Conquering the prison of life

By Daniel Muse. Daniel is a student at the University of Eldoret, Kenya. Please read his entry and leave your thoughts and comments below. *Second Place in the NUHA Adult Blogging Prize 2018*

As a matter of fact: education by itself is a tool, a source of conditioned power and a redeemer of human wits. This is because throughout the ages society has witnessed a tough battle, a war of minds. The conquered in this contest have limited space in the community. Just as other sources of power, the impact of conditioned power is far beyond any illusion. With much of its essence hidden in the behind the ability to receive, perceive and apply knowledge. This is due to the fact that without education, humans are more than often reduced to caged animals. They remain limited to exploring humanity behind the molten fences of their cages.

As we journey through the prison of life, we also expose the cognitive ability of humanity to a test. The ability to recognize mistreatments, identify their solutions and make a step towards setting themselves free. For, how do we know we need freedom unless we realize our mistreatments? How do we fight our way to freedom lest we identify the means to use? Lastly how can we get freedom unless we make an effort in fighting for it? Our prison is centered on the aura of our society that has always been the source of ill treatments. The chambers of this prison are well defined through the socio-cultural, political and economic intimidations. Surprisingly, all these chambers in the prison of life have a common key. The anonymous key is hidden in the logical words of Aristotle, “human beings by nature have a desire to know.” Yes, an inner desire: to envisage the causes of their perils and their amicable solutions.

The first cell of the prison: political captivity has the popular minority as the outstanding victims. The custodians of the cell are mostly aristocrats. The society in this case has much suffering to bear making the chamber stinky of ill practices. The masters always possess expressive freedom and then practice of other rights. They even use their power to execute ill desires of: corruption, egoism and nepotism. The oppressor and their subjects in this case will always co-exist in a non-enlightened society. The prisoners in this case may sometimes unknowingly embrace their misleaders. The introduction of education in such community always brings impeccable changes. First education brings the subject into light with truth helping them realize their mistreatments. The knowledge acquisition thereafter expands to sensitizing the enslaved on their rights and how to protect them. In response, an inner awakening is experienced by the subjects. The prisoners will therefore develop a liberal mind towards their treatments. This is put in practice by a move to demand freedom in such a political setting. As this happens education acts as a key through unlocking the minds and helps set the enslaved free. Though the process is always gradual, its impacts as witnessed in USA and France in 18th Century were incredibly liberating.

As we go deep in the prison; we enter its second cell, economic exploitation. The lords to this chamber are the monopolizing capitalists. They have both the condign and compensatory power clinging onto their hands. The oppressors in this cell possess a heart of iron, characterized by power to compel any form of competition. The ignorant society in this case is always at the mercies of its lords. On desire, the lords hoard commodities and upon ‘worship ‘release them at hiked prices. In such a society education holds much relevance in opening the prison chamber. Need for freedom is therefore realized on dissemination of knowledge on production in an enclosed market. The enlightened gradually emanates to protesters of poor service provision. If no response is realized a different approach is apparently employed. They consequently start utilizing the knowledge on crop production to manufacture goods and provide competing satisfactory services. In so doing the power of monopoly is partly taken from the oppressors. More than often, the economic prison in this case is slowly opened by the rise of many imitating and innovative entrepreneurs. The custodian to power is forced to give in to the pressure from the enlightened. This in long run helps close the prison since the monopolies have reduced dominion in the society. The impact of education becomes completely liberating from the prison.

The third section of the prison is a more grotesque figure. The cell rightly usurps the name, Socio-cultural intimidation. The gods of this chamber have familiar names .Figurative warders include; race, religion and other custom based emblems. The oppressors in the cell are driven by superiority complex. The tyranny in this chamber has been lured into a trap symbolized by: inferiority, fear and submission. The lords in the chamber use their professionalism in seduction and thereafter pregnant the subjects with deceits. The lies about a superior race, religion and cultural practices .The minds of the victims are eventually duped into a cell too difficult to open. The proprietor builds vast shrines then sits in raised positions receiving worship from the masses. Some of their altars are built in open grounds while others are erected in the souls of men. At an impeding approach of education, the lords in this prison become terrified .The society receives sensitization on the equality resting within the limits of: race, culture and religion. The monster’s shrine experiences a shake. The number of believer s to the fallacies drastically decreases due to unfolded knowledge. For instance the rise Martin Luther to spearhead Reformation justifies the impacts. His efforts in this case could be equivalent to a tool for liberation. As it happened first to Germany, then the entire world. In regard to this education systems everywhere have a perenialistic approach towards culture. Education entails helping people; appreciate who they are, knowing their weaknesses and building on themselves to bring about a desirable change. In this case; education acts as a key through empowering humanity without stigmatization, thus bringing about a better society.

