if we are not truly free, does life still hold meaning?

We explored the question of meaning in Lesson 4: On Meaning, where we concluded that meaning is not in seeking, but in realizing that being itself is the meaning. By letting go of any pretension to free will and freedom and embracing our humanity with joy and curiosity, we can redefine these concepts—not as the absence of constraints, but as an invitation to creativity and exploration.

What if true freedom was never about eliminating obstacles, but about engaging free will as a creative force—reshaping challenges into stepping stones to rise to greater heights?

This concludes our lesson on the nature of free will and freedom. In the next lesson, we will explore the dangers of being impressionable.

See you in three days, and until then, may Serenity be upon you.

Didi

Question: After reading this lesson, do you feel more aware of the invisible forces influencing your decisions?

Reply with a yes or no and feel free to go beyond two or three characters.

P.S.: I am trying to find the right words to convey my thoughts in a language that is not mine, so please pardon my mistakes and feel free to reply with any suggestions and/or corrections that can make this reading experience more enjoyable. 

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