RE: The Opposite of Freedom Is Not Slavery But Security
I just had two drinks and this is way too philosophical for a Saturday night.
Americans are arguably the most free in world. Or is that just what we have been lead to believe? All my life I hear about "well at least we aren't in Soviet Russia." "Or kids in Africa are starving." While that may be the case. We are taxed and worked and extorted and threatened to death on a daily basis. Meaning we are far from what I would consider free. If you want to buy or sell or trade or open a business or fuel a vehicle or travel or marry or hunt or fish or grow vegetables or collect rainwater or own a pet or carry a firearm or watch tv or make a call or build on your own property or even exist you are taxed. And you are compelled to pay under threat of imprisonment or ultimately death.
Land Of The Free, Home Of The Brave
But you are right. Changing that attitude.............begins in ones own mind.
Once you are truly free. There is no going back.
Those are extreme case scenarios. America is worshipping the meme of freedom. I am not sure they are free. Everything has a price and the government will always take its cut. The point is to delve beyond the traditional boundaries.
I don't want anarchy. I just want the freedoms we were promised we had in 1776.
that was obviously a marketing trick. much like Mcdonalds ads.
Maybe so. Who am I to judge?
Was it Tyler Durden who said,
"Its only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."
It was Kris Kristofferson who wrote "Freedom's just another word for nothin left to lose."
Got that song stuck in my head all day........thanks.......
It's funny how little tidbits like that can be hidden away in the most random places. Roger Miller even did a version of that song, it takes a while to recognize it.
exactly.
I'd like to dichotomize here between the two definitions of freedom and slavery that you've placed. The author primarily speaks of slavery in terms of one willingly accepting dogma and shackling oneself to some form of restriction that keeps them from performing other things. Steady banking job at the cost of keeping you away from wife and family? Get to work 8am, come home 8pm for the sake of financial security? That is slavery, but amusingly in this piece, it is the freedom of choice that one has that was used to willingly revoke the freedom of the mind to explore alternative options. Nobody will argue that the camps of North Korea is "security", but definitely will argue "slavery", but this is due to an external entity enforcing its will upon the individual to deprive them of their freedom.
Excuse me for indulging in some nitpicking, but I do believe that this piece primarily spoke of freedom in the context of actively removing internal restraints from your mind and being "free" as it was, to explore options and alternatives without some form of restriction weighing you down. Slavery being discussed in the sense of it being one where one willingly accepts some dogma in order to bear the weight of something that they have chosen to do (i.e. the repetitive lie of the banker as he tells himself that his financial security is more important than loving his wife and children).
That is a great analogy. (the banker) No doubt we are complicit in our own slavery. Its kindof like an alcoholic. First we must acknowledge we have a problem. Most Americans don't think that way. And in comparison to other countries (North Korea) we are not as oppressed. But to our acceptance over generations has made us compromise our freedoms away in the name of security. Now I think we are seeing a generation that is pissed and finally asking the questions that need addressed. And you are right. That first hurdle is in the mind. Thinking like a slave will always result in you being a slave.