The Obstructives Manifesto

Intro

Screech-like screaming, painful pushes, and relieved resting; the beginning of life. Even at our own birthing, we are witness to these things. Things such as struggle, pain, and perseverance. Keeping this in mind, what comes next is no surprise at all.

Day by day, hour by hour, people toil and labor throughout their existence, struggling to make peace with the world and its promised problems. They struggle to be content with their perceived lack of role and meaning, barely clinging on to the notion of fulfillment through small vices and entertainments. This is the shared, common burden of life, of mankind; to be obstructed. To be blocked from happiness and joy.

Everyone is aware of this obstruction, but do they ever stop and try to find its source? Many have, in fact, and now I count myself among their number. The following is why I do so; my answer to a self-imposed question. An answer and solution to mankind's lack of unblock.

Answer

The source of all obstruction is the self: our doubts, our pride, assumptions, and aggression. How did I come to that conclusion? Well, when one is entirely in control of their fate and destiny, who else can they blame for their tragedy? Yes, by every account, human beings cause their own obstruction, but what can be done about it? How does one go about unobstructing themselves?

Admittance, of course. To be rid of obstruction takes facing one's self objectively and unbiasedly. Seeing your flaw and virtue, and claiming them as parts of yourself. This is the first step of fixing one's own problems; by admitting they have said problems.

By no means is this new information, but it is constantly forgotten and overlooked information. Forgotten because nothing is guaranteed to be passed down, and overlooked because of confusing metaphors and religious connotation. Connotation that connects the process of unobstruction to a higher power or supernatural theory rather than hard fact that everyone can get behind.

Christians believe in the Seven Deadly Sins, Buddhists believe in the Kleshas, Hindus believe in the Arishadvargas and or the Shadripus. Different names, same basic concept; people hurt themselves and to change that, they must change themselves. Vital information, true information, ignored. And so, the masses are left alone and hurting, and people with too much time on their hands begin to ask questions. Questions of truth and discovery; of nature and divine.

Despite what some might say, however, you don't need to believe in a God or reincarnation to become a less self-obstructed individual. You must only understand why we hurt ourselves and how to avoid that outcome. You must understand yourself on both an instinctual and intellectual level; know what makes a human being tick and use that knowledge to your advantage.

Solution

As human beings, we are split between two sides; our instinctual and our intellectual. What we think, what we feel, and what we fear is all decided by these two opposing forces; the cornered animal within all kind, and the curious child that follows behind. So it only makes sense that to cease obstruction and find peace, you will have to master these obstructives.

The instinctual can be summed up to our feelings, selfishness, and pride. To learn more about your instinctual and come to understand it better, you must look to the beasts of the wild. Why do we naturally want what is best for us, even when it harms someone else? Because you must be selfish to survive in the wild. Why do we feel the need to grandstand and be in control? Because respect and control in the wild means mates and safety. But we are not mindless animals—we actually have more of a mind than anything else on Earth—so there's no reason to cling to those antiquated notions. You don't need to always think of yourself and only yourself. You can do things for other people sometimes. You don't need to be respected by all to survive. Some people just won't know you or like you, but that doesn't mean you can't find love and affection somewhere else, from people who truly take the time to know you. Your mind exists to put your beast at ease, not to be controlled by its senseless fear and aggression.

The intellectual, on the other hand, is our inner logic, pragmatism, and train of thought. To understand this side of yourself, you must separate yourself from it. Thoughts are merely the intellectual remixing and revisiting known information, looking for another angle, for something more. They are not necessarily what we believe, just what we know; we determine what we believe by choosing to believe in it or not believe in it. You must not lose yourself to the endless flood of thoughts, to your doubts, to the voices in your head. They are not you. You decide who you are, by your actions and how you choose to see things. The way you make peace with your intellectual is by utilizing it and considering it, but not being enslaved to it; by allowing your instinctual to make it feel joy and hope, illogical things that inspire more positive outlooks and perspectives. Perspectives that enable us to see not only the flaw within man, but also his virtues, as to never judge or assume again, and to merely observe other people as they go through the same struggles as us.

Once you realize all of the above and a few other things, you'll find yourself capable of happiness. Because happiness is as much a choice and state of being as it is an emotion. And the best way to achieve that state of being is to continue learning more of your parts and components, seeing their use and purpose, and balancing them out as you become a more complete individual. An individual capable of making the adjustments and changes needed to live in an ever expanding world. A world as complicated and confusing as we are ourselves.