Freedom of Choice

We live in a world that is constantly barraging us with inane advertising and marketing campaigns, 24 hour news repetition and Orwellian “Newspeak” that try to put us into a trance where we don’t need to think, but only react to the narrative that we’re being fed… spoon fed. Unfortunately, most of the garbage that we’re being pushed and prodded with everyday is just that - garbage!

What advertisers and their bosses, the corporations, large and small who hire them to construct and direct their message, plus the media outlets, social media platforms and board rooms don’t want you to know, is that you are in a constant state of manipulation as modern life devolves into snippets of communication on phones, tablets, tv’s and computer screens.

Their MESSAGE is clear: Please do NOT think for yourself! We’ve got you covered. Follow the simple directions that we’re giving you and life will be much easier and much less complicated… “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”

― George Orwell, 1984

As a person with a degree in communications that focused on advertising and marketing, I’m sorry to tell you this, but you have a freedom of choice. As contrite as the statement “vote with your wallet” is, it couldn’t be more true. These pitchmen for everything from cars to “organics” to dog food want your MONEY! Wake up from the technological slumber that we are all in and begin to slip back into your humanity, to your blood and bones and your heartbeat. They don’t want you to be alive, they want you asleep. They want your credit card info and they want to dictate what, how much and when you buy all of the crap their peddling.

I love the band Devo. They were very underestimated. Below is their classic and fantastic song: “Freedom of Choice”

DEVO

A victim of collision on the open sea

Nobody ever said that life was free

Sank, swam, go down with the ship

But use your freedom of choice

I'll say it again in the land of the free

Use your freedom of choice

Your freedom of choice

In ancient Rome

There was a poem

About a dog

Who found two bones

He picked at one

He licked the other

He went in circles

He dropped dead

Take a minute to read these lyrics over again two or three times. Pretty great stuff, right? We do have a choice. We can slow it all down and not take it from the man.

Orwell had it wrong, he thought that it was the government that was going to control us, but it’s the corporations. Big business runs interference on our lives and on our ability to think for ourselves. And, please don’t think that I’m anti-corporation because I’m not. I work for a corporation. What I am is anti the zombie-apocalypse that has been created around the nonstop explosion of “buy, buy, buy” everything and anything just because it’s been blasted into your cranium online or on tv that something is a good deal, or is the new and shiny play toy, or because some celebrity endorsed it or that you just can’t think anymore because you have no room in your head, no space in your life or no truth beating inside of you any longer because the Thought Police have won!

George Orwell

Please research the companies you support. Buying something because it’s cheap or fast or easy is not a good reason. Places like Home Depot, the 99 cent store and Walmart sell all kinds of cheap stuff and it is just that… cheap! It’s crap! It’s garbage, and it won’t last or really do the job that you want done.

I hear people all of the time say that this or that “is expensive.” They don’t realize that to create and make something that is real or of quality, actually costs money and usually takes time. I ask people during my organic gardening classes, “How many triple, iced, almond milk, decaf, sugar-free macchiato’s at Starbucks do you buy a week, a month, a year?” Everyone nods their heads up and down, acknowledging - guilty as charged! I go on, “C’mon guys, those drinks only leave you thirsty and hungry just like buying a burger at McDonalds or Jack’s that is made from 110% all GMO ingredients! Sounds yummy, right?” Everyone nods their heads up and down again, this time in shame… I go in for the close, “Then, don’t do it. Buy organic coffee and make it at home. Buy real organic food and make it at home. Buy real organic compost or better yet make it and use it at home.

Please… YOU ALL HAVE A FREEDOM OF CHOICE, we all have a freedom of choice, so let’s use it and send a message that we’re taking our bodies, our minds and our souls back from the man, the company store and the mind numbing machine that is slowly killing us and our society bit by bit and piece by piece every single day!”

Freedom of choice

Is what you got

Freedom of choice!

Then if you got it you don't want it

Seems to be the rule of thumb

Don't be tricked by what you see

You got two ways to go

I'll say it again in the land of the free

Use your…

© Randy Ritchie 2019