What is freedom?
Freedom is one of the most sought-after ideal in human history, but almost everyone has
a different idea of what freedom is.
In this video, we’re going to talk about freedom and why it may not be what you think it is.
It’s Your Unlocked Potential, and without further ado, let’s get right into it.
[INTRO MUSIC]
First, let’s talk about freedom’s definition.
I know, I know.
We all know what "freedom" is.
But like I said before, everyone has a different idea of what freedom is,
so let’s clear that up.
The word “freedom” has two main definitions.
The first definition of freedom, as defined by Lexico (Oxford dictionary), is “the power
or right to act, speak, or think as one wants”.
The second definition is “the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved”.
Now, these two definitions are fairly similar to each other.
And because of this, people might assume that these two definitions are the same
or might mix them up.
But this should not the case.
Why is that?
Imagine yourself being imprisoned somewhere by someone.
You've been kidnapped.
You may still have the power or right to speak or act a certain way.
Like scream or yell or fight them back.
On the other hand, imagine if you work for the
government and you have top secret information
You’re not allowed to talk about it (whisper)
Someone from work probably monitors you and stop your right to act or speak regarding
the top-secret info.
Like Edward Snowden.
But you’re not physically imprisoned or enslaved, right?
You can still go to grocery stores, party, and hang out with your friends
You just can’t talk about the confidential information.
Of course, if you talk about the information, you’d get in trouble.
In fact, you can actually imprison or enslave yourself without being aware of it
but we’ll get into that later.
What most people may not understand, unfortunately, is that
true or absolute freedom is impossible.
Why?
Because almost everyone is going to think differently and want different things.
And because almost everyone thinks differently, they say and do things differently.
There will be conflict.
Freedom is more like a circle or a domain.
Everyone has their own circle or domain that can do whatever they want within it.
However, if your circle of freedom overlaps with someone else’s freedom,
this may result in a conflict.
Let me illustrate this with an example.
You have the freedom to play piano.
No one has the right to restrict you to play piano.
This is your circle of freedom.
But if you were to play piano at 3 AM in the morning very loudly,
you can disturb your neighbours or family.
Your circle of freedom to play piano is overlapping with their circle of freedom to sleep peacefully.
Freedom is actually more about priority.
The more important something is,
the more weight it carries compared to other circles
or domains of freedom.
Your neighbours and parents have the right to sleep which takes precedence over your
right to play piano.
Because of this, you cannot be absolutely free to do anything you want.
Since you do not have absolute freedom, you technically have only a degree of freedom.
Now, this is not bad per se because you cannot only think about yourself.
You have to think about your family, your friends, significant others, colleagues, and
the rest of the society.
I know that a lot of people are currently staying at home out of their free will,
and this is an honourable thing to do.
You are indirectly helping the health professionals, the public,
and ultimately yourself and your loved ones.
Yes, we are giving up our freedom to a certain extent for a short period of time.
But without this temporary sacrifice,
our freedom will be taken over by the forces of nature.
In short, the freedom of the public’s health, or individual’s health within the society,
takes priority over certain personal freedom.
It is not a pleasant feeling, I get it.
But we need to see the bigger picture.
This applies the same with economy versus public health.
For example, would you give me both your arm for $10,000?
A $100,000?
And what about your eyesight?
Would you give me your eyesight for $50,000?
$500,000?
Perhaps not.
And this idea shows that you prioritize your health over money.
For this same instance, the freedom of the public’s health takes priority
over the freedom of the economy
when both domains or circles of freedom overlap.
One of the mottos that many live by is
“As long as you’re not hurting anyone you can do whatever you want”
While this philosophy is oversimplified
and does not encompass some aspects like consent,
as a superficial ethics system, it is not too bad.
So, you’re free to do anything you want within your domain.
But is this really freedom?
We are actually more tied down than you think.
Like I briefly mentioned
You can actually imprison yourself without being aware.
Here’s what I mean.
For example, people may think it is their freedom to drink as much alcohol as they want,
and that is true.
But when you drink alcohol excessively and you become addicted to it,
you no longer have the freedom to choose.
The addiction and craving of the alcohol are actually controlling you.
The same goes for gambling and drug abuse.
In this case, are the alcoholics or drug addicts truly free?
I would say "no"
While most people will consider it freedom for them to destroy their own lives or health,
they’re actually imprisoned or enslaved by these substances and addiction.
In fact, you may even be tied down to a job you hate because you’re restricted
by the need for money
It is especially during these trying times that we should be supportive
and care for each other and for yourself.
We should have more empathy and compassion that not everyone has good health like us.
Not everyone can afford a proper shelter,
food,
education,
or friends and family amidst this current situation.
Think about your priority, and keep in mind that your domain of freedom
may overlap with someone else’s domain of freedom.
Lastly, I want to pass to question unto you: Do you agree or disagree?
What does freedom mean to you?
I look forward to your answers in the comment section down below
and I’ll see you all next week Sunday.
Cheers.
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I want to thank you very much for watching!
Have a wonderful rest of the day.
Cheers!
[OUTRO MUSIC]