Perhaps the most famous, and most beautiful, line in the sublime film “The Shawshank Redemption” is the following: “Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
The importance of this proclamation can’t be understated, nor should it ever be ignored. You see, the message here is clear: life is spent going through the motions and waiting around for something to happen, or something is made to happen. The choice is up to all of us, as long as we are free to choose.
Today, I am about to help the world gain even more freedom, because today is day one of FreedomFest. In fact, I am writing today’s issue from my hotel room in Memphis, where this year’s FreedomFest is about to go down.
If you are here at FreedomFest, be sure to find me and let me know. Or, you can drop by the Eagle Financial booth and tell my publisher, the one-and-only master of puppets and the very best in the business, Roger Michalski, that you are here, and that you are a member of team Deep Woods.
So, why is it so important to have an event such as FreedomFest?
Well, because freedom is always under attack, and because freedom is anathema to control, and those who want to rule men by control mechanisms such as fear, demagoguery and force must be thwarted at every turn.
This year’s FreedomFest theme is “The Soul of Liberty,” a theme that I love. The reason why is that my conception of “soul” is one that exists free of coercion, free of servitude and one imbued with libertarian freewill.
As the brilliant novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand wrote in “Atlas Shrugged,” “As man is a being of self-made wealth, so he is a being of self-made soul.” Indeed, I think we are beings of self-made soul, but in order for that soul to prosper, we require the freedom to choose. Unfortunately, freedom is under constant assault.
Anti-freedom, authoritarian forces on both extremes of the political and philosophic spectrum actually abhor the notion of liberty, as free minds thinking for themselves are viewed as a threat to their ability to impose control. And guess what, they are right.
Free-thinking humans are always a threat to wannabe demagogues, would-be dictators, authoritarians, nationalist movements or any other stripe of collectivism intent on telling you that they know what’s in your best interest and how you should live better than you do.
I reject this concept, and I do so by assuming the responsibility of thinking for myself. And, knowing that I have the responsibility of thinking for myself is why I love FreedomFest.
You see, in order to come to rational decisions about the world, one must be exposed to the best ideas. Moreover, one must also be exposed to ideas that one may disagree with, because it is only through carefully weighing opposing views that you can truly understand and properly defend your own views. And at FreedomFest, there are many opposing views presented, which is one of the reasons why I love it.
This year’s keynote speaker at FreedomFest is a man who my friend, colleague and FreedomFest founder Mark Skousen calls, “the man who has restored his faith in America.”
That man is Mike Rowe, executive producer of such TV series as “Dirty Jobs,” “Somebody’s Gotta Do It,” “How America Works” and “The Story Behind the Story.” Mike also is the author of the New York Times bestseller, “The Way I Heard It,” and he’s also a podcaster extraordinaire.
I’m looking forward to hearing Mike’s message about how he is making a difference in reinvigorating America’s work ethic through his mikeroweWORKS Foundation. I’m also looking forward to sampling some of Mike’s Knobel Tennessee Whiskey, as his sample offerings will no doubt result in one of the most popular booths at the Memphis bash.
Of course, Mike Rowe is only one of the many fantastic speakers at FreedomFest. The lineup also includes Steve Forbes, Tulsi Gabbard, Michael Shermer, Enes “Freedom” Kanter and Douglas Brinkley to name just a few.
There’s even a FreedomFest “jam session” where musically inclined attendees can go on stage and play music together. And here’s some news, your editor will be there playing and performing, too, and if you go you will be one of the first to hear new, original songs from my upcoming album.
Hey, it’s about to go down, so let the freedom party begin!
P.S. Come join me and my Eagle colleagues on an incredible cruise! We set sail on Dec. 4 for 16 days, embarking on a memorable journey that combines fascinating history, vibrant culture and picturesque scenery. Enjoy seminars on the days we are cruising from one destination to another, as well as dinners with members of the Eagle team. Just some of the places we’ll visit are Mexico, Belize, Panama, Ecuador and more! Click here now for all the details.
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Existential Freedom
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”
— Albert Camus
Existential freedom is a concept that’s hard to grasp, and even harder to live. Yet cultivating and living in a state of real existential freedom is, I suspect, the only real path to true happiness and true independence. So, free your mind — and the rest will follow.
Wisdom about money, investing and life can be found anywhere. If you have a good quote that you’d like me to share with your fellow readers, send it to me, along with any comments, questions and suggestions you have about my newsletters, seminars or anything else. Click here to ask Jim.
In the name of the best within us,
Jim Woods
