Liberty: personal definitions and meanings

¶ … liberty mean to you?

The common goal: freedom

If we take a look back in history, we can see that all of the great wars, all of the great scholars, had one final and majestic goal: freedom. Either way we look at this concept -- socially, philosophically, financially or individually -- freedom is the principal concept that makes our society move forward, and, based on that we can build the puzzle called "life." It is difficult to look at freedom from only one perspective, as it is a complex and intertwined notion that needs to be tackled from many sides.

First of all, philosophically speaking, freedom has been a favorite for thinkers like Steiner and Schiller, who have broadly described the freedom of thought and action, and how man will be completely free when rational thought will conquer all the constraints put on outer reality. Personally, I agree with Steiner on this matter, especially in today's society, when we create our existence-based mostly on what we see in the media and on wrong perceptions transmitted by the same mediums; this is a paradox, the media suggesting that we are free to choose whatever we want, but at the same time raising doubts and constraining our inner thoughts with external questionable messages. This is the most fragile and sensitive side of freedom - the freedom of thought - as it can materialize into negative attitudes and bad choices if it is corrupted or manipulated.

I believe that freedom of thought is something that is not a given, it needs to be formed, educated and continuously transformed. This is where positive values and beliefs do not prevent us from being honest, coherent and open-minded.

Second of all, socially speaking, freedom acquires many shapes and meanings, adapted to each individual or society. Freedom of speech -- towering high in the paragraphs of the First Amendment -- has been a principal subject for many decades, given that it was associated with the development of the individual and the advancement of new ideas. Many would argue that freedom of speech is not always a benefactor in society, considering that unconstructive and irresponsible thoughts can be induced -- this is where freedom of thought, as discussed above, intervenes, and the rational self can decide whether to take on the message coming to him, or simply to pass by it without harming anyone, verbally or physically. Furthermore, this paradigm can take on a political appearance, in the form of autonomy and independence, where human rights are respected and the state protects its civilians. Sadly, this statement is utopic; even in a democratic society, there will always be conflicts of interests, hidden agendas, and priorities -- a small example being the redistribution of government funds: it does not always happen where they are greatly needed, but where a profit can be made. Just by taking a look at some recent unpopular crisis measures in Europe - pension reductions, social aid restrictions, and salary cuts -- we can see that the concept of freedom is losing its meaning under the pretext of fighting a financial collapse. Indeed, a government is free to decide on the way it rules over a nation, but also the nation is free to enjoy the returns of labor or the aid provided when needed.

Coming back to the original concept of freedom, I feel the need to emphasis the importance of its exact meaning, and on the fact that without it the other forms have no connotation. By this I mean the act of being free, unconstrained by any law-enforcing authority, and the ability to have access to whatever brings on happiness and motivation. Nevertheless, the notion of self-control is imperative in this situation. Of course, every individual is free to express his/her religious beliefs, sexual preferences, political color, and artistic side. He or she basically has the right to express himself or herself as long as the means by which he or she does it do not harm or potentially cause death to anyone. This is where many individuals make the mistake in believing that their cause is very important and that it is worth sacrificing their liberty; there are so many other ways in which one can have his or her voice heard or achieve his or her goal. This can happen without losing the one thing that allows him or her to promote that specific goal. In addition, the way we perceive reality and the people around us, and they way we see ourselves, plus the moral values we have, can bring a more potent result of what we want to convey to the world, rather than imposing brute force and violence to have our voice heard.