Are You Free?
By Miranda Li
Have you ever felt the subtle ache of losing your freedom? At least I have many times. I have experienced moments when this cherished freedom seemed elusive, slipping through my fingers like sand. Whether it be the inability to cross the vast Pacific to bid my great-grandfather a final farewell due to expensive plane tickets, or spending Chinese New Year alone in a foreign land, reminiscing about festive family gatherings through archived videos. When I sacrificed all the usual activities for an exam preparation, devoting every waking hour to revision. When my high school teacher cut my hair short with a pair of scissors, only because I broke the rules by growing my hair long. When I have to make the decision to abandon my passion for the arts in favor of a career in computer science, driven by the pursuit of financial stability. When my parents kept scolding me for wasting time going to a concert, which I dreamt for years, instead of studying at home. There are many other moments like these.
If you're reading this and find a connection to my experiences, I want you to know that you're not alone. There are even many others who share similar struggles, like refugees who tragically lost their lives on the sunken boat, attempting to bring their families to safety; or individuals exhausting their savings on medical treatments who end up sleeping on the streets. As I mentioned earlier, my strong belief is that humans are inherently born free. So, why does it seem so challenging to attain this fundamental goal?
Yet, I must share a profoundly disheartening reality to you: achieving this kind of freedom isn't a challenge for a particular group—the privileged 1% who own most of the world's wealth. Their privilege extends to their children attending prestigious schools without the need for high test scores, and the expensive plane tickets are inconsequential as they can effortlessly travel to any destination on private jets. Their family members can try any major/job they like without worrying if they can pay the rent by the end of the month.
If you look deeply, it becomes evident that whether we delve into the historical oppressions of the Gilded Age or confront the contemporary conflicts plaguing our world, it is consistently the innocent civilians who bear the brunt of suffering. Consider, for instance, the heart-wrenching image of a 3-year-old child, whose tiny leg shattered by the impact of a bomb amidst the Israel-Palestinian conflict, or the soul-piercing gaze of a parentless child. Each encounter with such news invokes within me a profound and lingering sense of sadness. Also an overwhelming feeling of helplessness that we, the ordinary people, can not have the freedom and happiness that we should have.
In an ideal society, one would expect to find a harmonious coexistence in order, security, and an augmentation of freedom in people's lives. Regrettably, our society goes against the grain. Instead of progress toward these ideals, powerful elites revel in the orchestration of nations, engaging in a ceaseless power struggle for dominance. Meanwhile, ordinary individuals, much like ourselves, become pawns in their “fun” chess games. This perverse and unjust society has become a Monster, actively stripping away our freedom and happiness.