Growing up, being told what to do by your parents was always the worst. (Honestly, it still is.) But as I’ve grown up, I’ve learned more and seen things about the world that I just wasn’t aware of as a youngster. They say with great power comes great responsibility; once you hit the age of 19 here in BC, you’ve got your power, and you’ve definitely got your responsibility.
More and more, I seem to be running into people who say things like “we’re being controlled by the government,” “we’re all just hamsters on a wheel,” or even “what’s worth living for if we don’t get any say in what to do?” Well, can any of us honestly say that we as a society would be better off without some of these controllers?
For example, let’s look at the government. Yes, a governing force controls us as citizens. People always seem to think that living in a lawless world would somehow be better, but think about what would happen: crimes would not be punishable; stores could charge us whatever they see fit; smaller laws and societal structure that we take for granted on a day-to-day basis wouldn’t exist; and, honestly, the majority of people wouldn’t know how to act, how to live, or what to do with their time. Without a governing body, society would eventually devolve into exactly what you see in a post-apocalyptic movie. Thanks, Mad Max.
Now, I’m all for doing what you want and not getting punished for wanting to have a little fun here or there. That being said, it’s incredibly ignorant to ignore why we have any of these systems in place and why we continue to fight to put more systems in place that protect our rights, grant rights to those who don’t have them but should, and reform laws we already have in place.
Personally, I like to have structure in my life; I feel that it’s best suited for me. Being told what to do and where to go is good for me. I find that when I don’t have any pressing matters or any reason to do anything, I often end up bored and, in a strange way, feel sort of empty.
Obviously, not everyone is the same, and that’s where the beauty of our current societal structure lies. What is so often forgotten is that despite all the rules and laws, we live in a world where we still can do many of the things we dream of doing. Suddenly having a bad day and decide that there is nothing here for you anymore? Feel free to pack up all your stuff and move somewhere else in the world—nothing is stopping you but your own fear of losing everything you have.
Realistically, the only ones who are stopping us from doing what we want is ourselves. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t live with at least some fear and doubt. That’s why I believe being told what to do is good and why so many of us fight for our freedom when we’re young. Without being aware of our fears and responsibilities, we are only able to ever see ourselves trapped in a birdcage with the walls closing in.