“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength”

In a world where political correctness is becoming increasingly important, our notions of freedom, peace, and knowledge are narrowing.

Freedom is a concept that is constantly changing and developing. Its definition is fluid and constantly changing. The truth is that freedom is relative to people and their beliefs. For example, to some, freedom might be to blend in with the crowd, while to others, freedom may be to stand out. As a species, we humans often suffer from the “oppressor-oppressed mindset”, wherein life seems like a chessboard with two unchangeable, constant sides of morality, the so-called oppressors and the oppressed. For the attainment of the kind of freedom that really matters, we need to learn to let go of these biases and accept the ambiguity and the unexpectedness of the game of life. No two situations are the same and blaming any entity without having complete knowledge about it, is, in fact, a form of unconscious surrender to our own preconceived notions, a form of slavery to our inbuilt prejudice. Freedom has never been about dividing, about pointing fingers. It has always been about acceptance. Acceptance of opinions, of habits, of culture, of races and of religions.

In a rapidly polarising society, it is very difficult to know what must be said and what should not. While the expression of certain opinions in real-life or through social media posts is truly unacceptable, such as those endorsing male chauvinism, ableism, homophobia, etc., others are completely harmless and do not deserve the backlash they receive. For example, an Instagram story by the Palestinian-American model, Bella Hadid, features a picture of her foot facing an airport window. This unassuming image drew millions of enraged comments from people around the world accusing her of insulting Arab nations. Why? You may ask. Well, according to netizens, her foot was facing an Emirates aircraft far below, allegedly disrespecting Arab nations through this dastardly act.

Another typical human psychological behavior that has manifested itself in different ways throughout history and continues to do so today, is the act of demonising the opponent. When a majority has a certain value system that they consider as the only right way to live. A minority group that does not believe so is often mocked.

Another pressing issue is constant surveillance. Sometimes even thoughts have the potential to become sedition. This is why I believe that the natural order of life should be followed to a large extent, and healthy chaos is sometimes necessary. While I do not call for militant anarchy, I do believe that privacy is important.

Most importantly, I think that identity is vital. Rather than allowing the opinions of a majority to affect your own, each individual ought to be brave enough to stand up for what they think is right. Again, learn to accept. Disagreement is healthy, but the divide is not. Try not to discriminate against others just because you think that they oppose what you believe in. Be free, for it is but a chance to be better than before.

-Anagha Jyothish, 8A