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We build our own “jails”, stronger than any thick walls or iron bars

Francisco Miraval

I recently read the story about a man who, being innocent, was sent to jail and remained in jail for decades until the day when, after the death of the original judge, a new judge reopened the case, declared the man innocent, and ordered his freedom. But then something strange happened: the man went to the door of the jail and refused the leave.

He explained that after years in jail, all his world was now reduced to the size of his cell and that, even knowing he was free, he had no desire or energy to explore the new world now being offered to him. For that reason, he said, he wanted to return to his cell.

Then, according to the story, something even stranger happened: the judge, sympathetic with the man, didn’t force him to leave, but granted his desire of returning to his jail with two conditions: the door of the cell will always remain open and every day the man should go to the external world to explore only one thing of his interest. Then, he could return to the cell.

The story I read stops there. Nothing is said about what the man did. One can imagine he did stay inside his cell for a few days and one day, with newly found courage and energy, he ventured into the world outside. Perhaps he walked only a few steps the first day and a few more steps the next day, every day increasing the distance from his cell.

He saw the wisdom of exploring one thing at a time, instead of absorbing the world at once. Then, after many days, he finally understood there was no need for him to go back to his old cell, a place now too small to enjoy his freedom.

I don’t know if that is a true story. It seems it is and, regardless, there are plenty of similar stories reported by the media. I do know, however, that if we are honest with ourselves, then we live our lives like the man of the story was living his. We too lost our freedom, our creativity, and our dreams thanks to what is called “education”. And don’t think I am hallucinating.

Seven years ago, Dr. George Land, a scientist working for NASA, said that 98 percent of children between the ages of 4 and 5 think like geniuses. Then, five years later, when they are 10, only 30 percent remain in the category of “genius”. After 12 years at school, only 2 percent are geniuses. At that time, we declare them “adults” and we told them they are ready for life.

So, what happens to all those young people who “lost” their geniality? According to an article published in this month’s issue of Intelligence, four experts in psychoneuroimmunology found that those young people live in constant “psychological and physiological risk”.

What could be the solution? We should recover our creativity exploring day after day new elements of our freedom. 

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