Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth

Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth from 2013 is a captivating documentary that provides unorthodox introspection into the world we live in, examining the influences that shape our lives and our perspectives. Directed by Raoul Martinez and Joshua van Praag, the film features interviews with intellectual heavy-hitters like Michael Albert, Stanley Aronowitz, Tony Benn, and others, who explore, question, and critique the structures of our societies.

The film embarks on a profound journey that begins with the premise that from the moment we are born, each of our lifetimes is ruled by the circumstances we encounter. These vary as widely as the world itself, from a comfortable upbringing in affluent suburban America to a life of unrelenting poverty in a war-torn third world country. The 'Lottery of Birth' refers to the consequences of this random allocation of start points and experiences that vastly dictate the trajectory of our lives.

Michael Albert, a renowned activist, economist, and writer, offers profound insights into societal power structures and the mechanisms that uphold them. The film's inclusion of Stanley Aronowitz, a well-respected professor and social critic, further deepens the discussion about our education systems, labor, and the continuous battle for democracy. Tony Benn, a British politician and devoted democratic socialist, adds a compelling perspective to the dialogue surrounding societal and political constructs at the heart of the film.

This intellectually challenging documentary retells the transformation of our perspective from feeling born free to realizing our lives are navigated by a veiled system of societal conditioning. Making use of rich philosophical observations, historical contexts, and social and political analyses, it sheds light on the unconscious influence of social conditioning and the illusion of free will.

These themes are woven into a thoughtful narrative, analyzing a multitude of areas where 'freedom' is a term thrown around casually but rarely truly understood or realized. The film features a groundbreaking exploration of several societal structures, such as education and media, and how they operate to maintain the status quo. It encourages fellow humans to question their conventional norms, their perceptions, their societal structures, and demonstrates how these factors indirectly manipulate our fundamental beliefs, choices, ambitions, and identities.

Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth does not dictate a particular solution or course of action, but rather opens a dialogue by challenging the viewer in confronting the peculiarity of their existence and asking potent questions – Are we as free as we believe ourselves to be? How does the conditioning of culture, education, politics, and media impact and guide our mentality, choices, and thus the direction of our life?

This film is indeed a wake-up call, a plea to contemplate and understand our societies and ourselves better. More a journey than a destination, it embodies the process of awakening, realization, questioning, and more importantly, the aspiration to understand what 'freedom' truly encapsulates.

Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth intertwines personal insights from intellectuals with the intricate ties of social and political structures, making it an important and necessary viewing. It poses itself as less of an answer sheet and more of a map, stirring individuals to explore their internal and external world. Its compelling narrative and contemplative tone leave viewers with a stronger desire to probe, challenge, and understand their perspectives, associations, and the concept of freedom.

In essence, Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth is not just a film but an instrumental tool that nudges its viewer to step into a deeper awareness about the world we live in and the unseen realities that shape our lives. It's a treat for those who enjoy introspective films and are eager to challenge their understanding of freedom and personal identity. The movie is a significant contribution to the genres of documentary cinema and social philosophy, with its though-provoking discourse and incisive exploration of societal structures.