The freedom thinking philosophy

Thinking without limits

Perhaps, one of the most valuable asset but also cheapest, and usually at cost-free is thinking.
You may raise questions; you are entitled to that. But I believe so. Guess how much Barrack
Obama might have spent in his campaign to rise up to the White House. It may be a fortune for
most families in Ghana. But did he, at one night, rise up there? No! He must have started with
thinking. He might have thought about becoming the first black United States president. On his
bed, in the bath room, in the living room, in the office he kept thinking. On his way to work, he
watched the way people were busy to work, and thought about how he could change things all
around. He thought of how he would transform the health sector of the country. He might have
also though about how he would negotiate for peace rather than fighting for peace. He had
almost become a president in his head. Had he paid a cent for all these thoughts?

Was he a president yet? No, but his thinking was gradually getting him there. Perhaps, he
laughed at himself. Are you joking? How can you become the United States president? But his
thinking resurfaced. He might have probably said, “it is possible, why not?” He might have
remembered Martin Luther King and his dreams. Then Obama might have said, “then I will
fulfill Luther’s dreams”. The thinking wouldn’t end there. He might have started thinking about
people he would contact, calls he would make, places he would visit, funds he would need,
messages he would deliver, physical strength he would need, and so on. At that stage, all he
might have done was thinking. Upon implementation of those thoughts, and further ones, here
he was in Ghana in July 2010, declaring the United States’ African Policy, which put Ghana on
the international watch – the Obamaic factor.

Defining freedom thinking

It isn’t Obama alone who has benefited from mere thinking. Several people have, including His
Excellency Prof. Atta Mills and me. Everybody can benefit from thinking. This is because
everyone has the capacity to think. Did God not put brains in humans’ head? What is the work
of the brain? Well, scientifically, it controls whatever function of the body. But frequently, the
brain thinks. It is programmed by God to think continuously, even during sleep. The brain can
think about anything. It isn’t anything it thinks about can be beneficial. Thus, the thinking must
be directed to a desired state. The ability to direct thinking to a desired state distinguishes a
number of things: attentive students and inattentive ones; the poor and the rich; the Christian
and the pagan, and so on.

Wobbly or unstable thoughts do not avail much. Can you imagine what would happen if Obama
had had unsteady thoughts? Such as “why am I’m worrying myself? Let me continue to be the
senator.” But upon discussing is motives with somebody, the people urged him on. However,
had the date for filing of nomination been past, he would have lost the opportunity. He would
not be the president today. What about if somebody had told him, “stop, don’t worry yourself
to become a president. Be content with the senator”. But he said, “No! I’ve got to become the
president. I want to help my nation, and the world. These are the reasons why you need to rally
behind me … and get me up into the White House.” This, perhaps, he actually did, indicates
independence in thinking. Such an independent thinking – a thinking that is not easily thrown
overboard due to a colleague’s or somebody’s mere comment, but painstakingly considers
various options and choose the desired directions – is what I refer to as Freedom Thinking.

Freedom thinking deficiency

Freedom thinking is a great asset. The world needs freedom thinkers. I vehemently contend
that with freedom thinking, most of the problems and challenges confronting human race
today could be prevented or can be avoided. I will first show how the lack of freedom thinking
and/or its deficiency has derailed, and is derailing different groups of people such as students,
families or marriages, politicians, businessmen and Christians.

In its entirety, freedom thinking deficiency renders people dependent, unstable and above all
weak in thinking and taking decisions. A clear syndrome of freedom thinking deficiency include
a tacit vulnerability within the person, insularity about the future implications of decisions
being made, frequent apportionment of blame on other people for bad fortunes, guilt and
confusion, fear and inability to voice out grievances, and most often, ‘had I known’.

How do these, or some of these manifest among students? Perchance due to my regular
interaction with students, and the work I do, it seems clear to me that most students lack the
capacity to freely think and take decisions. They lack freedom thinking. It is common to find
students who are so confused about the programme they are currently studying, not only at
second-cycle level, but also at the tertiary level. Why did they get there, and why are they still
in there? Parents, teachers and sometimes friends might have decided the academic
programmes for such students. Though I don’t rule out the fact that students need to be guided
about the programmes they choose to study, I unambiguously oppose actively choosing a
programme for them. Now the seemingly error has been committed, the student suffer the
vulnerability, insularity and psychological trauma. The student may still be in the programme
because, yet again, he lacks the freedom to think and decide on what to do next. The deficiency
is not only with choosing programmes.

It is also about their everyday activity on campus. Some students cannot think of what they
should do in a day, week or ever the next month. Due to this, anything goes. Their activities are
then largely determined by friends and circumstances. Also, some students are coiled in their
shelves, unable to ask questions even if there is the need. These, in the end, negatively affect
their academic performance. To reverse this situation, you need to be a freedom thinker.

