What is life’s biggest "trap" people fall into?
You aspire to happiness because it’s the gold standard of living a fulfilling, meaningful life.
You believe that earning more money, saving for retirement or your kids' education is the path to happiness.
You believe that climbing the corporate ladder or making that big sale is the path to happiness.
You believe that recognition by others of your tremendous accomplishments, good looks, and dynamite personality is the path to happiness.
You believe that buying a new home, a slick sports car, or the latest iPhone is the path to happiness.
You believe that going on a vacation to an exotic location is the path to happiness.
You believe that going to church on Sunday and worshiping your God is the path to happiness.
You believe that when you finally meet your twin flame you'll be happy.
Am I right? Do at least on a few of these apply to you?
Here's the trap.
You have those thought forms because they have been programmed into your mind by society throughout your life. It’s your social conditioning, courtesy of your masters/programmers. You have taken them to heart, and they drive your everyday thinking, decisions and actions. They don’t benefit you much, nor move you any closer to a state of happiness, but your masters benefit greatly when you conform to your programming.
Did you ever watch The Matrix? Or read George Orwell's classic 1984? Did you understand that peoples' reality was dictated to them, programmed into them by their masters?
If you have two minutes now, watch what this “comedian” has to say:
Don’t kill me now. Check this out:
Your parents encouraged you to get an education and be successful in a job, and introduced you to their religion.
Reality: Of course, they want nothing but the best for you, so they guided you according to the very best ideals adopted from their own childhood programming.
Your religion taught you that if you follow their dogma you will go to heaven and avoid hell when you die. They taught you that your God is to be feared, and that he's very judgmental.
Reality: That's how they get you to show up on Sunday, tithe on your income, and confess your sins to a man (always a man). That’s how they get you to repress and deny your own divine nature. That's how the Vatican’s assets and influence are on a par with some of the world's wealthiest nations; and televangelists buy multi-million dollar private jets. That's how their priests, ministers and bishops placed themselves on a high pedestal in your mind.
Your schools taught you to think big thoughts and aim high for success. You probably had to take at least a few courses for your degree that were interesting (or not), but useless for your chosen major.
Reality: That's how they charge so much tuition, thus justifying taking on a mountain of student debt. There’s no incentive for them to keep costs low, when banks are happy to lend you endless student loans - because they already have things programmed that it’s one of the only debts that can’t be cleared by bankruptcy. So, the default rate tends to be lower than say, credit cards or car loans.
Your job leads you to hope that a promotion or a raise is just ahead, as long as you apply yourself.
Reality: your dedicated, hard work is why the CEO probably earns more per hour than you do in a month. He truly appreciates your contributions - although, probably not enough to give you a raise. Gotta control costs to maintain that stock price and earn his annual bonus for doing so!
Ad agencies promised you that the new iPhone or a new car will change your life in a positive way; and you bought it. Maybe you even took on more debt to buy it - probably not in your best interest.
Reality: That's how they earn their multi-million dollar ad accounts, and why they spend jillions on media buys. That's why you see their slick, campy ads wherever you turn your head, and why your thoughts about the hot new iPhone24 morphed from “My phone does everything I need it to do” to “I can't wait to get my new iPhone24!” over a period of a few months). Classic programming! Now, take that elementary example and evaluate it against every gizmo, gadget, vehicle and appliance you've purchased in the last year. Add to that every “impulse” purchase, because your programming made you a compulsive consumer.
Societal norms informed you that getting married, settling down, building a family is “normal” and “stable"; and choosing to remain single and unattached to someone, or childless is abnormal.
Reality: Stability and conformity is highly prized by our masters! When you “fit in” you don’t question your programming!
Whatever political ideology and party you identify with dictates your opinions about abortion, health care, climate change, and dozens of other issues. They inform you what media to follow and trust; and which to believe are fake news. They demand that you distance yourself ideologically with those who think differently, sometimes leading to separating from family and long-term friends. They require that you vote for their candidates (who are rarely anywhere near moral, or ideal public servants). And even if you don't like their candidate you vote for them anyway, because they're better than the other party's candidate (according to your politically conditioned thinking).
Reality: Political parties are preoccupied with gaining and maintaining power for their leadership. The welfare of their constituents is mostly ignored unless it means more power, influence and money for the politicians. That’s why they spend up to 50% of their time fundraising while you’re paying their salary. That’s why they vote according to the lobbyists’ interests rather than yours. That’s why Congress never seems to get anything done. That’s why there are budget crises and work stoppages after they fail to reach agreement in the 11th hour on bills that they should have been working on for months. That’s why they pass welfare bills for their rich pals and corporations who fund them; often at the cost of negatively affecting the welfare of their constituents. That’s why the USA is $22 trillion in debt and growing by millions of bucks per minute - what the hell, the politicians are still getting their share! And sticking you, Joe Taxpayer, with the bill.
I could go on… but that’s enough, perhaps, to make my point.
Back to your question: What’s the biggest trap people fall into?
Thinking that your thoughts, ideas and beliefs are yours rather than what your masters have conditioned you to believe - to enrich them.
Their cultural conditioning doesn’t lead you to happiness. In fact, most of it leads in the exact opposite direction. Getting on the hamster wheel their programming demands keeps the masses broke and dependent, while constantly enriching their masters.
You’ve heard it said a thousand times: Happiness is an inside job. Your programming keeps you occupied with, and believing that objects and activities on the outside will lead to happiness. When you begin to awaken and start focusing on activities known to yield satisfaction, contentment, and peace of mind - you are finally able to put things in their proper perspective.
The freedom fighters broke away from their programming in The Matrix. And you can too. Embracing practices that activate your innate inner power allows you to begin examining the source of your thoughts, and starting to acknowledge the degree to which they have been manipulated by others. There’s freedom in that.
But… it’s way easier to just keep succumbing to The Matrix. Because escaping requires you to start thinking critically, and questioning everything. It takes self-awareness, courage, determination, and willingness to change.
Every day there are more of us who are breaking free and trying on alternative ways of living, doing and being in the world. Finding and loving our new-found freedom.