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WHY ARE PEOPLE CONFUSED ABOUT FREEDOM?
In the United States, practically all political and social voices claim to promote the cause of freedom. In many cases, the philosophy and agenda of these groups and individuals oppose one another. How can this be?
One reason for this apparent contradiction is that people describe the concept of freedom differently. This is the classic "freedom to" versus "freedom from" argument. To some individuals, freedom means to be free from poverty, hunger and want. Some even to so far as to include freedom from what they consider to be offensive or inappropriate behavior by others. Of course, many who subscribe to this belief are committed to the idea that this freedom should be supplied to all by society at large. They readily dismiss the notion that each individual should put forth an effort to relieve himself of his poverty.
The alternative definition of freedom proposes that each individual in society should have the freedom to experience life as his conscious dictates. Each person should have the right and the power to act in ways that help to fulfill the goals necessary to enable that individual to enjoy success in life. Of course, this involves a degree of personal responsibility on the part of each individual in our society. Every person who lives in a free society must take care to ensure that his actions do not infringe upon the personal liberties of his neighbors. In return, each individual must respect the rights of his neighbors to choose their own destinies. If each individual takes responsbility for his own life, society is not burdened by the necessity of supporting those who do not work toward fulfillment of their own lives. Which plan do you favor?
