Society: concepts, structures, and contemporary issues

¶ … freedoms should be allowed that do not harm society. Freedom works if society accepts there are differences in people and that those differences make the world a better place. The writer uses three sources to illustrate this point.

Personal freedom is something that Americans have been fighting for since the country was first founded. People want to be able to exercise the freedom to live their lives and not be intruded on by others or the government. They feel that way, yet many members of society will rush to condemn actions of others if they are doing something that they personally would not do. It is interesting to watch society react to the term "freedom" when it comes to actions individuals may not take themselves. Suddenly the freedom they want for themselves is not something they are willing to extend to others. Society would be more cohesive if members would allow all freedom of actions and choices if those actions and choices did not harm other members of society.

What is normal? It is a question that is not easily answered. Normal means different things to different people. Freedom is also something not easily defined. Freedom by Webster's dictionary means to do what one wants to do. Society works to tell its members what they can and cannot do. This means they have limited freedom (Enemies of the Future (http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/000017.html).The government takes an extremely active role in determining what the members of society are and are not allowed to do. Gay marriages, curfews, and other issues come up again and again in the nation's court rooms.

Freedoms are granted through societal acceptance. Years ago there were less freedoms than there are currently but today's society still limits freedom with little logic.

From where do your rights come? Not the right to bear arms, or freedom of the press. I'm talking about those unalienable rights our founding fathers spoke of: Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. At face value, it's quite a simple question; who, or what, gives you these rights (the Origin of Rights - posted on March 30, 2005 @ 12:12: AM CST (http://www.janicekonline.us/?page=chad/article&number=13)?"

Rights such as allowing your teenager to stay out as late as you, the parent believes is reasonable are freedoms that society currently doesn't allow. Rights to marry someone of the same gender has been a hot topic of debate for several years.

Each person has things that they will and will not do personally, but when all of the trimmings are stripped away and one is left with the bottom line, it becomes a question of rights. Each person should have the right to live his or her life the way he or she chooses to live without having to worry about what society thinks about it.

Our founding fathers were forward thinking enough to realize that if they devised our government under the assumption that rights come from government and not a Creator, then those rights could eventually be taken away. Look at any communist regime in the last 100 years, where religion is considered an opiate of the masses. The government becomes god in that circumstance, and can get away with anything, including mass genocide (the Origin of Rights - posted on."

True freedom should be given to individuals who do not harm other members of society.

One classic example of a lack of freedom that does not make sense is teenage curfew. Thousands of cities across the nation impose teenage curfews. The governments of those cities choose an arbitrary time by which teens have to be home or they can be taken into custody and their parents can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for letting their child be out past curfew.

Curfew laws impose on what freedoms should be allowed. Why is it necessary for teenagers to come in at a certain time? Who exactly do they harm if they are not in by that time?

Curfew in and of itself is an extreme violation of personal freedom. It does not allow personal choice and it interferes with actions that do not harm anyone.

Another example of lack of freedom is same sex marriages. Same sex marriages do not harm anyone and should be the choice of the two people who want to get married.

Humans are reasoning and logical animals capable of making right and wrong choices. Allowing complete freedom of any action or choice that does not harm other members of society is something that should be accepted throughout the world.