Freedom

Absolute freedom.
A common demand by every one of us, but how much do we really want it?
And if everyone wants it why is our society based upon the lack of it.
It is true that men have fought some thousands of wars over it or with the excuse of it. Poetry, prose, music and painting have been used as tools to demand or praise freedom.

But what is freedom first of all?
According to the American Heritage dictionary it is: The condition of being free of restrains. The capacity to exercise choice; free will.
Freedom is indeed the absence of boundaries and limits of any sort, whether that be a leaders will, unwritten rules, laws or even society’s demands.
One person alone, hypothetically at least, can be absolutely free.

Two people, living in the same place, can never be free. Society, human interaction is what limits our freedom.
But, we are social beings, at least according to Aristotle.
How can we then be free and part of society? We cant!

Freedom is a Myth.

There is no absolute freedom.
Ever since man created societies there has been none, ever.
It is Just as Lenin said:

"While the State exists, there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State."

Society and freedom can’t co-exist.
Living in a society, any kind of society, be it a family, a school or a community, is not possible without the compromise of our freedom. Everything we say, everything we do is controlled and limited for the good of others and ourselves.

Laws too are a compromise.

Laws were established after all to serve society. Law is an agreement, in which we compromise and limit our freedom in order for everyone to do the same and therefore protect ourselves from others. Since laws are then the foundation of our society, then our society is based upon a compromise of our freedom.

Let’s look at an everyday example. Fashion.

Fashion is another aspect through which we can realize even rather simplistically the torment of absolute freedom.

Imagine entering this huge shop, your choices are indeed infinite. You have no limitations. How would you feel? Excited? Take a second to think about it. My guess is that were it not for fashion’s do’s and don’t ‘s you would be lost in that chaos. What would you base your choice on? Taste? Who do you think forms that taste? Isn’t it society?

Because we live in a society, we have the comfort of choosing what is accepted by our group; that is what gives us the reassurance that our choice is approved of by someone else.

Now think of something utterly different: What is your dream career? What are you going to do in your life? Do you think you really have the freedom to choose?

First and foremost there is your…mother and maybe your father! Your family has a tremendous influence on your choice. What is more, we could never exclude from the factors that, “have a say” on your career choice, your sex, your skin color, your social status and even your talent! These are all “little” things that together create a barrier between you and your freedom.

But, there is still freedom of thought, right?

Even what you think is limited by society, if your thoughts are immoral or abnormal you are taught to dismiss them yourself, you are taught to consider them sinful and evil.

What freedom then is there? Even in thinking? Shame and morality are the yoke of the minds and souls.

Hence, we cannot have societies if we want to be free. Without societies, though, man cannot survive. Thanks to society we endured when we were the least able to face nature. It was the society that enabled us to progress.

We have established then that there is no absolute freedom within society’s framework. Yet everyone cries for it, demands it, even fights for it.

Possibly because we haven’t realized what absolute freedom really is.

Well according to many philosophers, amongst whom Nietzsche holds a prominent position, crime is the only act of freedom.

Crime, breaking the law, is in fact an act against the social group one is a part of, yet at the same time it is the only absolute act of freedom because it is an act that breaks all limitations and restrictions.

But, we need not go to such extremes, even on principle we don’t want freedom, because freedom scares us. Or as George Bernard Shaw put it: "Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it."

You all must have at least once wished you could go back and those happy days when you were kids, when you were young, didn’t have wrinkles, didn’t have a drivers license and didn’t have to worry about taxes. Well taxes are exactly my point. The reason why you want to go back to your childhood is because it is the age when you had less freedom, less freedom meant less responsibility, you were not to blame and would not be held accountable for your mistakes.

From where I stand it is clear that people, having experienced both freedom and its responsibility and the wild joy of being happy for not having to make agonizing choices, prefer the latter.

Having doubts?

Take a moment to consider how Robinson Crusoe might have felt, all alone, well that is before Friday appeared, on a deserted island. He obviously was facing a huge dilemma; he could either build a boat and try to “go home” or stay put and try to make the most out of his situation. In either choice there is a certain amount of risk. Robinson can either die alone on an island or die trying to find his way home; neither of his choices are pleasant.

I believe Crusoe would rather not have to make that choice! Because he is absolutely free, society-wise, but he himself cannot help resenting the fact that he will have to suffer the consequences of his actions while having absolutely no kind of limitation or norm to abide by or anyone to blame. If he could only ask his mother…

To conclude, freedom by definition is not compatible with society, our free will is anything but free. Yet even when not confined by society human beings are not willing to accept the responsibility that freedom brings. Freedom is a Myth.