A creation of importance can only be produced when its author isolates himself, it is a child of solitude.
As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.
Every person above the ordinary has a certain mission that they are called to fulfill.Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Darn tootin!
Darn. Now I won’t feel valid until I see a sexy woman carrying a sign that says “What are people FOR?”
Isn’t this one of those philosophical/argumentative conundrums, which probably have some sort of proper name that I can’t recall. I mean, while understanding how unlikely this might be, what about people who actually ARE free? Are they therefore enslaved, or does that only come if they believe they are free, even while they are, well, free (which would seem to me to be nothing more than an example of decent self-recognition skills)? And, if none are so enslaved as those who believe they are free, does that logically mean that it’s therefore impossible to actually be free? (And, if so, why try?) Or is the issue solely one of believing rather than actuality? Man, I believe I need to go for a hike, but I can’t seem to decide upon which trail.
I just liked the name “Goethe” — as in, Bob Goethe. I didn’t really read the rest of it.
First, one needs to understand what freedom is. Freedom is the opportunity and ability to act with free will, is it not?
A single human, fighting for survival in the jungle is not ‘free’: she is enslaved by natural needs and dangers to be on the defensive at all times. Until she finds help, even with only one other person, her destiny is written. Once an agreement and shared risks are established, then each grants the other a little bit of freedom.
Belief in freedom is really about believing that it is something granted magically rather than something created at some cost. Dying in a war doesn’t create freedom, but dying to share risks and responsibilities might. Unfortunately, some believe that if they just go out and start wars all over the place, they will be creating freedom as they kill and die. Others may believe they are free because the responsibilities will be lifted from their lives by those who promise them lower taxes. Freedom only goes so far. With the natural Right to Try to Live comes the responsibility for actions taken. Freedom may be earned with good work and usefulness, or purchased with debts to the future, but Nature ensures the price is paid eventually.
Well you have to admit that it was a well made sign…
Freedom is personal.
Individual Freedom is unfettered navigation through the space that is most pressing or relevant or aspirational or (your adjective here) to the person considering their freedom.
Collective Freedom is the aggregate of Individual Freedoms….impossible to specifically define, but generally defined as the degree of absence of friction with survival instincts, education, and aspirations that are characteristic of the collective. This friction is generated by Nature, and by the de-facto Social Contract….not to be confused with the propagandized Social Contract.
Notional Freedom is the creature proffered by demagogues (intentional and unintentional) that promises to actualize all Individual Freedoms. It is a Lie. For, unless we are all cast of the very same mold, and receive the exact same alterations of nurture, we shall each conceive of our Individual Freedom differently, and no single Collective Freedom can be defined, and therefore exist.
Where there is real Collective Freedom, and the sum of encroachments on all Individual Freedoms is reasonably minimized, there is a balance of communal unity and chaos…minimizing chaos to a level where community may endure, or even prosper. We struggle with each other and Nature to culture our Collective (sum of individual) Freedoms. We live in the tension between Community Survival and Aspirational Integrity.
Perfect Individual freedom is the possessoin of the Frontiersman who struggles to fulfill his destiny beyond the Collective. He lives in the tension between Individual Survival and Aspirational Integrity.
Compromise is inevitable.
The belief that Freedom can be won without Compromise is the Opium offered to the masses.
I think I agree. I only point out that living on a frontier leaves little time. Time to be able to choose one’s next action is necessary to be free of constraint. In other words, Living becomes the Oppressor to the frontiersman. When he shares living with others, he has time to express himself in other ways than survival.
Full-on societal engagement is at the opposite end of the spectrum: the individual spends all of their free time compromising with myriad social pressures in order to be part of society. “Cue Mountain Dew commercial here.”
Hey Tommy, long time no see. I’m trying to build a discussion group that covers some stuff you might be interested in. Send me an email if youre interested and i’ll send you a link.
got it…. email sent.