Is true freedom an illusion in the West?

Question

We keep getting told we're fighting for freedom, we told we got it others haven't.

Answer 1

I think a previous respondent has mixed up freedom and anarchy.

If you lived in somewhere like China you wouldn't even be allowed to have this discussion on Yahoo, so of course we are free to that extent.

Freedom in a society does not however mean that you can do what you want, whenever you want. For example, society does not allow us the freedom to murder or steal from each other.

Don't we have responsibilities to those who share this planet with us, human and otherwise, so they may have the same opportunity to life and happiness as we do?

Answer 2

John Locke, when talking about governmental philosophy( more specifically- social contract theory) used a term: "State of Nature." This term was used to describe what Mankind would be like without a government to control it. There would be nothing to enforce the contracts we make between each other. Anyone with enough power could do anything they want. The state of Nature would be chaos. Instead of embracing this chaos we choose to give a government the power to rule over our social contracts with laws and the authority to enforce the laws they make. Now I want you to ask yourself why you feel you are not "free.?" Complete freedom, in a governmental sense, is Anarchy. That complete freedom cannot be reached without over throwing the government and falling into the chaos of "the state of nature" This is why I feel that freedom is NOT an illusion in the west. Governments are nothing more than "entities allowed by the people. Here in the U.S, 200 years ago we allowed our founding father's to create a new government. That government was not perfect then, nor, is it now. But are we not free? Can you not post a question on the Internet questioning the very fabric of your countries government. I feel that your idea of freedom is confused with the idea of anarchy.
We the people, and our government are together in a contract. Our government's side of the contract obligates them to do what is in the interest of the majority. Now if this contract is nullified by them no upholding their end the Locke feels that it is our duty to rebel. This happens all around the world, and is indisputable. Now ask yourself this: If our "free" government is actually an illusion why have we the people not fulfilled our side of the contract and rebelled?

Answer 3

I think it is only an illusion to a very small percent. To think that any country has true freedom, you would have to be either a child and know nothing, or completely ignorant. Do I think we should have total freedom? No. It is not possible now. Not with guns, and weapons. It is sort of ironic actually, in order for us to have freedom here in the U.S, we give up freedom. I agree and disagree with living like that though. I am libertarion, I feel that adults should be able to do what they want as long as they do not interfier with the rights and freedoms of other. Legalize marijuana already you f**king greedy politicians.

Answer 4

To put it simply.....yes.Freedom is an idea yet to be realised anywhere in the world. There is relative freedom outwardly that varies around the world.

But if we are to take your question seriously then we must ask what is freedom?

In it self and not from something.
We generally view freedom in opposite to something we want to be from, don't we?

Is that freedom?

Has freedom a different meaning if we look inwardly.

Real freedom might be a state of mind, which has moved away from fighting and killing altogether.

A large part of this freedom is to question what you are being told.
Obviously.
You mention true freedom, what does that mean to you, is an idea or a reality?
True freedom to me is a state of mind in which there is no conflict whatsoever.
All action complete with no regret or guilt.
But maybe that is taking your question way out to a dimension which appears abstract to mind that seeks answers only.
best regards
excellent question.

Answer 5

If you can come to a definition of the word freedom which can actually be applied in society you will be the first. Should I be Free to rob or rape, if so what happens to the freedom of those who don't want to be robbed or raped. We have freedom of speech, unless that infringes on the rights of others, such as freedom to urge ethnic cleansing. Freedom is an ideal which we strive for but which carries with it a great responsibility. I do feel that our government is right in imposing the ban on smoking insofar as it can affect the health of others (I am a smoker myself) but equally I feel they interfere too much by telling us what we should eat, how much TV our children should watch etc. Regarding fighting for freedom I have a very old Bible given to soldiers in WW1, in the front is a message from the King telling the troops that they were fighting for freedom and God was on their side. I wonder if we will ever stop fighting for this so called freedom or is it just human nature.

Answer 6

It is now!!!!!! What we're being "told" we're fighting for are lies. The west does have many more freedom-like or "freedomesque" aspects to life than many others do, that's true. But even in that, its not "true freedom".

Answer 7

You have limited freedom. True freedom would be complete anarchy. Like Islam; in the west, I am allowed to practice any religion I want.

However, I cannot fulfill some of the "teachings" of the religion (e.g. veil over women, beating women, killing women, massacring infidels because they're not muslim etc.)

In some other countries, you cannot choose things such as religion; you are assigned or forced to follow a religion/practice. You can't say what you want, you can't do what you want, you can't express yourself in the way you want.

We simply have more freedom than they do; true freedom would be terrible!

Answer 8

We all have freedom of consciousness, we can think as we may, as the essence of consciousness is freedom, although this needs to be discovered or realised for people to take responsibility for their thoughts, to admit that they, and they alone, have the power through creativity to become who they decide to be.

Practical freedom is something completely different though, as limits are set on each others rights of expression and actions, with these limits varying over time and contexts. The sad part is that the only way we can allow others to control us, is through giving them that control, not as individuals alone, but as groups that grant certain members the right to think and act for us. If all members of a group simultaneously denied a person in power that power, merely through changing their minds, that person has no power beyond his own.

Of course as long as he is not alone and those in his support are willing to defend his/their power violently and his opposition are not or do not have the numbers or means to defend themselves, he might retain his control through physically controlling or destroying others, which would psychologically give him a massive advantage over any rebel. Still, the strength of his opponents will is more powerful than any force if this resolve can inspire others to mobilise behind the opposition.

Thus I argue that our best defence against un-agreed upon limitations of our rights and freedoms are illuminated minds in numbers, people that take responsibility for who and how the are, that give room to others to be as much as they wish to be themselves; self limitation based on responsible freedom, where others are seen as you see yourself.

The west has more such people, I guess, therefore there should be more freedom.

Answer 9

it depends doesnt it? People who become leaders have their owwn ideologies. Who doesnt? Well if i become a leader of the world i will encourage free trade and there will be no guns and all teenagers will be able to do anything when they are 21. Free tuition fees for everybody and everybody has to wear a uniform so that it doesnt distinguiosh between rich and poor. We dont want another virgina tech scenario again dont we?

Answer 10

I don't think we are truly free until we die but we have various stages of freedom during life. Unfortunately, not everyone has the freedoms we have in the US.