This morning I have been trying to put into words the journey my mind has taken the past two months, since quitting my job. I started jotting down notes, and came up with the title “Breaking Brainwash.” Although not as eloquent as some other euphemisms used to describe my mind’s journey, I liked the phrase as it was an alliteration similar to Breaking Bad. As I was putting together my thoughts I read an article by Dan Sanchez titled Self Discipline Must Be Selfish.
Dan’s article has allegories to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, likening our learned discipline to that of cattle. This quote stood out to me, “To achieve true self-discipline, you need an exorcism. You need to exorcise the ghosts of past taskmasters that are haunting your psyche. Your life’s endeavors need to become truly and deeply about you and for you.”
Authoritarian Brainwashing
Whether you call it an exorcism of past taskmasters, or breaking the brainwash of authoritarian society, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is putting your mind in a place to break these habits. Whether you were home-schooled, went through typical schooling, went to college or not, we all have been raised in an authoritarian society. Our habits have been formed not from ourselves, but an authoritarian overseer. We must find out what our brains really want in order to vanquish brainwash.
My Past Two Months
I was unemployed, by choice, in 2015 for a few months. I focused on things like Bitcoin, blockchain, and starting a Paleo diet. My last two months of unemployment have been something different. I have spent my time figuring myself out. What makes me tick? What doesn’t? What emotions am I feeling and why? These are questions that help me in breaking brainwash.
I have learned that a lot of my concerns aren’t actually concerning. I have a strong mind and I know how to use it for the stuff I want. My self-taught lessons have shown me that I have let society brainwash me into the person they want me to be. But I don’t want to be society’s person, I want to be my own person. Looking deep within myself, and my emotions, has opened me up to the person I want to be and started eliminating habits my brainwashed self believed.
Call it an epiphany moment, or an exorcism, call it anything you’d like, but I can tell you looking inside yourself will teach you many lessons. Knowing the the extent of society’s grips on your mind, coupled with inward looking, can lead you to an exorcised mind. Seeing clearly, and acting for yourself, are steps that keep you from being cattle, prodded by the farmer.
Sometimes the best step is a step back. To look for the reasons behind your actions before partaking in further actions. Consistently being intentional with your mindset helps in breaking brainwash, and living a life for you, not someone else.