Who do I talk to?
All this talk about spiritual awakening and enlightenment can be hard on myself. What am I supposed to do to inspire global and meaningful change? Who do I shun, or talk to? Is ignorance and enslavement even something that can be outgrown?
One way that I like to look at this problem is like this: Just as there are powerful tyrants who program the masses, there are people (like me) who own cars and operate them both regularly and openly.
Now cars are a global phenomenon that has got the government chipping in to build infrastructure to support cars. Cars are marketed as safe and largely utilitarian. They have safety features and can connect people over large distances very quickly.
But there’s an overlooked problem, here. The tyranny of the car is an under-debated topic. Many people have died driving because the streets are narrow, poorly built, or because of harsh weather. But more concerning, innocent pedestrians and passengers have died due to careless driving.
So cars are worse than advertised, it turns out.
As an enlightened person who also drives a car, I’m obligated to get rid of my car because I feel like I’m enslaving pedestrians who don’t drive, something that makes me feel like the very power hungry autocrats pulling the strings I despise.
In addition to the other reasons, I feel like by driving, I’m encroaching on the freedom of my fellow human beings and wildlife. Humans, animals, and nature should all live together in harmony. However, there’s pollution from cars, land degradation, and mineral depletion… And so on... It’s simply overwhelming!
Socially and economically, the issues continue to pile up. Owning a car is a special privilege. Car companies award people who already own and drive cars, through insurance premiums for example. People without cars or driving experience are accordingly punished.
Additionally, many people spend a lifetime trying to get a car but never do. So it’s an immense privilege to be able to drive, let alone own a car.
Most terrifying, however, is that most jobs in Canada will not even consider a candidate who doesn’t own a car.
For me, abandoning my car would mean losing on employment opportunities, shelter, and money to support my health. In other words:
Forfeiting my car wouldn’t just mean settling for less. It would mean death.
This begs the question: if the psyche of oppression and tyranny are so difficult to conquer, then where does that leave all the efforts of spiritual leaders who have advocated for truth?
Can we ever achieve a blissful society full of freedom as promised?
Think of Rumi, The Buddha, SadhGuru, Guru Dev, Eckhart Tolle, and countless other Gurus across human history. Should we celebrate their collective spiritual movement as a worthy cause, or are their works and society doomed?
What should I do instead of becoming a spiritual animal who inadvertently annihilates himself?