Among politicians, the freedom thinking deficiency appears clearer. Perhaps one of the
defectives of the parliamentary system is that it presupposes that all members of the majority
should agree to one thing, whether good or bad, whether it is in best the interest of the nation
or not, whether they (individually) agree or not. The minority also appear to go the same line,
except in some few cases when you hear part of the minority having different opinions. To me,
those decisions based on minority majority lines are very dependent and are therefore not
subject to critical individual scrutiny. I strongly believe that if the individual parliamentarians
are allowed to think freely and decide, there would be surprises in the decisions that are usually
taken by the majority side of the parliament. I do not disprove collective decisions, no! But I
disprove rubber-stamp collective decision. I applaud collective decisions made by independent
individuals who freely think and makes a final conclusion, though, majority rules. As an evident
in the December 2008 General Elections, Ghanaian electorates are now able to decide freely
and turn the ball to whichever direction. Politicians beware!

With the veil of Christianity, spiritism and divine revelations, some Christians become victims of
deception, vulnerability and unwittingly dependent. While it is true that some Christian believes
cannot be understood from humanly point of view, it is also true that some Christians have
become so weak and vulnerable to canning deceptions of false prophets due to their deficiency
in thinking freely. It is incredible how some Christians are maneuvered to deliver their money,
vehicles, houses and so on to their so-called pastors and prophets. With little freedom thinking,
this should not be so. It is clear. How can a so-called prophet, who does not work at any
embassy in the world, promise to give you a visa? Or is it because he might promise that in the
name of Jesus Christ? I am not sure that is the message Christ wanted his people to preach. Go
back to your bible, read it carefully, apply your understanding and rest the urgent desire to
travel for a while and you will realize how lured are you into deception. The traveling issue is
just one of the many circumstance at which some Christians are enslaved due to their inability
to freely think and decide. Women are batched by their so-called prophets, men kill because
their prophets tell them their mothers are bewitching them, and so on. Christians are to wake
up, and be wise as the serpent!

Freedom thinking as a solution

The examples of freedom thinking deficiency and how it is ruining people may not be exhausted
in this piece, but must be continued in your mind. Realizing these, the claim that freedom
thinking could prevent, or can solve most of our problems today can well be appreciated. Two
features of freedom thinking may be the basis for problem solving. First, is the desire to
independently think rationally and the willingness to uphold integrity; and second, declining to
apportion blame and looking within as the probable solution to the problem. Are these not
mere thinking?

Certainly not! A freedom thinking student, before choosing an academic programme, realizes
that the final decision for the choice of programme is his, and that he will not blame anybody
when he encounters problems later. This thinking can help him to reassess himself and identify
how best amends can be made instead of always lamenting over his worries and blaming his
parents or teachers who perhaps might have chosen the programme for him. Freedom
thinkers, though polite, do not fear to say ‘no’ with reasons. Students who can politely say ‘no’
solve or prevent several problems. For instance, roommates are preparing for night club, but
the notes are virgin like Lot’s daughters. They beckoned on you to accompany them. The
student who is able to say ‘no’ can save time to learn. However, if he fails to say ‘no’ and does
not give reasons, his friends will tell him why he should say ‘yes’ and give him reasons why he
should accompany them. Freedom thinking can help a student to ask questions, concentrate on
studies, follow his timetable, avoid wasting money and ultimately excelling in examinations.

A time is coming, and is near, that politicians will not perceive issues on political grounds but
rather nationalistic and firm conviction that certain actions must be taken irrespective of party
stands. That would mean that, though they are where they might be on party tickets, thinking
freely or independently, they would not be bounded by parochial party interests. However rare
it may seem, politicians are the key to addressing most of the problems in our societies. This is
because, they, when in power, control resources, including the decision to use or not to use a
given resource. With bounded mindsets leading to myopic ideas, the resources are not
judiciously utilized, and hence, the problems still persist. No much detail is needed to
understand this point. A brief flashback over the last few decades reveal several counts of
embezzlement of public funds, misappropriation of funds, abandonment of state funded
programmes and projects, million-dollar celebrations with limited social and economic impacts
and so on. What are our priorities as Ghanaians, and whose interest does the politician serve?
Freedom thinking politicians are, to me, desired.

No doubt freedom thinking is the way to go. The slavery and dependency mentality must find
exits. The dogmatic actions need ends. The breeze of interrogating the status quo and finding
innovative and uncoated solutions is near. Freedom thinkers, we need. How then is this
possible? How can one become a freedom thinker? Good question!

Becoming a freedom thinker

Becoming a freedom thinker is not a difficult task, but it demands mental re-adjustment. In
doing that, some important admissions must be made:
 First, nobody can make you better than you can. This is not to say that you do not need
any assistance from somebody. Rather, if you can better your life, the first place to look
is within you.
Second, thinking is an asset. Your ability to think is your power to effect changes. Failure
to think corrupts the mind; you become dogmatic.
Third, informed self-made decisions works better than imposed decisions. It is better to
provide the necessary pros and cons on an issue for a person to decide which way to go
than to actively choose a direction for that person.
Fourth, save Jesus Christ, no human is ever sacrosanct. Thus, you may go off track but do
not remain there; bounce back.

