Would you rather be unhappy and free or a happy slave?

Hey everyone, I'm currently working on a novel and this is one of the theme's I'm currently exploring in it. Though my own views will definitely come into play, I'm trying to remain as objective as possible so I'd really appreciate some feedback. Plus, I think it's quite an interesting question in any case.

I'll try to keep it fairly simple and flexible so to elaborate, would you rather:

a) be oppressed, controlled but blissfully unaware that you are in fact imprisoned. In this situation, you have nothing to compare your own state of existence against (similar to North Korea I guess). You live in prison, but as far as you know that is the way life always has been and always will be and you are happy not to question the status quo. You think you have everything you need and do not have any wants outside of what you already possess.

OR

b) understand that you are in prison, but unhappy as a result. This isn't really freedom in it's truest sense, but rather the freedom to realise that you are unhappy - or the freedom to understand that prison is not the only way in which a society can, or should, operate. You are pretty much alone in the awareness of how bad your situation is and that if everyone pooled together, they could actually make a positive change. No one is willing to support you in your pursuit of true freedom, you fail to fit into society and are hence, miserable.

?

Cheers!

a) blue pill

b) red pill

Honestly I'd go for the red pill. Even if I were unhappy, I'd at least have the satisfaction of trying to make my life better.. (if that makes any sense)

edit to add: I wasn't implying that you're copying the Matrix..... just the first thing that came to mind lol. it's an incredibly interesting and thought-provoking topic.

I would be a happy slave. Don't hate. Why would I want to live my life miserable when I can be happy? Honestly, if I wanted to be unhappy and free I would just rather kill myself... nothing is more free than death..

Unhappy and not ignorant because there is always hope for a revolution, and I would die trying. It is not possible for me to ignore what the world will be like for our children and grandchildren. It is my job to make the world a better place for them. If I can make a difference at the expense of my happiness, so be it.

well i'm pretty unhappy as a trapped slave, so i would rather be free and unhappy, cause i too could try to make it better

That question is easy! Being a happy slave is no life! Who ever heard of a happy slave, anyway? And who said being a slave was a life?

Jefferson said that those wishing to relinquish their freedom for security deserved none of both. Same goes here.
If you're willing to let go of your freedom for happiness, you deserve none of it!

And in my mind, the only way to make a slave happy is to give him/her freedom. But then, they are not slave anymore, so that happiness doesn't count...

I'd rather be unhappy and free, how can a slave even be happy?

Unhappy and free.

Freedom provides me the means to become happy (or happier). Being a slave means that I may be happy, but I don't have the power to make decisions for myself, eventually that happiness would fade.

To those who keep asking how you can be unhappy and a slave, he does explain. Its like the Matrix in the sense that you are not aware of your enslavement and kept happy.

And his free isnt really free, you are still trapped, its just your mind is free and you KNOW you are trapped.

I would probably opt for knowing I am trapped. I might regret that, however.

reply to post by arollingstone


Everything in this life is a trap in one way or another. I guess the challenge is to find a way to be as free as you can be within that trap. This world and it's players throughout the inception of time are just playing out their parts in the great drama of this planet. The human condition manifests it's own chains and always has.

reply to post by Rockdisjoint


Perhaps I titled this badly, I don't mean slave in the literal sense of intensive manual labour without pay.

Rather, consider this metaphor (isn't part of my story at all, but might sum it up better):

You are in a very bizarre jail, indeed. It is not reserved for criminals, but rather serves as a micro-society. You have access to food, drink, etc. but it is all fairly poor standard. There is very little to do in the way of entertainment and you spend most of your time working and sleeping. You can talk with friends once in a while, hang out but there's a curfew and no one really has much of a sense of humour. You were born in the prison, as was everyone living there and you are taught that this prison is basically the whole world. Men and women are segregated, they never meet but are kept on certain medication to suppress their sex drives. Therefore, though its a crap lifestyle with no fun to be had, everyone is content not to starve.

In reality though, there is a really cool city nearby, with loads to do. You can hang out with whoever you want whenever you want. There's great restaurants, bars, cinemas and everyone living there is super duper happy. You don't need money, it's whatever your concept of a utopia is and it's only about one mile away.

However, there is literally no conceivable way out of the prison you're in, escape or improving your way of life is not an option. Just for the sake of argument and avoiding any unnecessary specifics, there is NO way out and NO way of changing your environment no matter who finds out about this or what they want to do.

Would you rather know that this place exists or stay blissfully unaware that there is anything outside of the confines of where you live?

I am sure I am older than most here, with that
I can say that I have had both off and on thru
my life. I have had unhappy and free, happy
slave and very unhappy slave (cruel slave
owner)

Right now in my life I am Happy and Free but
too old to enjoy it all

reply to post by MrFake


Ha fair enough, that is an easier way of summing up the situation . Only, no matter what pill you take - hypothetically, there is nothing you can do to change anything! It simply makes you aware of the situation you're in.