Why clearing the mind of clutter is so essential to progress.
There is a common thread that runs through the writings of
activists across the globe. And that is that before they could really take on
the root cause of the problems they were facing, they first had to free their
own minds and decide for themselves what was right and what was wrong outside
of what the social, religious or cultural norms were.
It is surprisingly hard to do. Most people are able to
challenge only a portion of their preconceived notions and so their focus of
change is narrow. Those who succeed often become great agents of change because
they see how all the various forms of discrimination are interrelated. Discrimination
comes from the same place even if the target is different.
Humanism and Freethought help clear the clutter out of our
minds. But not everyone is willing to clear out everything. They are rightly
concerned about being left adrift. After all, once you clear away the clutter,
you usually go back and put some of the old stuff back in because, as it turns
out, it was useful.
Many people approach self-reflection fearfully. A Humanist
makes self-reflection a habit of the mind. We are continually challenging our
assumptions. Our goal is to continue to improve ourselves and the world we live
in. The benefits of clearing out the clutter of our minds are so great; we
can’t imagine living life any other way.
How do we nurture Freethought and clearing the mind, even if
it is on a small scale? How can we reassure people who need to take this
journey that it will be ok and that they will emerge on the other side of this
stronger and more centered as a human being?
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