Of Independence

    Independence is a sword of Damocles; it is an honour that can bring horror. This is not an assertion that a lazy man would make, who most likely spares no efforts to whitewash himself, for neither does he will nor does he dare. Certainly it has advantages that engage generations of man to pursue it, the greatest of which is that it provides and bulwarks freedom in thoughts and in actions. It is seemingly true that freedom necessarily allows optimized decisions; yet it is false, for the freedom of one’s causes uncertainties and thus risks for others, and affects their decisions. Hence the best, or rather the fittest choices are rarely chosen, while stability and status quo are always preferred, leaving things in stagnation or even recession.

    Nay, independence and freedom as well also give rise to alienation, suspicion, and obsession. Independence and freedom inevitably result in uncertainty, as is expounded above; then the uttering of one’s demand is consequently the intrusion upon autonomy, while restraint is only to sting the demand. This paradox then calls for silent observation: satisfaction arises when his demand is met, owning it truly to God yet not to the man; while suspicion comes when it is not. A man will not conceive any gratitude unless the other side expresses trust and courtesy first, resulting in mutual distrust. Meanwhile the paradox between demand and freedom leaves the demand unmet for long, which just haunts his mind and roots obsession in it.

    It has been said and believed that an armed society is a polite society. The prevalence of this saying is almost equal to the assertion that politeness is best derived from alienation, fear and panic, rather than from agreement, freedom, and peace. So it is the case with the comparative politeness and harmony in a certain part of the modern Celestial, for as people there are generally reserved and retain next-to-full freedom, not only in thoughts but also in actions, they are alienated by themselves. It is no surprise that there are more thoughts in their minds, and much less actions in their hands, not because they cannot but because they dare not, more often than not. It is well said that constant vigilance is the cost of freedom; yet isn’t it reasonable to constantly reweigh the profit and the cost? Does it pay to take those self-inflicted pains just to claim and retain your right that in daily life bears no fruit?

    If self-claimed independence is a sword of Damocles, then imposed independence is the song of Sirens, which almost surely lead ships into rocks and reefs, unless the sailors’ ears are sealed by wax. It is leading the people toward a mirage to encourage them to “start your own business”, for it’s merely a political slogan; every reasoning mind knows that this magic land kills creative mind. Yet this false prospect certainly deceives some, alleviates their agony, and postpones the last peal over the magic land. Then it is clear that independence serves the positioned more, and the rising less; the distinguished more, and the anonymous less; les protégés more, and the self-making less; and above all the aspiring least, as the first step is always the most difficult.