Having convinced yourself with, and grounded your thoughts in the above, you are close to
becoming a freedom thinker. What is left is how you approach issues with a mindset of thinking
and being independent, though you may seek advice from other people. At this stage of the
concept development, the following strategies can be applied, though they may not be
exhaustive. In order not to limit the applicability of these strategies, they are presented rather
generically.

Say your mind politely

The ability to say your mind depends whether or not you have something on your mind.
Quite often, people have something on their minds. This is probably so because in part,
the mind is programmed to think, and in part, the mind registers daily incidence.

What may be on your mind may be pleasant or bitter. Whichever way it may be, saying
it politely will avail much. In our societies, it is seen as impolite when you talk whiles the
elderly talks. Due to this, many people, from infancy, have been precluded from making
their thoughts known. While I sincerely accept that children should not be interrupting
when somebody, especially the elderly, is talking, I frown upon attempts to forbid
children from openly bringing out their thought. It shrinks their ideas. In as much as I
would desire that people feel free to voice out their thoughts, including grievances, I
would sincerely ask that it be done in a more respectful and civil manner.

Respect others’ opinions

Sometimes, it becomes sad to see a man who thinks that he has the whole world’s
knowledge and that what he says is always final and unquestionable. That person is you
if you do not respect others’ opinions. A freedom thinking person should try and
recognize other people, their views and what they stand for. This is because, “opinion
[they say] are like noses”. Since everyone has a nose, so do each person has opinions.
Respect their views and thoughts. Never treat a person with contempt because of his or
her opinions. Think of an instance in your mind and you will realize how this strategy is
powerful.

Notwithstanding, respecting others’ views does not mean you should necessarily
succumb to their dictates or demands. This does not also mean you cannot share
somebody’s opinion. As a freedom thinker, your interest is to have the independence to
decide freely and take blames for your actions. Therefore, somebody’s opinions may be
vital in your decision; there is nothing wrong taping into that.

Ask important questions

What generates answers? A question of course! Important questions generate
important answers; important answers lead to important decisions. A freedom thinking
person does not only ask him/herself questions but also the society, bible, academia,
and so on. It is important to note that it is not always that somebody has to answer your
question. Some questions may demand that you undertake a research to convince
yourself on some issues.

Be reasonable
Reasonableness can be associated with sensibleness, rationality, practicable, realism
and levelheadedness. Being reasonable largely depends on ability to think, ask questions
and gather relevant information to decide. The lawyers understand reasonableness
perhaps in a simplified way. They use the layman’s view on matters or issues to
determine reasonability. For instance, a layman’s view is that a pastor does not give
visas. Therefore for a person to have paid money to a pastor for visa means that person
was not being reasonable.

Reasonableness can easily be ignored [though it should not be so] especially when a
person finds himself in a very difficult circumstance. In such a quagmire, without careful
reflection, you can behave very irrational. In such situations, one should be guided by
some principles: God will not test you beyond your strength; and no condition is ever
permanent. Calm down, reflect and do the right thing. This is one of the challenges in
becoming a freedom thinker.

Pursue variety
The adage that “there are so many ways of killing a cat” is well known but it seems its
denotation loosely expatiated. Sometimes, people use this adage to justify why they
used a particular method to do something. When they are confronted, the usually
argument is that “there so many ways of killing a cat”. Scarcely will they tell you the
 other ways. A freedom thinking person does not go that way. As practical as possible,
make sure you have a number of options to choose from. Once you do, you can carefully
appraise the strengths and weaknesses of each option thereby enabling you to make an
informed choice. Another advantage is that, you will always have a contingency plan.
The setback with this strategy is that it cannot be pursued by indolent people. Go for
variety for it is a sure way to make a wise decision.

Own your decisions

I may be wrong, but at this stage, the weakest person to me is the man who cannot take
decisions let alone “owning” it. It is important that you stand firm and take decision.
More crucially, let the decision be yours and avoid apportioning blames for misfortunes.
Owning your decisions means though you might have sought advice from somebody, or
somebody actively chose a path for you, when things go wayward, don’t hide at a corner
lament over the person who gave you the advice. Rather, put the blame on yourself and
quickly find the next line of action. However, when there is a success, don’t forget to
show appreciation to the person who gave you advice.

Be you but aim high

Pretenders do things they would not do if they were “they”. This means that do not
appear who you are not in the sight of people. Appear normal. As long as you need to
be “you”, your “you” should not be constant. There should be enrichment. As a freedom
thinker, you need to better your “you” almost always because thinking is unlimited .

Conclusion
Perhaps as you read this piece, you keep saying “Oh, he is only saying what pleases him”. Yes! You are
right. That is the thinking asset. What I seek to do is to challenge people to consider thinking freely. I
may achieve it or not. That is how great scientists and philosophers started... Great accomplishments
begin with freedom thinking.

SHS Education: an angel or a devil?

Our children, our cocoa?