Medieval society, in the west, comparable to Hindu society, allowed people to check out of the game. It revered and encouraged hermits, monks, nuns of various typed of discipline. This is not encouraged in contemporary society. Insecure societies are the most intolerant to those who are non-joiners. They are so unsure of the validity of their game rules that they say “everyone must play!”
Now that’s a double bind. You can’t say to a person “You must play!” because what you’re saying is you are required to do something which will be acceptable, only if you do it voluntarily. So “everyone must play!” is the rule in the United States and almost all republic governments. That kind of society, watch out for it! It turns in a quick click into fascism because of it’s terror of the outsider.
Now a free and easy society loves outsiders and takes care of them. In our present world, you cannot abandon nationality without the greatest difficulty. People who try to abandon nationality get constantly deported from one place to another. You must belong to this thing! as Thoreau put it, “However far into the forest you may go – men will pursue you and compel you to belong to their desperate company of odd fellows.”
~ Alan Watts
Kinnaird 