Slavery is Still Suffered
It is easy to grasp the more obvious aspects of slavery and abuse where violence and cruelty occur in the action and the behaviour of individuals towards others who become victims and are overcome by the circumstances. It would seem that those who are trapped in this way feel powerless to change and are paralysed by their own fear as well as by the outer oppression. So bullying and slavery of various kinds continues.
Slaves who are forced to work without pay or reward may seem to be a less violent concept of slavery than one that includes beatings and physical cruelties but is always associated with a deep humiliation at a total loss of individual rights.
Erosion of the precious free will of every human being takes place on various levels and in varying degrees in these negative situations until a general sense of futility reigns in the psyche of the individual.
This manifests in our society by the disturbing increase of suicides. Some of these cases are people with extreme physical pain or emotional and mental anguish and some others may no longer be prepared to become slaves to a society of which they disapprove and which they choose to escape. Some suffer from mental illness often caused by negative influences of their chosen environment such as noise, brain disturbances through excessive electronic vibrations and others some by their own destructive habits such as drugs. None of these people whether young or old, healthy or diseased have found a reason to continue living. It is a sad testament to the failure of our culture.
It is true that we are all likely to become vulnerable and tempted to yield to seeking escape from any situation that seems without purpose.
Although there is no simple answer to the tragedies behind suicides, we must realise that we have our god-given free will and each is responsible for anchoring our life to wholesome aims and constructive activities in our work and our hobbies so that we can experience the inner power and joy that nourishes our aspiration to be free and identify our own worth.
It is by giving that we find our place in the social pattern in the world shared with millions of other fellow humans. Our shared commitment should include action to help those who are not independent and who are suffering oppression of any kind, to emerge from their present conditions and have the opportunity to make their positive contribution to the world knowing what it is like to stand free and proud, privileged to enjoy the gift of life and the beauties of our planet.
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