Tuesday, April 17, 2007

A cage went in search of a bird...

A cage went in search of a bird;that is what Kafka was picturing in his mind when he was thinking about human existence. We observe everyday around us the existence of cages that look for people to be caged and people who are doing this willingly. We identify more and more people that prefer the security of a cage to freedom because they are terrified to live in an insecure world. They get inside their cage and even lock the door behind them; sometimes they even shut the windows and each one of you can name what this cage represents.

The cages around us are many and varied and the people that search for a secure cage are increasing. They become entangled in so called secure relationships, they become victims or they just isolate themselves behind closed doors. They become afraid to live, afraid to love and fear of change. They engage in vicious circles of dependence which they are not only unable to escape but unwilling.

The nature of the birds is to try to escape from their cage and similarly this is the nature of human existence. As Kafka was saying the road is endless and nothing can be added or subtracted. Everyone has a measure that they carry from childhood and with this measure they can calculate the length of the road that they want to walk. This part of the road in particularly should be walked and no one can take this from us.The road represents our life and is the road that leads to our personal happiness and no one can take this from us but ourselves.

The cage went in search of a bird but sadly could not find many birds that could fit because their wings were too large and their existence too important so they could not sacrifice security for personal freedom. They preferred to live rather than feel secured in a cage. Besides, a cage is always a cage and there is nothing worse than the imprisonment of one’s spirit and soul.

This was the start and slowly a tremendous noise echoed across the cities. The cages started breaking one after another as no one wanted to use them anymore.

(art by libelle)

11 comments:

s_k said...

η αποτελεσματικοτερη φυλακη βρισκεται εντος μας, αν δεν προσπαθησουμε για το αντιθετο.
ωραιο θεμα αγγιξες.

Anonymous said...

You touch on something very sensitive here. In general, but for me as well. I have to disagree with the last sentence. I think soon we will see people caging up even more, rather than less. I do hope I am wrong.

K (www.sarampalis.org)

PS: What is wrong with that damn Blogger that cocks up the identity links of non-Blogger accounts??

Anonymous said...

Πράγματι, πάρα πού ωραίο θέμα...
Ναι κ εγώ πιστεύω πως αυτά τα "κλουβιά" θα αυξάνονται, οι άνθρωποι θα τα προτιμούν, θα τα μεγαλώνουν,θα τα ομορφαίνουν,θα τα στολίζουν, θα τα διακοσμούν, θα αρχίσουν να τα θέλουν ευηλια και ευαερα, θα αρχίσουν να ανοίγουν τα παράθυρα, για να μπαίνει αέρας, θα αρχίσουν να ανοίγουν τα παράθυρα για να μιλάνε με τυς γείτονες,΄θα αρχίσουν να τα ενώνουν, ....
ώσπου θα ξαναγίνει ένα μεγάλο κλουβί, όπως τώρα και μυριάδες εσωτερικά΄μέσα σε αυτό!!!

Αγγελική Στ. said...

Και το σκεφτόμουνα χθες στο τραίνο. Κατά πόσο ζούμε φυλακισμένοι, κατά πόσο θέλουμε να αφήσουμε τη φυλακή μας.. εγώ ήμουν σε μια φυλακή που η ίδια έφτιαξα για τον εαυτό μου. Κατάφερα να δραπετεύσω (όχι χωρίς βοήθεια). Τώρα νοιώθω ελεύθερη. Μέχρι την επόμενη εθελούσια φυλάκισή μου...

Pixie said...

@fuzzy
thank you!I think that the compromises that one can make to achieve that fake security is really compromising our own existence.

@apotheosis
the last sentence is not what I believe but a story that is derived from my optimism for disillusionment. That one day we might want to escape from this inner cages. I am afraid that I agree with you this is something I observe more often and this is why I wrote this article.Because of my profession it is something that I observe more frequently than others...
(sadly I 'don't know what happens with the new blogger to help you)

@narita
Kαι το φοβερό είναι οτι κάθε κελί έχει και διαφορετικό όνομα μιας και είμαστε καλοι στο να φυλακίζουμε με διάφορους τρόπους τον εαυτό μας.Σε ευχαριστω για το υπέροχο σχόλιο!

@sunshine
Xαίρομαι για σένα γιατι νομίζω οτι καμιά φορά μας πέρνει καιρό να καταλάβουμε γιατί είμαστε παγιδευμένοι.Δυστυχώς πολλές φορές φοβόμαστε την αλλάγη και κάνουμε τα πάντα για να συντηρησουμε την εσωτ. μας φυλακή γιατι δεν θέλουμε να γκρεμιστεί ο κόσμος μας.

Αλεξία Ηλιάδου (synas) said...

Θέλει αρετή και τόλμη η ελευθερία. Και πάνω απ' όλα: ν' αντέχεις τη μοναξιά... Οι αετοί πετούν μονάχοι πάνω από ράχες απόκρημνων βράχων. Αγναντεύουν τις μυρμηγκιασμένες ακτές και ίσως... ίσως και να τις αποθυμούν...

Stormrider said...

πολλές φορές λέμε ότι η ελευθερία είναι ένα πάρα πολύ σχετικό πράγμα... ακόμη κι αυτοί που κυρήτουν αποκόλληση από κάθε λογής μορφές εξουσίας, τους γίνεται τόσο ψύχωση η έννοια της αντίδρασης και της ανεξαρτησίας που γίνονται έρμαιο ενός κόμπλεξ...

ένα είναι σίγουρο, η ελευθερία είναι απλά ένα state of mind και δεν έχει καμμία σχέση με τους οποιουσδήποτε κανόνες του εξωτερικού περιβάλλοντος.

Gorgi said...

I see your point. But in my opinion, there is nothing such as freedom. Everyone is in a cage but with different shape and size. The more wider ones view, the bigger his/her cage is. The more strict-minded someone is, the thicker one's bars are. There is always a cage, if not metal but pshysical (such as body). Unfortunately, one cant always be sure what kind of cage he/she in.

Anonymous said...

listin' this is my first comment but honestly your blog made me crazy what you're writing is amazing .it's obvious you're th best
thank you and continue
your best reader dali mlik

Pixie said...

@syna
Σίγουρα συμβιβαζόμαστε επειδή δεν αντέχουμε τη μοναξιά.Αλλά και τότε δεν είμαστε μόνοι μας εσωτερικά δηλαδή βιώνουμε μια εσωτερική μοναχιά πολυ χειρότερη.

@storm
ναι και εγώ για τα εσωτερικά κλουβιά μιλάω.Σίγουρα είναι state of mind.

@gorgi
I am an optimism but I can't disagree with what you say.For me my body is not a cage at least I don't perceive it like that.And in the mind I try to dare and grow from life experiences.I am not afraid to love and get hurt, I am not afraid to admit I am wrong and I value the process of change.I hope that it is a start....

@dali
thank you dali!I recognized who you are.Thank you for reading me.

Gorgi said...

From what you said I see that you values experience as well. Good or bad, the second thing that carries us forward and widen our point of view (namely, our cages) is experience. Still, it requires much courage to experience, as people mostly afraid of being hurt. Actually, I am that kind of a person myself.