Have you ever felt like no matter how much you try to live sustainably, think critically, or break free from the rat race, something is always pulling you back?
You're not imagining it.
The truth is, many of the systems we rely on—education, healthcare, democracy, policing, welfare, and even the internet—weren’t built for freedom, sustainability, or well-being. They were built for control, compliance, and profit.
This isn’t a conspiracy theory. It’s history.
Once you see the pattern, you can start breaking free.
The Hidden Pattern Behind Our Biggest Systems
Let’s take Facebook as an example. Most people think it was built to "connect the world." But before it became a billion-dollar empire, it started as Facemash—a website where Mark Zuckerberg hacked student databases, stole photos, and let people rank their classmates’ attractiveness.
It was exploitative, invasive, and unethical.
Fast forward 20 years, and Facebook still does exactly what it was designed to do—except now, instead of college students, it’s the entire world. Your emotions, habits, and data are tracked, manipulated, and monetised on a scale we never imagined.
And here’s the thing: Facebook isn’t the problem. It’s a symptom.
Because when you zoom out, this pattern exists everywhere.
A System Designed for Dependence, Not Freedom
Every system we interact with started as something different than what we were told.
🔹 The Internet 🌐💻
From a military tool (ARPANET) to mass surveillance disguised as free information.
🔹 Democracy 🗳️⚖️
From Athenian exclusivity to elite-controlled systems that give the illusion of popular power.
🔹 Policing 🚔🔗
From protecting property and enforcing class divisions to criminalising the poor and protecting corporate interests.
🔹 Pharmaceuticals 💊💰
From wartime chemical manufacturing to a for-profit industry prioritising treatment over cures.
🔹 Education 🎓🔄
From the Prussian model of obedient workers to a system stifling creativity and self-sufficiency.
🔹 Welfare 🏚️💸
From a safety net with strict conditions to a system designed to maintain dependency, not self-reliance.
🔹 The Military-Industrial Complex 💣💸
From defense to a self-sustaining war machine where profit drives conflict.
🔹 Big Agriculture & Consumerism 🌾🏭
From community-based, self-sufficient food systems to monoculture, soil depletion, and corporate-controlled food supply chains that prioritise profit over sustainability.
These systems didn’t become corrupt—they were designed for control.
And if they were built this way, they can be rebuilt.
So What Does This Mean for You?
This isn’t about doom and gloom—it’s about awareness.
It’s about realising that the obstacles you face aren’t personal failings—they’re structural.
You weren’t "bad at school"—school was designed to train workers, not free thinkers.
You weren’t "lazy" for struggling to get out of debt—our economic system is built on manufactured scarcity.
You weren’t "failing" at sustainable living—the entire system is designed to keep you consuming.
Once you see the pattern, you can step outside of it.
Instead of relying on broken systems, you can start building your own:
- Growing your own food.
- Creating local community networks.
- Healing outside of the pharmaceutical model.
- Learning and teaching outside of institutionalised education.
- Living on your own terms instead of being trapped in endless consumption.
The most powerful people in the world don’t play by these rules—they rewrite them.
So the question isn’t "Why is the world like this?"
The question is:
🔥 What systems are you ready to break free from? And what will you build in their place? 🔥
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever felt like the world is working against you when you try to live more freely, consciously, and sustainably—it’s because, in many ways, it is.
But real freedom starts with awareness.
Once you see the structure for what it is, you can step outside of it and start creating something better.
Not just for yourself—but for all of us.
💭 What’s one system you’ve questioned in your life? And how have you stepped outside of it?