How does this quote strike you?

Question

"The idea that men are created free and equal is both true and misleading: men are created different; they lose their social freedom and their individual autonomy in seeking to become like each other."

-- David Riesman

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

I agree to a certain point. I believe there is a relational dialectic pull (tension) between autonomy and connection. We strive to be autonomous, yet we need the connection with others in order to function.

Answer 2

I think the idea men are created free and equal depends on where they are born, physically. Some countries don't have much freedom. The equal part, spiritually, I think is true, but physically it depends again where they are born. I agree men are created different, but for the most part our core being inside is the same...it's each person's strengths and weaknesses that we should use to better society. If each person used their strengths where other's were weak, we could reduce the problems of the world. Personally, I don't seek to become like anyone else...I'm an individual and seek what I and my family wants and nothing more. I don't really compare myself to the Jones's. I liked the quote as it made me really think about an answer.

Peace, Love, and Blessings
Greenwood

Answer 3

I'd have to agree. In my background, I'm a metal-head. And one of the things most metal musicians seem to want to do is be individual... stand out from the crowd. So we grow our hair long. We wear tattered clothing--usually with some objectionable slogan on the shirt. Anything to yell the statement: "Over here! I'm right here, and I'm different than you!" Trouble is, we all wind up looking the same.

Punks do that, too. As do cowboys. We all have groups that we fall into--and within those groups, there's actually very little individuality from member to member. The groups themselves are quite different from one another... but on an individual basis, we're carbon copies.

And isn't it funny how on a personal basis, we resent being told that we're like everyone else... yet we love it when the doctor says, "Nothing wrong here. You're completely normal." And we also appreciate being like everyone else when it comes to surgery, don't we? Because we know that the surgeon knows where to cut!

Answer 4

Some folks equate "uniformity" as the same thing as "equality", that is where the "misleading" part comes in to it, alot of people have a problem trying to maintain an idea of equality, among people who are not uniform, harder to cultivate an idea of different, but equal in our differences.... the "true" part comes of acknowledging each individual's right to exist, and agree to disagree, to be your own self, without infringing on someone else's right to be who they are....

Answer 5

Hi Kallan, I think it's a great quote.

All of us are very different, with different strengths and weaknesses.

As a parent, you see it so strongly in young children.........each a complete individual, yet they compliment each other and thrive on being different.

Unfortunately, the western education system discourages individuality, as does much of our society.

I think that our communities miss out on so much because of this.

Too many people miss out on finding the creative potential they could harness to make a more meanful contribution to society.

Answer 6

In a sense, yes, but I feel social freedom is still there ... Every1 has freedom - u just have 2 know how 2 use it or make it happen.

Answer 7

Law of duality applies to everything, therefore
nothing is equal,whether is created or transformed.
men are not free, men are prisoner of their own thoughts

Answer 8

To me it sounds like the social constructionism theory:

"A social construction or social construct is any institutionalized entity or artifact in a social system "invented" or "constructed" by participants in a particular culture or society that exists because people agree to behave as if it exists or follow certain conventional rules."

Answer 9

We are all born equal.....the worldly quests we follow as we grow is what changes us all....until we realise the only way to be truly happy in this world is to dance to our own tune and not that of the majority!
Blessed Be Kallan!
~*Ariel*~

Answer 10

Oooh, I like it! Just remember middle school--remember all the things you didn't dare admit that you did or liked--and you'll get it. I want to share it with middle school kids now, especially since you never entirely leave that nonsense behind.