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WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?
Running head: WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?
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What is enlightenment?
Enlightenment is the ability of an individual to have the audacity to use their understanding. When people don’t use their knowledge, they become lazy, and cowards who are some of the reasons why such individuals remain minor all their lives even after nature has released them from external guidance. These individuals become very comfortable as minors where they think they don’t have to use their understanding to better themselves hence becoming lazy and cowards.
Those minor individuals find it hard trying to come out of this situation of having the courage and using their understanding where after few fails, they feel intimidated and generally discouraged to take more attempts. For the public to enlighten itself, it must be given freedom. This means that when minor individuals are given the freedom, they can mingle with other men who will spread about them the spirit of a reasonable appreciation and the value and duty for him to think for himself. This will make them stop being minors and start using their courage to apply their understanding.
The existence of guardians in one’s life is a form of imprisonment as they only give advice that they think is right. They make someone fearful of their own decisions. This is entirely unethical as human beings are subject to error. A mistake made today will result in the right tomorrow, and the lives of individuals improve eventually. It becomes a hard task to derive someone from thinking that they are not capable of doing something. They lack the strength and vigor to face the challenge amicably and arrive at a radical solution by themselves. It is so dangerous for the man who believes that their decisions lead them to the wrong always. Life is all about challenges, but only for a free thinker that the challenges will make them push forth and play smarter to make ends meet.
If the public is given the freedom wholly to determine their destiny, enlightenment will almost be inevitable. Among the group will be free thinkers and self-appointed guardians with different opinions and preferences. The free thinker will enlighten the society as they will pass the spirit of positivity which allows men to determine their own life. The guardians on the other side will be pulling the society back with rumors and prejudices. They inform the society about their weakness and how a particular task has not been achieved even by the ancestors. Due to this, the speed of enlightenment in the general public will be slow.
There are instances where people can postpone their enlightenment but for a short time. When a man gives up enlighten for someone else or oneself, it is referred to as a violation of the sacred rights of man. We are not living in an enlightment age now, but we live in an age of enlightment. A religious leader is not supposed to impose people on anything since a man can use his reason in matters related to religion confidently and correctly.
Generally, enlightenment will only be achieved only if the public has the freedom to reason and act by themselves. By this, there will be peace as individuals can interact freely and realize their mistakes and how they can overcome them. This is the door to an innovative society as no single institution will interfere with the choices of the public but will act as a ladder towards enlightenment.