What is freedom?

Question

What does the word mean to you? Is it just a political concept, something that the right laws (or lack of laws) could ensure? Is it defined by physical liberty to do what you want, by intellectual liberty/ability to think as you like...? Can it be limited by morality or by love for someone? Is it even something which should be sought after? And is it distinct from liberty?

I'd like to add to the question by asking also, what is the relationship between liberty and freedom, if they are not the same? Can we reach any kind of concensus on the *definition* of freedom? (The dictionary says "the condition of being free" -- what is "Free?")

Answer 1

non-attachment makes one free.

Answer 2

Personally, I do not believe that freedom is "just a political concept" because a concept is not a reality--political or otherwise. Freedom is not limited by morality or love. No,freedom and liberty are not the same thing. Physical liberty to "do what you want/ think what you want" is not the same as freedom. Freedom is earned by responsibility and great sacrafice--it is not a right. Much like respect, freedom must be earned and then, itself be respected, and not abused or twisted for personal gain--physical, intellectual or otherwise.

Answer 3

Liberty is individual nature. Freedom is of a nation.Individual liberty is governed by morality & society. Liberation in the spiritul sense is freedom from material body & world.
National freedom is restricted by it's own laws & other countries.

Answer 4

Non-Americans, who have really suffered the lack of freedom can tell you what really freedom is. I am a 3rd-world-country non-American and for me freedom is abundance of choices and alternatives. That is something that the USA offers and that is why some non-Americans say that the USA is the symbol of freedom. Even western european countries do not offer as many choices and alternatives for ordinary people as the US does. Eastern Europeans know that better than anybody. A lot of Americans have never felt the lack of choices and alternatives (freedoms) like non-Americans have.

Answer 5

Freedom means Capitalism.

Freedom means an absence of physical coercion (in the political context).

You can't have intellectual freedom without political freedom and you can't have political freedom without economic freedom.

America is NOT free. Just look at the anti-trust laws...taxes...we're up to our necks in regulations.

Answer 6

I believe Freedom in a religious way... We are bounded by the rules and laws of God but these do not keep us restricted. The Truth shall set you Free.

Personally I believe Freedom is having overcome your fears and surrendering ourselves to God.

Answer 7

I think freedom at one time use to mean America. You had the freedom to be able to own a home without consequence, grow your own vegetation and not have to rely on hugh supermarkets, and weren't driven to work 60 hours a week. I miss the Andy Griffith days where you could relax with a cold glass of tea on Sundays and not have to work. So freedom I do not know anymore.

Answer 8

When you can dance on the table to a Paula Abdul song in your underwear spilling milk down the front of your shirt and eating multi-colored gummi bears with enthusiastic gutso.

Answer 9

i will refer to last seasons "its always sunny..." episode when the gang decides that the bar will be a place fo freedom, i.e., no rules, they quickly learn that too much freedom can be a problem. In fact, i just refer to "sunny" for all the difficult questions facing my life.

Answer 10

Freedom is the lack of restriction. Internal or external.

Answer 11

America.