Does "freedom" mean unrestrained impulse, or influencing outcomes through wise choices, or a bit of each?

Question

Our founding fathers spoke of "liberty", Lincoln said the world had never arrived at a good definition of it. My generation assumed that the first stage of freedom--lack of restraint or coercion by government over personal choices and economic activity-- had to be backed up by the individual taking the responsibility for the outcomes and consequences through self-discipline and wise choices. But some people in every generation put all this aside, defining "freedom" as living by the impulse of the moment, doing as they damn well please regardless to the consequences to themselves or anybody else. Nearly everybody has sex and lives it up a little without making too big a fuss about it, but a few carry on these activities with so little responsiblity and restraint, ignoring all generally-accepted standards of behavior. Living purely by impulse and self-indulgence, they expect society in general to clean up their mess. Agree? Disagree? Speak up!

Answer 1

To me, freedom means knowing the limits of each. A hefty balance between the "right" to something and the "responsibility" to something. I figure freedom is the hardest job I have.

Answer 2

Freedom is having the availability to do what you choose. Freedom is exceeded when it harms another. For instance, I have the right and freedom to swing my fist all day long, but that freedom ends at the tip of your nose. When I cross that boundary, I enter into the realm of depriving you of your freedom to not have a bloody nose, and there are consequences to that action. That is where real law resides - to right the wrongs done to others. You have freedom, but with it, responsibility and accountability. You cannot have one without the other or else you are merely speaking of anarchy.

Unfortunately, in American society, our laws have been corrupted to uphold the criminal and persecute the victim. The actions of people have not changed, it is the law that has changed - and not for the better. There are subversive elements in our society who have worked tirelessly to bring about such legal anarchy. Unfortunately, our legislators are to blind to see the abuse of the law and themselves blindly support this degradation of our society by enacting more and more tyrannical laws. Both parties are guilty of this and neither represent the people any more.

People have generally not changed. If you want to lay fault somewhere, lay it at the feet of the people who write and enact such garbage legislation to deprive all of their freedoms for the sake of the few who wish to violate them.

Every time they pass a law, we lose a freedom. Never lose sight of that.

Answer 3

it was either benjamin franklin or thomas jefferson that said that in order for liberty and a free society to work the people must be moral...he predicted the decline of our situation by saying as the country got more immoral the need for more laws and restrictions would become inevitable thereby destroying that freedom.

Answer 4

Our founding fathers talked about "liberty", Lincoln reported the international had not in any respect arrived at a great definition of it. GOD GAVE YOU loose WILL TO MAKE CHOISES. My technology assumed that the first level of freedom--lack of restraint or coercion by authorities over own selections and fiscal pastime- this is the way OF MANKINDS questioning. it isn't GOD'S way of questioning. the authorities is in basic terms the following because GOD facilitates IT TO BE. IF HE needed to, it ought to TUMBLE by AN ENEMY day after today. had to be subsidized up by the guy taking the duty for consequences and consequences by self-discipline and smart selections. that is GOD'S way BEING RESPONCIBLE. yet some human beings in each and every technology placed duty aside, defining "freedom" as residing by the impulse of the instantaneous, doing as they damn nicely please inspite of the consequences to themselves or anybody else. just about each and every man or woman has sex and will enhance a touch Hell without making too vast a fuss about it, (proper sin of breaking of God's guidelines.) yet, some keep on those activities with little duty and discretion, ignoring all oftentimes elementary criteria of habit. again that is the way OF the international which will pay DEARLY quicker or later FOR questioning THAT way. residing actually by impulse and self-indulgence, they go away it to others to freshen up their messes. Agree? Disagree? talk up! I AGREE and that i do no longer prefer to BE JUDGED by those FREEDOMES to do incorrect.

Answer 5

freedom is a gift from god to be respected to be protectedto be accepted and to be shared