[s4s] Tribune

do you agree?

By Anonymous | Updated 05/10/26(Sun)12:22:19

you know, i think the nazis actually had the right idea when they adopted that "work makes you free" (arbeit macht frei) slogan for their death camps. people will tell you it was a cynical way of mocking the prisoners, deluding them into thinking they'd be released for excellent labor, but i think the meaning of the phrase is far more open to interpretation than it may appear. the original meaning (from the 19th century) was intended to promote self-reliance and intellectual fulfillment. but to me, i think of it in a way that blends the two interpretations.

hard work/self-discipline are helpful in achieving financial independence and a nice life, of course. they also make time go by faster, so you don't have to self-reflect and rest. not to mention the physical toll associated with long hours/blue collar jobs.

guess what? those two things speed up the rate at which you are set free from this world, into permanent rest. and when you accomplish things, you are freed from the chains of guilt/selfishness just before you're freed from life. it's quite amazing.