A Bird Born In A Cage Will Think That Flying Is A Disease
A bird should be free. So when a bird is locked up in a cage, it will feel as if its very essence is limited. It is as if its wings had been cut off and with it one of the bird’s most distinctive qualities: the ability to fly. The title of this article belongs to Alejandro Jodorowsky and will help us show how something similar can happen to people.
Metaphorically, the cage ensures that you have no view of what you could experience in life. Some people settle for what they already have, with the life they feel safe in. These people don’t give themselves any chance to explore other fields full of new experiences. This is not necessarily a negative if it only affects the bird itself or if it is entirely his own choice. The problem only arises when the bird thinks that all other people are doing it wrong or are making a mistake by flying.
A bird that stays in the cage even when the door is open
Like birds, humans are born to determine their own direction freely and autonomously. However, there are also people who, when they reach a certain age, for various reasons, such as upbringing or social influences, settle into their so-called ‘comfort zone’. Then it seems like they can’t possibly get out of here, even if they are pushed.
This ‘comfort zone’ has to do with the things they have become accustomed to and which make them feel protected. Within this zone, routine takes the cake. It is even very difficult for these people to free themselves from these behavioral patterns and learned values. This makes them uncomfortable around people who are not the same as them.
Since we are all free, no bird is obliged to come out of its cage and go for a fly. At the same time, no bird is forced to stay either. To maintain good personal relationships, we must be tolerant and understanding of lifestyles that are different from our own.
Two covered eyes see more than one who is blind
One of the most famous people in the world, Nelson Mandela, believed above all in the freedom of the mind. Covered eyes will always be able to take off their blindfold at some point. However, someone who is blind has it a lot harder.
Those who do not see themselves in a cage constantly feel as if they are being judged by immovable spirits. ‘You are crazy’, ‘You shouldn’t behave like this’, ‘What you are doing is not right’, ‘What will others say about you?’ These are things that someone brave enough to fly will often hear.
A person who remains in his cage does not understand very well that the world is full of wonderful nuances and possibilities. He doesn’t see himself as a bird. He roots his dreams in the ground, within a closed circle. He who does not believe in his own ability to fly usually doubts the flights and dreams of others.
You need to awaken your mind, not stuff it
If birds have wings to fly, then humans have minds that enable them to do the same. However, the spirit must be constantly aroused. We must supply our minds with seeds that will help it to think, rather than fill it with preconceived ideas.
Some people act like a bunch of birds that have spent their entire lives in a cage, so they are afraid to hop out when the door is opened. They may judge their friends if they do, but it doesn’t have to be that way. However, they themselves are simply too afraid to go out. All these people need is a little courage. ‘Sapere aude’, as the philosopher Kant would say: dare to know, learn and use your reason to achieve this.
