It is true I suppose that having little to no freedom can be less stressful, for example, there is no stress in looking for a job (one is decided for you based on family or caste), there is no stress in finding a gf, bf, or spouse (arranged marriage), etc. But do you really want your parents and community to choose your lifelong spouse? What if you are a woman and you are in a misogynistic culture? What if you are gay?mal4mac wrote:Isn't there a Jewish spiritual path? Having choices like "marriage" and " clothes" taken care of seems somewhat appealing to me - positive psychologist Barry Schwartz argues convincingly that having so many choices causes incredible stress. With universal knowledge & travel we are faced with the stress of choosing between every spiritual path that has ever been written down, or is still practiced. It's not obvious to me that this is a better situation than going with the path you were born with (as long as it is rich enough...)David N. Snyder wrote:... if you were born in 19th century Poland to a Hassidic Jewish family your fate was pretty much sealed what you would do, who you would marry, even what clothes you can wear -- for life. Your chance for even hearing the word Dhamma is slim to nil. Of course in some instances this is still the case, but the numbers sealed to such a fate is dwindling.
I prefer the freedom of choice. Most everything worth achieving comes with some stress, be it an education (stressful going to school), finding a spouse, a career, business, practicing long meditation sessions is also stressful, going to long retreats is also stressful.
No_Mind wrote:I am alone and a failure in eyes of society; I have suffered in most ways possible except cancer or amputation .. but I choose to be happy
You are not alone. 
