What does freedom mean?

It seems that freedom means different things to different people.

I have noticed quite a bit lately that when leftist say freedom it is always freedom to do something. Freedom to steal. Freedom to be perverse sexually. Freedom to lie and claim it is truth. Freedom to basically have no judgement against their bad behavior.


What does freedom mean to you? What do you think freedom means in political movements? What does it mean to say the Proud Boys. What does freedom mean to ANTIFA?

I haven't checked but I am wondering if the dictionaries have redefined freedom over the years. I bet they have in the last 5. I haven't checked.

a reply to: greendust

I guess freedom is subjective. You know it when you see it. And you see it when you’re missin it.

Freedom should be the default mode for all. We probably didn’t have a word for freedom until we started to be told ‘no’ by someone or something.

a reply to: greendust

It means nothing, and what does it mean to you?

That little avatar next to my name...that is freedom.
He is free to act and knows there could be consequences, He is on a motorcycle not protected by a steel cage and loads of airbags he could fall off cos of not holding the bars, he could get a traumatic brain injury through not having a helmet.

He is exercising his freedom to be who he is without any interference from anyone else in that moment.
The rest of the time he may not have freedom. he might have an idiot boss who is always riding him he might have a wife from hell who gives him no peace (or a husband from hell) his kids might always be on at him, the bloke running the local pub might refuse to serve him cos he has a thing about bikers...
Right now though none of that even matters cos he is on the road on his bike, free.

a reply to: greendust

Language might be too restrictive to explain...

The definition won't necessarily change depending on who you ask, what changes is the things they scrutinize. Ask a health and safety officer, most people hate them.

Freedoms just another word, for, nothing left to lose.....


Sorry.

Freedom to me means being able to do what I want, as long as it doesn't harm or hinder anyone else.

Don't feel like I have much anymore, when out in the "real" world.

originally posted by: greendust
It seems that freedom means different things to different people.

I have noticed quite a bit lately that when leftist say freedom it is always freedom to do something. Freedom to steal. Freedom to be perverse sexually. Freedom to lie and claim it is truth. Freedom to basically have no judgement against their bad behavior.


What does freedom mean to you? What do you think freedom means in political movements? What does it mean to say the Proud Boys. What does freedom mean to ANTIFA?

I haven't checked but I am wondering if the dictionaries have redefined freedom over the years. I bet they have in the last 5. I haven't checked.

Freedom means today the same as it always has. Don't let them get it twisted on you, nothing has changed in terms of what freedom means.

Freedom
noun
1. - The condition of not being in prison or captivity.
2. - The condition of being free of restraints, especially the ability to act without control or interference by another or by circumstance.
3. The condition of not being controlled by another nation or political power; political independence.
--------------

2 and 3 are what freedom means, as it applies to politics.

Keeping 2 and 3 the way they should be is where the challenge for "the people" is.

Freedom isn't free, it comes at a cost. Usually to peace and safety.

The Left is clueless about what freedom means, and shouldn't even be taken seriously. All they can do with their "discussions" on freedom is erode it.

a reply to: greendust

Freedom is basically the ability to exercise one's natural rights without interference nor penalty by government or other "authorities"... our natural rights are whatever we can do for ourselves and by ourselves and/or with other consenting adults.

Obviously, the above does not involve or allow for doing anything to or with other non-consenting adults.

Virtually every single social issue we have would disappear if everyone respected our rights and our freedom. Virtually every single political issue would likewise disappear.

a reply to: greendust

What does freedom mean?

This guy knew.

It is vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, peace! But there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Cheers

a reply to: greendust

I think the problem we have with the idea of freedom is that we think of it as all inclusive.

You may be free to do some things but not free to do others.

It is not always a matter of will or desire. It is not always a matter of ability.

We are restricted in many things by laws. Laws of the universe, laws of nature, laws of man. Some of the freedoms we believe are rightfully ours are wishful thinking. Little on this planet or even in this universe, is actually free.

Almost everything comes with a price.

a reply to: greendust

What the left really wants is freedom from responsibility. They are basically children.

a reply to: greendust

I think freedom means to me to have the ability to pursue your dreams and ambitions and goals but not to the harm or barrier of others. That probably to mean is the limit to a freedom of once you are infringing on another person's fredom lets say. freedom means less restrickions from government.

I would say freedom for the proud boys organization would be for someone the be able to deliver a speech or a rally without it being interfered with. ANTIFA freedom would mean having your political goals being met and sought after by any means neccssary.

a reply to: greendust

Freedom is the opportunity to not need to steal, to not need to be sexually perverted, to not need to lie.

Your choice to post this thread in the "Political Madness" Forum leads me to infer that you desire a conversation about the definition of freedom from a 'political' perspective.

I would think that means trying to discuss what the different approaches and perspectives about 'freedom' entail, between differing political parties or groups...

But then the rational definition can't apply can it? The definition of the word exists despite 'politics' not because of it.

So what you might expect is a lot of "those other people think" statements... and not a lot of "I (or we) think" statements.

It is important to note that many (many) political expressions about 'freedom' are leveraged in the extremities between "freedom from" and "freedom to." This can lead to madness indeed.

Great question... really.

My answer to such a question shouldn't depend on what 'party' or 'people' we are talking about. But here it would have to... so I refrain, until I can figure out what it means in an unbiased sense. Otherwise it is just a choice of perspectives to me.

Freedom ultimately means the right of other people to do things you do not approve of. - Thomas Sowell

a reply to: greendust

If I'm not mistaken, the current definition of freedom is the honor to not being put in jail as long as you tow the government line and don't either speak up or speak your mind unless your opinion is what the government tells you it is.

You lost me in your first paragraph. If you have a problem with people living however they please sexually, believing in whatever they want to, hateful or crazy included, freedom to choose one’s own morality and sacred subjects, freedom to speak one’s mind, then you’re already against everything America is all about, and it’s sickening watching you actually attempt to rally support behind those things. If you don’t believe that people should be allowed to say, do, and think whatever they choose, yes even attempt to persuade others, then you’re as anti American as they come. Just as others have the freedom to choose NOT to share their beliefs and as long as nothing is forced on others. Stealing is a completely different thread since that’s an issue of legality.

a reply to: SprocketUK

Beautiful post old buddy.

It has that element of absolute sovereignty.
Even though it may be fleeting, as you mentioned, it is a shining, special moment.

Perhaps we do only get to savour it in small doses, maybe that's just a part of having one foot in a society ?

Saw a podcaster ( Christopher Gardener ), mention a couple of weeks ago, that there may be an element of whether we internalize, or externalize : authority.

Again : my view of that concept, would be that most of us are in the grey-zone : sometimes internalizing it, and sometimes going-along, or pretending, to go-along, with Rules-and-Regulations™.


On the other hand : " Dom " is often used here, as a diminutive nickname for those named Dominic and/or Dominique.

So my question is :
What did this Dom do that is so bad, that we all gotta protest to Free-Dom these days ...

originally posted by: billxam
a reply to: greendust

If I'm not mistaken, the current definition of freedom is the honor to not being put in jail as long as you tow the government line and don't either speak up or speak your mind unless your opinion is what the government tells you it is.

Right?

And this is why we don't allow people to define freedom for us, lol.

a reply to: greendust

I think Jack Nicholson's character in Easy Rider summed it up best when they are discussing how Captain America and Billy can't even rent a hotel room because of their hippie look and George (Nicholson) tells them that people aren't scared of them, they are scared of what they represent, freedom.

 

Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what's it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it, that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.