The Search for Certainty: Finding Freedom Through Reason

I’ve often wondered why America has such a cult problem. That’s not to say that cults don’t exist in other countries but America specifically has no shortage of religious or non-secular controlling sects. I’ve read several cult survivor books, listened to podcasts, and watched documentaries on this phenomenon. One thing that often sticks out to me about the type of people who fall into the trap of cults: they are often simply looking for belonging, community, and understanding. The mistake cult victims make is not that different from the mistake socialists make. It’s not what they are seeking that is necessarily bad, but how they are so quick to outsource their understanding to some supreme authority. Outside of cults there are a myriad of other filters that humans try to apply to themselves and others in order to make sense of the world. I myself am no stranger to trying a few different types of churches. In fact I find some churches to have more in common with those cults I’ve read about than any other community structure, even though congregants would probably never see that for themselves.

One thing I have always found to be true is that we must make decisions based in reality and not based only on our feelings. Our ability to reason is what sets us apart from all the other species on earth and it’s important that we actually use that specialty. Whenever I am faced with a difficult decision or am experiencing some anxiety I ask myself “what actions are tangible?” What words were actually exchanged, what threats actually exist vs when events am I merely perceiving to be threatening? I have found that seeking out a life of reason and knowledge is far less anxiety inducing than a life of vagueness. I actively seek out connections that will communicate explicitly and I am all the healthier for it.

As I’ve learned more and more about objectivism over the past couple of years I am enthusiastic about so many concepts that are important to me falling under the same umbrella. For example, I am a big fan of the free market and have a deep disdain for any government interference. Outside of economics, I find that humans are the happiest and most successful when they are also free from any interference, government or otherwise.

I once read a pamphlet by Angel Werth about relationships in Atlas Shrugged. Unlike my peers that I was reading the novel with, I liked the romantic relationships explored in the story. I didn’t find them to be a distraction from the bigger message but in fact paramount to the theme. I absolutely love how Angel so concisely explained that in fact being self-interested does make you a better partner. I’ve never believed that good partnerships are two halves becoming one, but rather should be two strong self interested wholes coming together to level up their lives.

I also recently read Anthem for the first time. Anthem illustrates the idea of personal freedom and the importance of defending that freedom from every little attempt to chip away at it in our modern day reality. Anthem teaches that no regime or indoctrination can truly undo the spirit of a man’s freedom. This is the spirit that drives man forward each day. I was particularly inspired by the end where Equality 7-2521 vows to uphold the banner of freedom and ego until the time when more can join him in a life based in truth and knowledge. Equality demonstrates how for man to be truly free he must be free from gods, kings, and each other. Perhaps a philosophical structure often overlooked can provide what many are searching in all the wrong places for.

For most American students philosophy is not even an available subject for them until college. Even then most students will have a very basic introduction to philosophy for one or two semesters and then move on. Of course some prudent students will hone in on and choose philosophy as a major, but it’s easy to understand how philosophy might not appeal to every single student. That being said, I believe that philosophy is not just something everyone should explore but something that is key to healthy relationships both with yourself and others. If we can understand ourselves better then we can more intentionally pursue our role in the world and hopefully find strong connections with those around us.

Life is inherently complicated. Everyone has different traumas and motivations that can really make relationships hard to navigate. The number of times I’ve tried to unpack why someone else acted in such a different way than I would act is more frequent than I’d like to admit. Quite often there is a much bigger dynamic at play that I wouldn’t see if I didn’t take the time to slow down and seek understanding. Imagine though if everyone spent years learning to think deeply about the world around them and participate in meaningful conversations with others about morality, science, nature and art. I imagine some of our toughest conversations would be incrementally easier if we all had a true love of knowledge and deep respect for discussion as a foundation.

I am someone deeply committed to freedom. Freedom for myself and my family and friends, but also freedom for complete strangers. I have dedicated countless hours and years of my life to the liberty movement from a political perspective. As I’ve been returning to my love of using my words to shine a light on the injustices surrounding me, I have found there is so much I still do not know about certain topics like economics or philosophy. It is clear to me that to continue being a strong advocate for liberty, I need to fill in these gaps in subjects. I want to be able to properly defend capitalism. I want to make sure that Ayn Rand’s words and the ideas of objectivism live on for future generations. Understanding yourself and the world around you is something that should be a lifelong pursuit. The beauty of knowledge is that no one person or entity contains it all. We can keep coming back to the well of curiosity as often as we want. That is the beauty of philosophy that draws me to dive in deeper.