One rolling man's understanding of freedom and what it means to be free or have "free doom"

 

Hello again, dear reader. I know this topic is slightly different from the discussions we've been having so far. As in things like minimalism, how hobbits can provide a unique Zen perspective on life and how to take the first steps on a path toward a minimalist lifestyle. However today, I thought we would discuss "freedom" because I recently read something that said that the meeting of the modern word freedom. Originally meant "free doom" meaning that everyone was doomed to die at some point, "free doom" was a reference to an individual's right to choose their path or destiny. Up to and including how they died until death finally came knocking on their door this to me was an interesting concept because "freedom" as a modern definition is usually associated with the rights and privileges of the democratically governed society such as the United States, Great Britain, Japan, Australia. Etc. etc. What follows is strictly my definition, or how I perceive and understand freedom and is not intended in any way to marginalize negate or diminish anyone Else's understanding of freedom or their personal choices. Please feel free to comment and tell me about your definition and/or understanding of freedom, as you perceive it...

What is freedom? If you ask one hundred people this question, you’ll receive one hundred different answers, because every person understands this phenomenon in his or her own way. I wonder whether this notion can be accurately defined and it seems to me that the answer is no.
Some people consider freedom to be a synonym of democracy. Others believe that it is an opportunity to act freely and embody ideas. There are also those who are sure that it is a possibility to do what they want regardless of the impact their actions will have on other people. A prisoner thinks that freedom is a life out of prison, where you decide everything on your own. For me, freedom is an absence of pressure and enforcement from other people. As you see, it is a very wide notion, which every person understands differently and there can hardly be one common opinion.
I’m definitely sure that everybody knows this statement: “My freedom ends where the freedom of another person starts”. Within the society the area of freedom available to each of the individuals is restricted. A person is free to do what laws and social customs do not forbid. Still, what distinguishes a free society from other societies is the extent of the restrictions put on freedom. We can hardly say that all the societies are free in the same way.
Personally I believe that we, as human beings, are social creatures and we really need to live in the society that is structured. Can you imagine one where all the people do what they want too? (Otherwise known as anarchy at least the specific political definition) I am most certain society would devolve into chaos. That’s why I stick to the opinion that people should obey the rules of the society they live in (otherwise known as the social contract, although political scientists and government studies. students know what I'm talking about) and respect the rights of other people.
As for me, I can hardly say that I am a free person, because I observe the rules and traditions of the society (most of the time anyway). Sometimes I’m not free to act as I want, (especially because of my physical disability) because I know that it may bring harm (both physical and emotional) to people whom I love and respect. I’m not free to leave the country I live in, because there are too many things, which I cannot leave (like my support structure, thank you to you all, you know who you are) and too many people, whom I love. But from time to time I feel completely free: for instance, when I get the opportunity to go for a predawn motorcycle ride and witness a brand-new day being born because, at times like these. I only really have to worry about the road and my place on it, but I can also achieve the same sense of freedom. When I'm putting words on a page; like right now for instance. I am free to express myself in any way I choose as long as it can be written on a page. The words I write and owning it has to make sense. No one else has to agree with them. They don't have to mean anything to the outside world, and less I wish them to do so, the only thing that really matters is that I am free to express my true self.

So the long and the short of it dear reader, is that freedom can come in many different forms depending on cultural and social logical preferences. It can be freedom of thought, freedom of choice, freedom of religion, sexual preference. It doesn't necessarily have to be something that humans must fight and die over to protect (most of the time when this happens is because "freedom is being used as a synonym for a particular form of government or religious belief or as stated earlier, a direct democracy). However, freedom was a social construct and inherent right eons before the first Democratic Republic was founded and freedom will continue to exist in its various forms. Even if governments fall and society evolves into something we have not yet dreamed of.

As always, thanks for listening more to come soon.