NationStates Jolt Archive

"Freedom" has a different meaning on many levels, especially on a personal level. For some people, freedom is the right to vote for a representative that has their interests in mind. For others, freedom is an escape from subservience. And for that small minority, freedom is a world without government.

For me, "freedom" is the power of choice combined with accountability. IMO, these concepts are inseperable.

So,NSG, what does "freedom" mean to you?

Being free.

Having nothing left to lose?

"Freedom" to me means self-ownership. No one else owns you. Not the State, not "society," not anyone. You have the right to live your life however you wish, and do whatever you wish, except initiate aggression against anyone else.

Not having to work, not having to do homework, being able to hop in bed with almost whoever I damn well please, and being waited on hand and foot. And not having Big Brother breathing on my neck.

Sure some of them're probably messed up notions of freedom, but I could care less.

Not having to work, not having to do homework, being able to hop in bed with almost whoever I damn well please, and being waited on hand and foot. And not having Big Brother breathing on my neck.

Sure some of them're probably messed up notions of freedom, but I could care less.

You're not calling for a revolutionary uprising to throw off the chains of the bourgeoisie, so I think they're pretty modest and practical..

Having nothing left to lose?

and nothing don't mean nothing, honey, if it ain't free.

Freedom to me is being able to do anything I want. There are very few places in the world that are truly free and America ain't one of them.

If I have these:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_(philosophy)

* Outer or political freedom, or personal liberty, is the absence of outward restraints, with respect to speech, freedom of thought, religious practice,the press and the freedom to modify one's outward circumstances. (See Freedom (political))

* Inner freedom, i.e. the state of being an inwardly autonomous individual capable of exerting free will or freedom of choice within a given set of outward circumstances.


And these:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_(political)
The concept of political freedom is very closely allied with the concepts of civil liberties and individual rights, which in most democratic societies is the profession characterized by various freedoms which are afforded the legal protection of the state. Some of these freedoms may include (in alphabetical order):

* Freedom of assembly
* Freedom of association
* Freedom to bear arms
* Freedom of education
* Freedom of movement
* Freedom of the press
* Freedom of religion
* Freedom of speech
* Freedom of thought
* Intellectual freedom
* Sexual freedom
* Suffrage

If I have these:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_(philosophy)

And these:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_(political)

Those are definitions of "freedom" on political/civil rights. I'm asking for your personal interpretation of what it means to be "free," unless that is your exact thoughts.

Those are definitions of "freedom" on political/civil rights. I'm asking for your personal interpretation of what it means to be "free," unless that is your exact thoughts.

If the rights I have fit in with those definitions, then I would consider myself to be "free" in the governmental sense anyway...

So, in a way, yes, those are my exact thoughts, :p

Very loosely speaking, it means the right to live your life howsoever you please so long as you do not infringe upon or unduly threaten other's right to do the same. At least, that's the kind of freedom I politically support.

Freedom from vicious Jewry.

Having the freedom to rise and fall on my own meritts, and being able to live with as little government interference in your life as possible.

But always remember, freedom, dispite the word, free, is not infact free. Its cost is high, and is not comfortable. Most people would rather be comfortable than free. But to those that seek freedom, it will be costly and uncomfortable, but when it achieved it is worth it.

Having nothing left to lose?
I know the idea, but I just don't think such a thing is possible in today's world.

Do you mean nothing left to lose materialistically? socially (status, reputation)? Or ultimate apathy for anything and everything?

The ability to choose. I can work whatever job I want, fuck who I want, live where I want, go where I want, watch whatever I want on TV, eat and drink when I please, sleep when I feel like it, and as long as I am not hurting anyone else in the process nobody tries to stop me. Baring that in mind, the United States of America is far from free.

Safety.

when I think freedom I think 'do as you want so long as it doesn't non-consensually harm anyone else'. Anything else is not truly free.

Individuals should be forced to be free.

Complete detachment from worldly things. To be truly free would be to have no past, no future, and no interest in the present. You would simply drift from one instant to the next, perhaps not even aware of the passage of time.
Such a state, if at all possible, would only be open to the truly mad or truly enlightened, and so it is of no use or interest for most of us.
Instead, more conventional definitions of freedom operate, the most important (I'd say) is the freedom to Quit. Not the freedom to Quit and Starve, which is present in the US and other savage parts of the world, but actually having a society that meets its citizens basic needs of shelter, healthcare, education and food before they have a job, so that someone dissasitified with their lot could practically leave and seek other employment or places to live.

The ability to do your own thing and get blamed for everything that goes wrong. If it goes right somebody else gets the credit.

This:

http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Mel-Gibson---Braveheart-Photograph-C12147990.jpeg

Complete detachment from worldly things. To be truly free would be to have no past, no future, and no interest in the present. You would simply drift from one instant to the next, perhaps not even aware of the passage of time.
Such a state, if at all possible, would only be open to the truly mad or truly enlightened, and so it is of no use or interest for most of us.
Instead, more conventional definitions of freedom operate, the most important (I'd say) is the freedom to Quit. Not the freedom to Quit and Starve, which is present in the US and other savage parts of the world, but actually having a society that meets its citizens basic needs of shelter, healthcare, education and food before they have a job, so that someone dissasitified with their lot could practically leave and seek other employment or places to live.

Some of this is oblivion but yes I suppose it is freedom as well. You make an excellent beginning for the "New Freedom". Sounds pretty good I am interested. I would likely end up being a serf in any regime anyway.