As a young 20-something I often find myself surrounded with individuals at the beginnings of their careers. I regularly hear people complaining that they have to work more hours than they'd like. Even if it's a job they're in love with, they often appear to feel worn down and shackled. More people than not are committed to a job that they are hating in order to acquire the money to pay the bills that they've convinced themselves is a necessity for daily life. Like a rat in a maze, they work and work and work, and if they get ahead and begin to figure out a positive direction worth pursuing it's only enough small reward to keep them toiling towards the next small reward. They never escape the labyrinth. Indentured servitude ring a bell? We as a generation are selling our souls in exchange for a temporary high.

Money is a social construct. Only ink printed onto cotton paper. And, yes, if you're planning on living in mainstream society it is a necessary evil since we've all but given up on the barter system. When I hear these individuals bemoaning their employment misfortunes I often ask them, "Why? Why are you doing it?" 99% of the time they are flustered that I'd even ask. The very thought of needing a reason for what they're doing is peculiar to them because everyone else is doing it. Monkey see. Monkey do. This leaves me wondering if they are just mindlessly working without a worthy reason. Are they doing what they're supposed to do just because they've been told to do it?

Usually they will tell me, "Well I have bills to pay of course!" And that is when this person who was just moments before a simple human friend sitting across from me at the dinner table is transformed into a mindless, robotic product of the social machine.

I suddenly feel an urge rising up inside of me. I want to free them! Where did my friend go? I literally sat here and watched as you were sucked through some kind of worm hole and now here you are proudly reciting to me the lies that you've been told all of your life. I want to scream. I want to preach. I want to save you. I attempt to suppress my urges with a forced, sympathetic smile on my face as I feel my eyes glassing over and my head beginning to nod in time to your reasoning (which really isn't reason at all, let's be honest). Now I've disappeared inside myself.

I later reenact the conversation in my mind long after you've gone home. Is there anything I could have said to undo 20+ years of brain washing by the mainstream? I wish I had the answers.

Occasionally the friend will reply to my, "Why do you do it?" question with, "I've gotta eat!" To which I mentally hear my brain reply. "How hungry are you?" I know there's so much more wrapped up into their statement rather than simply needing to eat. But I'm left wondering how much of it have we been conditioned into believing we need and how much is truly needed for us to live and capture happiness?

I'll leave you with this thought from the great Cat Stevens. While writing this article, this song came on a commercial playing in the background like it was meant to be. As ridiculous as it may sound to some this song almost brings me to tears. It is written with simple words, but carries a strong message. It is my recent shift towards minimalism in a nutshell. It also sums up a lifelong battle inside me of the socially accepted mainstream choices versus that oft soft-spoken inner voice that tells me the unique desires of my heart.

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out

And if you want to be free, be free

'Cause there's a million things to be

You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high

And if you want to live low, live low

'Cause there's a million ways to go

You know that there are

[Chorus:]

You can do what you want

The opportunity's on

And if you can find a new way

You can do it today

You can make it all true

And you can make it undo

you see ah ah ah

its easy ah ah ah

You only need to know

Well if you want to say yes, say yes

And if you want to say no, say no

'Cause there's a million ways to go

You know that there are

And if you want to be me, be me

And if you want to be you, be you

'Cause there's a million things to do

You know that there are

[Chorus]

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out

And if you want to be free, be free

'Cause there's a million things to be

You know that there are

You know that there are

You know that there are

You know that there are

You know that there are

"If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out," Cat Stevens

Be free, my friends. <3