Freedom

Freedom and being free

Freedom is an elusive concept because it means different things to different people. The fact that it can be interpreted differently is, ironically, down to the freedom we have over our own thoughts. For most people, the idea of freedom is best described as the ability to alter something – anything, in fact – freely. This is somewhat open-ended as a definition, however. As such, freedom tends to be referred to by contrasting it against its absence, in forms of social or economic control such as slavery, for example. When we are free of such constraints, we are said to be at liberty, that is the state in which we can act freely.

Although people throughout history have striven to overturn oppression, their desire to be free should not be seen as defining their essential humanity. After all, even the lowliest of prisoner who has little freedom is still a human being. Likewise, a baby who cannot alter very much in the world under their own will is also still a member of humanity. That said, some of the fundamental human rights that have been set out by institutions like the United Nations have referred to such rights as 'freedoms'. Examples of this are the freedom from want or freedom of expression.  

In societies where freedom of speech is restricted, and certain statements can be punished, there tends to be little democracy. Therefore, these societies are often referred to as closed or repressive. Even in the liberal democracies of the world, however, certain restrictions on freedom of speech exist, usually an attempt to balance what can be said against wider societal protections. In most Western countries, therefore, there are libel laws and restrictions on what can be said in terms of hate speech, for example. Nevertheless, the concept remains important because Western democracies were often borne out of a reaction to repressive control in feudal times.

Freedom of movement is the ability to move from one place to another and settle there. In the United States, for example, citizens of Alaska have the right to move to Alabama, New York, California or Hawaii if they wish to do so. In principle, no restriction is placed on their right to move, work and access public services. In the European Union, a similar level of freedom of movement is possible for EU citizens. Respectively, the same right has existed for over a century between the UK and the Republic of Ireland under the so-called common travel area.

Feeling freer can help you to stop being weighed down by responsibilities and societal or cultural restrictions. Meditating and focussing on what really counts in your life is a good first step since this will help you to avoid being trapped by material considerations so much. Making affirmative choices, such as taking up a new hobby or stopping doing something you no longer enjoy, is another good approach to consider.