How Do You Define Freedom?
Posted by Korben_Rage 5 years, 9 months ago to Ask the Gulch
Freedom is one of those words that gets twisted by politicians. It's meaning changes depending on who your talking to. Some would say it's freedom from hunger and hardship. Others it's having a gun, others it's a worry free mind, what is it to you?
Ayn Rand said many things on freedom for example.
"Freedom, in a political context, means freedom from government coercion. It does not mean freedom from the landlord, or freedom from the employer, or freedom from the laws of nature which do not provide men with automatic prosperity. It means freedom from the coercive power of the state—and nothing else."
"What is the basic, the essential, the crucial principle that differentiates freedom from slavery? It is the principle of voluntary action versus physical coercion or compulsion."
"The issue is not slavery for a “good” cause versus slavery for a “bad” cause; the issue is not dictatorship by a “good” gang versus dictatorship by a “bad” gang. The issue is freedom versus dictatorship."
To me, it's defined by the ability to say 'F this shit I'm out" and mean it. In always being able to say no, and back it up.
Ayn Rand said many things on freedom for example.
"Freedom, in a political context, means freedom from government coercion. It does not mean freedom from the landlord, or freedom from the employer, or freedom from the laws of nature which do not provide men with automatic prosperity. It means freedom from the coercive power of the state—and nothing else."
"What is the basic, the essential, the crucial principle that differentiates freedom from slavery? It is the principle of voluntary action versus physical coercion or compulsion."
"The issue is not slavery for a “good” cause versus slavery for a “bad” cause; the issue is not dictatorship by a “good” gang versus dictatorship by a “bad” gang. The issue is freedom versus dictatorship."
To me, it's defined by the ability to say 'F this shit I'm out" and mean it. In always being able to say no, and back it up.
Being free to choose, or not, voluntarily, without compulsion or the use force against me, using my own free will.
With freedom comes responsibility, so this includes accepting the consequences of my free choices.
The other question would be, what freedom is not?
As it pertains to freedom alone I don't think it's right to include responsibility. Responsibility is generally considered as something you owe others. That's antithetical to freedom as it pertains to government. To be functionally free one must chose be responsible for themselves, but not forced to be. You should be free to harm yourself as you please. Just don't expect others to help when you regret it.
The responsibility comes with the combination of life and freedom. If you wish to live you have a choice. Be free and responsible for yourself. Or become a servant and others will care for you in trade. And everything in between, how functionally free you are is related to how responsible for yourself you are.
It occurs to me that the issue of the nanny state occurs because those masses who yearn for a caretaker can't find one. They find they are of no use to those who could take them on. Thus they demand that everyone become their caretaker.