Why care about freedom

If you feel free to follow your passions, be the person you know you are or prefer to be, act according to your own sense of morality and ethics, love yourself and others, share who you are, and know that others can do the same, then you're obviously living in a world that is free enough.

Most of our freedoms are within our own control, even if we think otherwise, except knowing that others feel they can express themselves as we can.

 

I guess there are different "levels" of freedom.
For example, you feel more freedom than me.
I live in Israel, and as you might or might not have known, Israel has a mandatory military sentence. (3 years for guys).
I'm in college right now but I've always got that looming sensation that something big is going to come and trap me without any chance of escape (well either the army or jail ) for the next 3 years (plus 2 years because I wanted to study first instead of going to the army...).

And I guess if I had to compare myself and you in this matter, I'd say that you felt "happier" because you have a choice. Taking people's choices away takes their happiness away I'm going to have to say, and what is freedom but the ability to make a choice without 3rd party interference?

 

Lately, I'm beginning to think that Money equals Freedom, let me explain why before you guys jump me

Imagine if you could make reality with your thoughts, to create and arrange matter and energy with the power of your Mind in any way you want, the only limit is your imagination. You want a flying car? Just think about it and it'll become real. Want a mansion? Design it in your head and you'll have it. How awesome would this be? That would be complete freedom over everything and anything. You would be a god among men.



But in reality, we can't just think about stuff and wish it real. But the closest to that is having lots of money. With a lot of money, you can do a lot of stuff that falls within the boundary of reality and physical possibilities. Want a blue and red airplane? Buy it. Want a new motorcycle? Go to your nearest BMW dealer. Having lots of money is the closest you can get to manipulating reality in the way which YOU see convenient.

Of course, when you don't have money, you become a slave to the establishment and society in general. Money is a double edge sword, the few who got it, are free, the ones who don't, will try to get some but ultimately, most fall prey to money (or a lack of).

For a few to be free, many need to be slaves.

 

as a human being you have rights to your life, that were given to you by nature & by law

the definition of liberty itself is, the condition of being free from restriction or control,

the right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing

the condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor

the right to your life




why care about freedom? because it's being dwindled, i mean, it's known now that our freedoms are currently being diminished by those of whom are in power.. our wise overlords..


but, to say it's slightly fucked up right now, is a huge understatement

 

It's a relative term. Remove yourself from society and you're still subject to your surroundings and your biological nature. Come back to society and you have laws and codes of conduct, but in contrast you gain benefits as well. Safety, social interaction, ease of living etc. I guess there needs to be a balance between freedom and restriction. A balance that would provide an optimal level of well-being.

 

I'm somewhat familiar with Israel and its inner workings. Do you have a reason to fear going to the army, knowing you're doing what everyone else does to protect your country, other than the usual things of unknown and what might happen? What happens if you have a moral or conscientious objection to it? It must happen sometimes. Are there certain religious groups who're able to abstain?

I understand if you feel you have no choice, then you would feel a lack of freedom, and therefore your happiness would be affected. If you know you will be going to the army, regardless of how you feel about it now, would it make more sense to embrace it completely, get as much from the experience as you can, see it from a positive perspective, and know you will come out very different to when you went in? In other words decide to choose it rather than feel you have no choice?

 

@esseff, I don't fear going to the army, I'm just against it. Without going into politics and personal beliefs, I find it a huge waste of time (5 years for low pay... cmon).
Sure, there are certain leftist groups that just refuse to do their military service. They usually end up in military prison for a bit and then are asked if they want to do their military service again. If not, they usually go back to jail.
It's funny actually, this one guy kept on refusing and they kept on sending him back until he's been to jail I think 6 times until he got sick and they gave him a pardon based on his health. As for religious groups, they get pardons all the time.

I understand what you're saying and I've told myself before; It's your outlook on life that really affects what goes on around you.
There are lots of ways to get out of the army, that's not what I meant though. Everything revolves around the army in Israel basically. When you go get a decent job, they ask you where you've served, etc.

 

So it makes sense to not only do it, but choose to do it, without seeing it as a huge waste of time. Doing it while seeing it that way, or holding any other negative, resistive feelings, will only make the experience harder and less fulfilling.

 

No, we are not. You said it yourself. Some people do limit other people's freedom.

 

Freedom is a very subjective thing though. I might feel free to do whatever I believe is right for me, but you might feel, according to your own definitions and belief systems, that you are not. You are not free while you hold a belief that says you are not free, even if i say you are or can be. But the moment you truly believe you are not limited by that belief anymore, you are free to change it into anything you prefer it to be, as long as it fits in with your current beliefs about who you are and what you're capable of.

 

Yes, they are free to do that but the person whose freedom is being taken away or limited by a third party, is not.

Also, I didn't get the whole "U mad?" part lol

 

The only way to answer this question properly is to first come to an agreed-upon definition of "freedom".

 

What if you were fastened to chains, inside a cave forever, like Plato's allegory, how free would you say a person that has that Life is?

I know you weren't referring to me, but I didn't get where it was coming from either, so I asked.

 

I don't think they're choosing to believe they aren't free - they just believe it. They might be doing so for reasons we don't usually consider though. For in creating such a belief of limitation, they experience things a certain way. Sometimes the only way to learn something is by doing it the hard way.