As a matter of fact, the greatest prison the world has ever had is a colonized mind. Liberation therefore starts with the minds then to actions. Based on the concise journey through the prison of life, we have much certainties to make are based on the ability of education to unlock and lock all the prisons .Through freedom by introduction of education ,a locked cell is literally opened. As freedom dominates the captives are therefore allowed out of the prison. The cycle continues when they step outside the prison. Lack of inmates in this case symbolizes irrelevance of a prison. This therefore implies that; any attempt to close a physical prison must start from one’s psyche. Once the community is liberated from prejudices then we gain more than victory. Physical prisons are symbols of the greatly colonized minds in the society. If physical prisons need to be closed; people need to understand and appreciate their rights, then the rights of others. This cannot be done without cognitive deliverance. The whole process of knowledge acquisition greatly relies on formalized education. The formal system of education is greatly aided by the schooling system. This therefore affirms the philosophical sentiment; ‘He, who opens a school door, closes a prison.’

97 comments on “Conquering the prison of life

  1. Joseph Muchina on

    That’s TRUE Indeed, liberation should start in mind. The acquisition of the formal knowledge sets the Learners free. I concur with this perspective approach to freedom. Knowledge is power compelling learners out of the prison of life.

  2. Hussein on

    In deed this is a real reflection of the society we live in today. Let the mind be an influential aspect in conquering the situation.

  3. Peter Mungoni on

    True this , the worst prison of life is that which someone is a mind and mental captive and getting education about our rights, where we came from and getting conscious about our in-self is what will deliver us from this chains and shackles.

  4. Felix on

    More than anything we have,we truly need education. Knowledge by itself is power with ability to set us free free any form of fallacies…. This piece verily reflects our society!

  5. Tarus on

    Life by itself being dynamic means know-how has a role in sharing it …we must therefore embrace knowledge in order to change our society…A step towards applying it is of much benefit to our society…Bad people exhist because good people don’t speak for truth and give it to the society! The piece is really captivating!

  6. Moses Chumba on

    Our society has since time immemorial resided in doom due to lack of education .The same prisons of political,social and economic settings have hindered many reducing the to unlettered jailbirds I agree with you that we truly need freedom of wits then its application breeds a state of peace and up hold of human rights.

  7. Fridah Opudo on

    Education therefore becomes the enlighter of bright future ahead that we would like to have.. Hence the article of course has already started by being a good example of delivering education to us because our minds have taken in an important point that education has a key role towards our life and future.

  8. Cate on

    Many a times we have just been duped in following things that only benefits a certain group of individuals… This is indeed a true slavery for we not only need to do that but know why we have to… For us to know this we also have to get a clear option in doing that .Martin Luther opened the minds of people and though the Jesuits tried countering him… They couldn’t counter the truth people had and were willing to apply…

  9. Joicy on

    This is true .I agree with this because its what we have always seen in our society… If we need change we must embrace education.

  10. Diphas on

    Really inspiring.I concur with the truth. We cannot live without such insights. Personally I see our society with potential to make steps but this ill is a great hindrance… lack of education is truly a killer.

  11. Frank on

    Very interesting.I look forward to a moment when all our society will be enlightened .This will be a very free state of exhistance .Education is power.

  12. Hillary on

    Education is a key that unlocks human potentials .”I think therefore I am. “by Descartes is a true implication of how educated minds think after empowerment.. An educated mind is a really liberated wit… This article has much to imitate in the prisons we have in our universe!

