RE: The Tasteliciousness of Freedom
You speak of freedom as sensation (she felt free… I feel free… sense of freedom), so you do well to differentiate the theoretical freedom, which is freedom as an idea, from this freedom. It's funny how, even in the examples you put, feeling free does not always go hand in hand with being really free, and how you can even be free without knowing it, and therefore, without a sense of freedom. It's the same as with happiness, beauty, wisdom, etc. Perhaps we should seek to reach a midpoint between being and sense, a state of consciousness(?).
For the rest, it is important that you mention the "natural order", in fact, I believe or have been able to notice, perhaps it is only me, similar allusions in your latest posts, whether consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, to such order. I don't know if you are familiar with the "Wu Wei", a concept of Taoism that is about not forcing things, letting natural order prevail, that things flow in harmony, the "Wu Wei" is about doing nothing but leaving nothing undone. It has a lot to do with what you say, maybe you should keep an eye on it.
Thank you, @vieira, I like the "Wu Wei" very much!
I've heard it in the context of Alan Watts lectures, he talked about it. But I have not dug into it so far. I learned the concept of "natural order" within my education for consulting. It's woven into the systemic approach of family therapy and other topics in this field.
I had a consulting incident where X got into trouble at the airport. X was not following the flight company rules with the luggage and wanted to smuggle more kilos into the plane than allowed. This was not getting trough unseen and X was stopped entering the plane. Then things got out of hand. The result of this was that security came and police was called. X was in the following treated badly and dignity was hurt. I do not take stand for any party but I know X for quite a while and from what I sensed during time is that X has a general feeling of not being free resp. tends to victimize. This pessimistic tendency shows itself in interactions with people. Now, everything could be fine if others would have been cool and calm themselves. Which they were not in this case. The authorities have to deal with people who bend rules. Now, at the airport it is not a good idea in doing so, while at another place - going to a club and smuggling in a friend - is not a big deal. I guess that X and the others were meeting at a wrong moment and could altogether not deal with one another in a dignified form. X wants compensation. The interesting question is: for what exactly? For missing the plane (losing money), for the treatment through the security (which was exaggerated and violent as the story goes)?
Would it be not Wu Wei, when one does not accept that there is indeed an order attached to traveling? Time schedules, security matters, thousands of people arriving and departing, measurements take place, a whole huge area in maintenance. It's against the order when I, as a single person, now find myself unfairly treated and therefore disturb the whole procedure and even cause a delay for another hundred something passengers. There is a chain of events going on on which I as a single traveler have no idea about.
Would it be Wu Wei when I would achieve it to take the extra luggage with me by somehow negotiate it with the responsible staff upfront who then just wave me through because they have the overview of the already boarded plane and close one eye to the rule bending? If everything goes smoothly and without disturbance to the flow but I still can stretch my wants/needs to a certain extend, than I was given an exception. I moved nevertheless within the realm of order and were given the opportunity to stretch my freedom a bit. I know, this is now a kind of silly example but I wanted to stick with it. As well as it would be Wu Wei when I am told that it's not possible and I am just fine with that, right?
Could I follow Wu Wei indirectly and - after I made an experience like taking a plane - come up with something that gives even a better order of travel experience? I reflect upon it, inform myself, encourage people to travel wisely, when asked etc. etc.
My knowledge about non-action is also superficial, my knowledge of Taoism is very low, so do not expect opinion to be the most accurate or anything like that, but as far as I understand, it is precisely about being "actively passive", to let the natural order prevail, this order is not alien to us, it is not something that exists independently of us, it is something that we are part of when we don't force things and when we don't want to have total control of the situation, when we simply act for ourselves and do what we owe, that which corresponds to us.
Then, the natural order is always there, in all situations, even in artificial situations created by the human, as in an airport, and to be part of that order must be "actively passive", things should not be forced.
Who is not being "actively passive" in that situation? Who is forcing things? For it will be in him that the disturbance of order will fall.