Society Will Enslave You
Society will enslave you—not necessarily on purpose. It isn't as if there is someone sitting behind a desk plotting to shackle the masses; while such people may exist, that is not what I am speaking about here. I am speaking about how the very nature of human society inevitably enslaves us.
How Does Society Enslave? Human beings are social creatures, and in order to live in harmony, we create social norms. We define what is acceptable and what is not. There is nothing inherently wrong with norms that facilitate peace, but enslavement begins when society starts to define the very meaning of life for everyone as a whole.
For example, a society will teach young women a specific standard of beauty. It might say a truly beautiful woman must have a stretched neck, a narrow waist, or a curved figure. Automatically, any woman who does not fit that image feels worthless or inferior. As a result, many will spend their lives searching for ways to match that standard. Conversely, the woman who does fit the image may become arrogant, feeling superior to her peers.
Similarly, a society will teach young men that they are only "men" if they fight in wars, seduce many women, or possess a high net worth and a fancy car. Societies invent all sorts of metrics to compare people, making some feel superior and others inferior. Life becomes a struggle to impress others at the expense of our peace and mental health. As long as we are chasing goals established by society, we will suffer from inner, mental, and spiritual struggles.
The way to break free is to first recognize that God made you unique. He gave you a specific body type for a reason, and you are beautiful just the way He created you. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on implants to be "beautiful." Accept yourself as God made you.
Interestingly, God promotes uniqueness while society demands uniformity. Society wants everyone to look and behave the same while merely proclaiming to be different. You must break free from this "conformity mindset."
Break free from bondage by refusing to let society determine what "success" looks like for you. As long as there is no evil involved, success should be an individual pursuit. For one person, success may be a large house, a spouse, and two children. For another, it could be a small cabin in the country. For one, it may mean a million dollars; for another, simply having enough for today. Do not let society define your worth by comparing you to others.
True success is living out God’s specific calling for your life. Abraham was rich, David was a king, Elijah was poor, and John the Baptist lived in the wilderness. Yet all of these men were successful because they lived within the will of God. Can you imagine the grief John the Baptist would have felt if he had complained to God about his poverty? If he had compared his life to the riches of Solomon, he would have been miserable. But he was not, because he was exactly where he was called to be.
Society enslaves us by making us believe success is found only by chasing what everyone else is chasing. In the United States, it is often money; in other cultures, it may be military glory or the size of one's family. These narrow definitions are often nonsense.
With the help of the Lord, define your own path. Let success be a personal definition between you and your Creator. Society’s standards are ever-changing, but God's purpose for you is steadfast. You will find greater joy in following the unique path He has set for you than in the "bundling together" society attempts to force upon us. Set your own path, define your own success, and break free.
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