  13. Hezbon on

    “You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” This truth is what education is meant to set us in light to .We need freedom, we need a free state of mind.

  14. David on

    I have lived enough to witness the war of minds,using ideology to dominate and suppress the less privileged.This gives me a concrete reason to assert to the article.

  15. Esther on

    Just as the article article says…its a true fact the education can bring a really change in the society we need to embrace this for a newer society for he who educates a person truly empowers him .

  16. Diana on

    If we must speak of any freedom then enlightenment must always have a place in the society. Education is a powerful instrument in our endowment. Our advocate for education is a true effort towards change. Very good insight indeed.

  17. Clinton on

    Marcus Garvey agitated for education and He gave us a reason to believe it can be a source of freedom. We need to embrace his efforts by our beliefs in the value he laid for us.

  18. kiptoo on

    In our society its of much essence to agree to such bitter truth.We need to embrace it with goodness of mind and positivity to impact change

  19. Wacu on

    In a community where illiteracy is the order of the day… We often realize mistreatments …we must therefore use education to counter such….True mindset.

  20. Naomi on

    A life well lived is always aided by education… A life free of intimidation and many social suppressions…we ought to realize the importance of education in personal empowerment a tool for freedom and legitimacy of our minds…

  21. Mayaka on

    Good work! The author has really challenged my understanding of the role of education in empowerment…I have a reason to agree with this wholesomely. Really true insight!

  22. Muse Bnfc on

    Meritorious article! Education is in fact “the master key” to liberty. I’m in consensus with your thoughts all the way.

  23. Adwa on

    The war of mind is terribly dorminiting our universe we need to realise this and engage our efforts to decolonization of minds …Free minds are purely liberated that’s why we need to join our efforts towards it.As the article says” humans by nature have a desire to know”…We can utilise this driving force in their minds by imparting knowledge to them.The article is verily true…

  24. Wellington on

    Martin Lurther fought for empowerment of mind during the period of reformation,at the point people could not see the fruits this could bear…Literaly at that point the whole world was in chains of the papacy system…they needed a light to go a notch ahead to be set free ftom fallacies. Relating that to what we see now …we can agree that humans are experiencing freedom of worship with no superior way of worship imposed to them. The truth in this piece can be figured in our the world to be valid.Good philosophical mind expressed.

  25. Douglas on

    If literature is alive.. Then this is a Soviet mind the philosophy in this article is really absolute… Really changed my perception of education in philosophical scope.

  26. Gathiru on

    This article really makes me recall some truths …The efforts by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to make his country embrace the social impact of education to their lives …He agitated for a fate the word need to embrace: a walk towards the freed minds …minds that could discover truth and love to be enlightened… His fruits are being celebrated in Tanzania for initiation of a new nation free from dogma and ill treatments …though not fully realised there is a reason to smile regarding the efforts… Truly the article leaves truth well said!

  27. Asida on

    The society is critically built on the basis of prejudice… A true liberation therefore counts when we free humanity from these ill misconceptions that have acted as hindrances to truth …humans therefore need to be enlightened …

  28. Jebbi on

    Throughout the evolution process human beings have passed through stages of knowledge acquisition which have had a crucial relevance…for instance the power potrayed in acquainted society cannot be illusioned by any means…a talk about knowledge impartion is a dynamic agenda based on liberty of both social, economic and political arena!

  29. Scolateng on

    The world today has really changed… It has been literally altered to a zone where struggle for the fittest makes the order of the day… To fit in this society one must be cognitively equipped to deals with predators of their lives. Those who are not well equipped are ofttenly reduced to preys… We have seen this happen in both colonial and neocolonial states… Mark you those with knowledgea good candidates for self liberation… For instance the fruits of a truly liberal minds calls of education… This will entails helping people move from the cages of understanding, expression and perception… I agree with the article that if we need change then intellectual knowledge impartion must be upheld… Great work indeed!

  30. Shyline on

    I thought Socrates, Aristotle and Plato long dead but I can see some philosophical wits alive …truly it is worth the shortlist.bravo!

  31. Charity on

    I like this kind of philosophical thinking the world might have thought the death of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle but the thinking depicted here brings them back to life!


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