PERSONAL FREEDOM vs. EVERYONE ELSE?

Question

People love to lay claim to their personal freedoms these days. "Who are you to judge and tell me what to do?" What you do with your life, is no ones buisness but your own, right? I question that sometimes. I don't believe thats always true. Sometimes another persons "personal freedoms" do impact you. I think probably more then we think. I know people hate hearing that! Probably gonna get slammed for saying that. . .

Can anyone think of time when another persons "personal freedoms" effect someone else?

Answer 1

Just to get some perspective, try a thought experiment. On a planet of finite resources and 6 billion inhabitants, we are each "entitled" only to one six-billionth of the total. Whatever else we consume, without making some compensatory contribution for it (i.e. without earning it) is undeserved.
___Now consider the effects of emotional self-indulgence on other people around us. We all know people who are needy, demanding, emotionally greedy, etc, and others who are emotionally generous and giving. Though even less quantifiable than material resources, there is only so much emotional "space" in the world (except as the result of emotional giving by the EXTREMELY emotionally generous. For the rest of us, and for the purposes of this thought experiment, it will serve to say that each of us is "entitled" to only 1 six-billionth of the emotional space on the planet.
___In both of these perspectives, those who take more than their "entitlements" are thieves in a way. The material greed is easier to see, but the emotional greed is more subtle, and in our materialist age, is the theft that is most likely to go undetected. Now it may seem harmless to indulge emotions, since they are internal states, in and of themselves, but we are all involved with others, and our self-indulgences have effects on them, even when it's not intentional.

Answer 2

Yes, people and their personal freedom impacts everyone. I wouldnt call it personal freedoms as much as it is their right to do as they feel. The problem is very seldom does a persons decisions not affect someone else. You have the choice to smoke in your own home but that means your family is exposed to second hand smoke but try to be a kid explaining that to his parents. You can cuss on the radio but people says if you dont like it watch what your kids listen to so i guess they cant listen to the radio. Everyone knows that their decision affect people they are just to selfish to care.

Answer 3

1) I persist because I, as an individual, place more importance on freedom and individuality than I do on conformity. I do not "know" that I have the truth. I don't think any person who has studied other religions or in general been well-educated would claim to know absolutely. (After all, the more I learn, the less I know.) So therefore, I put individuality before dogma. 2) As to how, simply by refusing to compromise my ethics. I will not give in to bullying or manipulation. Insults are ineffective, and all the person who uses these tactics proves is that they have no valid argument to stand on.

Answer 4

We have laws and socially acepted behaviour that impact our freedom in order to maintain some sort of social order.Individual freedom ends where someone else's freedom begins. We are free to do what we want ,but with that freedom is accountability.My dad used to tell me I was accountable for not only my actions but the words that came out of my mouth.What if my neighbour wants to leave his lawn overgrown and stockpiles junk on his lawn.It is an eyesore but it is his property.Does he have a right to keep his yard looking like that.Most communities have bylaws governing this sort of thing for safety reasons.It probably stops a lot of neighbour disputes.

Answer 5

I think society as a whole has become more self-involved and less considerate of others. No one seems to teach their children manners anymore. People don't realize, or care, that being considerate of others makes for a better life for everyone.

I live in an apartment complex & there always seems to be one apt where the music is so loud that I can't hear my own music in my own apt. Their inconsideration usually results, thankfully, in their being evicted & I bet they don't think they've done anything wrong!

Answer 6

Your personal freedom to make a fist ends at my nose.

Works pretty well to describe the limits of personal freedom.

Answer 7

I believe that personal freedom ends when it offends any one else.

You can do what you like in private but not in anyone else's personal space.

Answer 8

I think so. My sister annoys me with alot of the things she does, but when i say i don't like her doing it she says 'you can't tell me how to live or what to do'. I think it can, people can go too far with being able to do what they like, and sort of become spoilt and expect they can do anything they want to do.