Why You're Nothing But a Cultural Marionette: Unravel the Strings or Stay a Puppet Forever

Hey, you think you're you, don't you? Big mistake.

Most people wander through life like they're the main character in a movie scripted by someone else. And that "someone else" is Culture. Yeah, the puppet master of your little illusionary theater.

You're not the free agent you think you are; you're a caricature, scribbled by an artist you've never met. Don't believe me?

Keep reading, but I warn you, the abyss is dark, and it's not afraid to stare back.

Your Phantom Freedom

Freedom.

Ah, the word tastes sweet, doesn't it? The irony is, it's a sugary illusion you've been sold.

Just like the caged bird thinks flying in circles is freedom, you, confined by cultural norms, think you're making choices. Look, I get it. You choose your clothes, your job, your spouse. But let's not kid ourselves. You're picking from a menu you didn't create. The menu is set by culture, tradition, societal norms…

…forces you've never questioned because they're invisible. Look, once upon a time I fell into existential crisis, and emerged from the cosmic maze awakened. Think it was me pulling the strings, do you?

Nah, it was a convergence of crises and cosmic winks that triggered a "me" I never knew.

The Theater of Self

So you presume I've mastered my own identity? Time to smash that illusion.

Yup, I'm into radical non-dualism, deep meditation, and ego transcendence. And yeah, I've navigated the spiritual scriptures of Ken Wilber, Ramana Maharshi, Carl Jung, and other celestial heavyweights.

Sure enough, I write, I coach, I 'self-actualize.' But hold on: that's just stage makeup, part of the cultural theater. I've traded one mask for another, one ornate set for an even grander stage. The real plot twist? Mastery isn't carving out a polished identity; it's obliterating the very concept of identity itself.

I can't unmask what's behind the façade, because the ultimate act is recognizing there's no mask at all. What remains? Well, nothing but…