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The Act of Being
In last week’s episode of EZ Conversations, I spoke with Laszlo “Les” Suhajda about his childhood in Hungary during the communist era. Les shared how fear and suspicion fractured communities and quietly eroded faith. When he was just five years old, his family escaped as refugees by walking through the night to the Austrian border, helped along the way by soldiers.
They eventually arrived in the United States, where Les thrived, building a successful life and contributing meaningfully to his community. As we reflected on his story, one thing became clear: freedom always carries a cost.
That cost helps explain why many people remain stuck in situations — or ways of thinking — that no longer serve them. This isn’t a judgment; it’s human nature. Freedom demands uncertainty, responsibility, and the willingness to let go of familiar narratives.
Sometimes, freedom isn’t physical at all — it’s psychological.
Just as political systems can imprison bodies, unexamined beliefs can imprison minds — and self-deception is the lock we rarely notice.
In The Black Swan, Nassim Nicholas Taleb describes how blind spots and overconfidence distort our sense of reality. We mistake certainty for truth and confidence for competence. Building on this, evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers argues that humans deceive themselves to more effectively deceive others — smoothing over doubt while reinforcing rigid worldviews.
I was reminded of this recently in an online exchange where apparent confidence masked self-inflation, rigidity, and an illusion of control. In that moment, freedom didn’t come from persuading or winning the argument. It came from disengaging.
Walking away wasn’t easy — but it was necessary.
Becoming aware of our own capacity for self-deception is uncomfortable. It unsettles the ego. Yet that discomfort is also the doorway to growth. Awareness invites humility. Humility restores curiosity. And curiosity is where freedom begins.
Les’ story reminds us that freedom is rarely dramatic. More often, it’s a quiet choice — to keep walking, to let go, to choose truth over comfort.
Freedom is never the easy road.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation
If this reflection resonates, I invite you to listen to my full conversation with Les on EZ Conversations, where we explore resilience, conviction, and the hidden costs of freedom.
👉 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7r9ImEopmsXVi5030Wryjy
Reflection question: Where might self-deception be quietly limiting your own freedom?
A snippet of the Episode
Head to YouTube for the full episode. Or Subscribe below:
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