Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

With Independence day now past, just thinking of this bold phrase, mostly the third element, the pursuit of happiness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life,_liberty_and_the_pursuit_of_happiness

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0705-12.htm
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"
-- Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776


Just thinking about the nature of freedom, including our freedom to be stupid and reckless. As well I remember a film about the underground railroad taking slaves north to freedom, and upon reaching safety a slave commented that he didn't know what to do with freedom, no longer limited to will of those in power over him.

There's a security and happiness available as well in slavery, of any sort, of slavery to vices and drugs and being self-destructive, disabling the possibility to escape. Financial slavery to debt also comes to mind. I mean at one level we can frolic and feel good spending money, and yet the debt always stands behind so many unopened doors, always holding us down from serious contemplation of what real freedom means.

I suppose clever people, those who are good at reading people's motives and fears can manipulate them easily into serving their interest. I think of the classic example of trading with the indians, getting them to sign over land and resources in exchange for booze or trinkets, whether the deal was fully understood or not, doesn't matter. I don't like to think of the world is full of people trying to manipulate and control me, but it exists. Marketers take the art to the limit, and claim they're helping society, empowering people to better know their wants and desires, or whatever story they tell.

It's no fun to think of the world as something to be weary of, but as well we have to see its our own hearts that lead us blindly into traps, even when there's no outside villians seducing us down a dark path. It does seem that the "wisdom" of age is merely caution, merely holding back our childish desires to take in everything fully.

No much more I can say now, just that I accept that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are good rights to hold, at least for those brave enough to try.