What is freedom?

[Principe Alessandro]

"The word freedom has for me never had the character of a point of departure but of a goal. The point of departure is order which alone can produce freedom. Without order the appeal to freedom is no more than the quest of some specific party for its special objectives and will in practice always lead to tyranny."

Prince Metternich 1773-1859

For me Metternich is the unique man in history that understood what is the true freedom.
Also for you is this freedom?

[Kagemusha]

I personally think that only time man will find true freedom is in death. Naturally man is bound by his duties towards himself,his/ hers loved ones,society,morals. As long as he lives he never knows absolute freedom. But then it all becomes down to,how to define "freedom".

[MasterOfNone]

Is not freedom the power to choose, which emanates from our sentient nature - being imbued with a will and not the mere base instinct of animals? Does not how we use that power to choose determine what we are and can be? Is not happiness a result ultimately of wisely-used freedom? And does that freedom not grow in its wise exercise?

Is not 'just freedom' that part which may be exercised without violating the 'just freedom' of another - namely their right to life, liberty and property? Are not 'just laws' framed to protect this very freedom?

So just law increases true freedom, and thus promotes greater happiness among a people.

[Roshak]

Freedom is choice. As simple as that. We have the choice to what to believe, what to do, how to live, what to read, whom to vote, and to exercise our right of expression.

[IndianPrince]

Watching braveheart have you ???

lolz ...

According to me freedom is that which gives us a right to say & express ideas that we believe in yet there has to be a limit as to not hurt people's sentiments & feelings if one can.

Prince

[Justice and Mercy]

Freedom is, as it stands, unnatainable.

Freedom is, politically, the lack of a government forcing you to it's will unless you, as an individual, have forced another to your will or harmed them in some way, or undoubtedly will do such a thing (in a specific instance to be proven by the courts).

[STReetSamurai]

Its not existent anymore and likely never will be ever again.



If posting that is against the tos my point is proven further.

[Anarius]

Freedom is impossible in a modern society. Some say that the Athenians "invented" freedom, but democracy and freedom is not the same thing. Besides, no doubt some tribe or people allready had a voting system before them. Freedom is being able to do what you want, but there should be consequenses if what you do is wrong. That might be getting killed by the offended party, a very primitive legal system. I think that's more "free" than democracy, since you can do or say what you want, allthough you might have to defend yourself because of it.

But it's chaotic and wouldn't fit with our modern world. Sometimes total freedom is not a good thing.

[rathelios]

Freedom is being able to do whatever you want whenever you want however you want. Modern freedom like true freewill is an illusion. True freedom is impossible to achieve for almost all of humanity. Nor would it necessarily be desirable as humanity is infinitely flawed and given the chance tends to do the wrong thing most of the time.

[The Mongol]

deleteme

[LSJ]

Freedom is being able to do, say, and think anything you choose to without legal restraints.
Obviously you cannot find real freedom in any country. There are laws against freedom in the most free nations on earth.

Freedom has been sacrificed for the "greater good" of humanity, because freedom allows theft, rape, murder, terrorism, and vandalism.

[Mangalore]

Freedom is the prospect and chance of a better tomorrow.

In the class distinctions of former ages it was nearly impossible for a peasant to do anything else but what he was allowed to do. He had no options to shape is destiny, foster his hopes or pursue his wishes. He was stuck to live, marry, hopefully have children and die at which point the cycle would continue.
Similarily it can be applied to freedom of speech etc. in that one can voice one's opinion even if it is unpopular without the risk of having one's head bashed in.

[Justice and Mercy]

Freedom is being able to do, say, and think anything you choose to without legal restraints.
Obviously you cannot find real freedom in any country. There are laws against freedom in the most free nations on earth.

Freedom has been sacrificed for the "greater good" of humanity, because freedom allows theft, rape, murder, terrorism, and vandalism.

Man, every time I hear someone shoot this ******** out of their ass I honestly rip my hair out of my head.

"Rape, murder, terrorism, and vandalism." whether carried out by a GOVERNMENT or an INDIVIDUAL is NOT freedom.

Freedom is when NO ONE, even an individual or small group of individuals, OR A GOVERNMENT, infringes on your will.

[rathelios]

But, J & M, what if your will is to:

"Rape, murder, terrorism, and vandalism."

?!

[Justice and Mercy]

But, J & M, what if your will is to:

?!

Then you're being an oppressive *******, and infringing on the freedom of another.

The idea of a freedom is that, and I know this is cliche, "Yours ends where another's begins."

[MasterOfNone]

"My freedom to swing my fist ends where your nose begins" is the one I've heard

[LSJ]

If you are being prevented from doing something you really want to then you are not completely free. If that includes murdering someone you hate, or taking something you want from someone else, the laws prevent that. Freedom includes freedom of action. Freedom of action can be anything from taking a piss, walking down a street, to hitting someone with a stick.

[Justice and Mercy]

If you are being prevented from doing something you really want to then you are not completely free. If that includes murdering someone you hate, or taking something you want from someone else, the laws prevent that. Freedom includes freedom of action. Freedom of action can be anything from taking a piss, walking down a street, to hitting someone with a stick.

No, again, that's not freedom, that's a paradox.

[Favre]

Freedom is being able to do, say, and think anything you choose to without legal restraints.
Obviously you cannot find real freedom in any country. There are laws against freedom in the most free nations on earth.

Freedom has been sacrificed for the "greater good" of humanity, because freedom allows theft, rape, murder, terrorism, and vandalism.

I believe there is a reason for the Second Amendment, To protect yourself from these evils.

However, in an effort to turn American into a socialist country, The 2nd Amendment is being torn to shreds. Same goes for the Constitution.

[MasterOfNone]

Semantics I guess, but I prefer the term 'liberty' so as not to confuse it with the power to choose to do evil. In many ways evil could be defined as robbing someone of their liberty.

By liberty I mean the power to choose wherein we do not violate the natural rights of others.

The ability to stop evil in this sense exists in our inherent right to self-defence (i.e. the power to remain free by using the products of our rights); thus government's definition as stated by Bastiat:

The law is the organization of the natural right of lawful defense. It is the substitution of a common force for individual forces. And this common force is to do only what the individual forces have a natural and lawful right to do: to protect persons, liberties, and properties; to maintain the right of each, and to cause justice to reign over us all. (Frederic Bastiat's "The Law")