Freedom

When I was about 20 years old (I believe in my second year of college), on the way to a political philosophy class I was stopped and asked by a group of students a question. Out of anything in the world you could think of “What would you be most afraid of losing?”. Without any hesitation I said my freedom. At the time I had basically just spent the whole night before debating with myself and writing about the importance of, the definition, or inherent values of freedom and liberty. More telling and interesting to me was that those who had asked the question said I was the first one they had asked all day that had said my personal freedom or anything of the sort. Sure, I answered in a bias manner in the sense that I had been thinking about those things deeply at the time. but not one person? When I think of freedom I often think back on that moment. The fact that most people on a college campus (at least all the people this group had asked) had not even contemplated freedom as one of their most prized possessions they would fear to lose baffles me. It to me exemplifies how amazingly free our society is.

So much so we live in a place that people fear losing their car, computer, friends, hell even their mother more then their freedom?

What is a computer without the freedom to use it? What is a car without the freedom to go where one pleases? What is a friend without the freedom to associate? What is a mother if you don’t have the freedom to be with one’s family? And the concept can run infinitely deeper down the rabbit hole. What is an idea without the freedom to express it? What is a country that doesn’t respect the freedom and the sanctity of the individual spirit? All written word and every art, all skill and any craft employed now or at any point in history, all flow directly from the freedom of individuals to express themselves. How can art, poetry, song and dance exist without freedom of self expression? Ultimately how can one live in a society in relative peace and happiness without freedom and these things?

The founding fathers of America knew very well the fundamental importance of liberty and freedom. For this reason, they placed this principle at the very top of their constitution. The first amendment stating: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. In placing this rule above all others in the constitution it undoubtable shows to me that the founding fathers knew all to well that freedom (as laid out in this amendment) is what they were most afraid to cede to the British or any government for that matter.

Freedom; that which no honest man gives up but with life it self.