NationStates Jolt Archive


Comfort Vs. Freedom

Sussudio
17-10-2004, 12:14
Anal Cysts likes to post his papers, so I figured I might as well, too.

COMFORT VS FREEDOM

A week ago I sat down in my living room to watch “Miracle,” a movie set in a

difficult time for our country. While the opening credits rolled across the

screen, they were backed by the voice of former president Jimmy Carter.

Being too young to remember the time and having never been introduced to

the speech, his words were fresh to my ears. Carter spoke with frankness

and foresight that is sorely lacking in most politicians. His “Crisis of

Confidence” speech was meant for a nation that was worried about the

future; the Cold War threatened their freedom and the energy crisis

threatened their comfort. The former president’s words stuck with me and

exemplify my views on the differences between freedom and comfort.

“Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one

owns.” With these words Carter pointed out a constant struggle inherent to

America, democracy, and society in general. Our nation was beginning to

forsake its ideals in search of wealth. The comfort we had gained post-WWII

through our growth into a superpower had begun to threaten our freedom.

We had lost thousands of lives in Southeast Asia, with many of those young

men having been sent there against their will. Our economic growth had

caused a dependency on oil that had limited our freedom of commerce was

beginning to threaten our domestic freedoms. He acknowledged the

government’s (and his own) role in the present situation, but he expressed

his desire to lead his country down a new path. With wisdom unbefitting of a

president he acknowledged that freedom does not guarantee comfort and

that comfort will never lead to freedom. He knew America was at a juncture

between the two. America was forced to choose between a comfortable

path that lead towards decadence and dependency, or a path of freedom

that lead to nobility and independence. He beseeched the nation to give up

some of the comforts they were afforded through the work of their ancestors

and resume their noble fight. Sadly his words went unheeded and he was

voted out of office the following year.

We are now embroiled in a fight both globally and at home that is in direct

accordance to the path this nation decided on 25 years ago. Our growing

dependence on oil and our hubris in becoming the lone superpower has lead

to global warfare, attacks on our own soil, and the alienation of the rest of

the world. Our liberties are now threatened by counter-terrorism, and our

government is more comfortable and detached than it ever was. So we have

come to another crossroads, one where we can continue on with our path of

SUVs, unilateral power, and lower taxes at the expense of our liberties,

control of government, and financial future. Or we can protect our freedoms

by lessening our dependency on foreign oil, allowing the globe to become

strong together instead attempting to control it, and display the self-control

that made this nation great.

I fear for this nation’s future, I love my freedom and place no ideal above it,

but I see people treat their freedom with much less respect than it

deserves. Franklin Roosevelt said “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be

bestowed; it must be achieved.” This country must never be comfortable,

but continue to achieve, as it has so many times in its past, in order to

protect the freedom that America stands upon.
BackwoodsSquatches
17-10-2004, 12:17
Well Said.
Golivana
17-10-2004, 12:24
hear hear
New Astrolia
17-10-2004, 12:28
Our nation was beginning to forsake its ideals in search of wealth.

Begun to?
Union of Soviet
17-10-2004, 12:37
interessting subject...

But i think that the problem that we got this today is that the freedom is a thing that all people have, the rights of freedom... therefore people treat their freedom less than comfort... because comfort is earned in the states and freedom isn't...
Superpower07
17-10-2004, 13:34
I value freedom over comfort, anyday
New Astrolia
17-10-2004, 14:31
Comfort invariably becomes taken for granted, so you need freedom to become more comfortable and so on.