What is Freedom? Anarchy? Permissiveness? Or Something Else?

"...No practical definition of freedom would be completely without the freedom to take the consequences. Instead, it is the freedom upon which all others are based."
-Terry Pratchett from Going Postal-

What is Freedom?

When I was a kid, I used to think freedom meant being able to do anything I wanted when I wanted it. This kid view is, of course, incredibly ignorant. Kids, you see, never feel the weight of their choices... mostly because their parents tend to handle the consequences - as most consequences are too weighty for their children to handle.

So, what is Freedom?

I like reading Terry Pratchett books. He writes witty satire in a fantasy setting. One of my favorites is this novel called Going Postal, which is about a con man by the name of Moist von Lipwig (said with a German v) who was inadvertently caught and hung within an inch of his life before being given a job as the next Postmaster General of Ankh-Morpork (He's one of my favorite characters in the series aside from the chief of police Commander Grimes). The city-state of Ankh-Morpork is in a quasi-Medieval/Victorian state, with magic and lots and lots of chaos. It isn't quite in a state of anarchy, because the supreme leader of Ankh-Morpork, the Patrician,  Lord Vetenari rules as a tyrant. That said, he is probably the most fair tyrant in writing history.

Why do I mention this? Because Freedom is often addressed in his novels as something people really don't comprehend. Or as he puts it:

"No sane mortal is truly free, because true freedom is so terrible that only the mad or the divine can face it with open eyes. It overwhelms the soul very much like the state he elsewhere describes as Vonallesvolkmmenunvertstandichasaskat." p. 81 Going Postal

Why, you might ask, does he say that?

Well, for starters, he is a satirist. He has to say things in funny, yet ironic ways. But, secondly, it is because true freedom always comes with responsibility.

Yeah. Kids don't like responsibility.

Neither do people who don't want to grow up.

But in the media today, freedom is being presented either as anarchy (acting and living outside the bounds of rules and regulations, letting chaos ensue) or permissiveness (doing whatever pleases you, forget the consequences). You can see this in in extreme forms in films such as Mad Max (anarchy) or in practically any love story (permissiveness). Problem with these presentations of freedom is that none of these are actually conducive to a healthy and stable society. Real freedom is always attached to accountability.

True freedom includes the freedom to fail.
I think this is best exemplified in the movie The Hudsucker Proxy.

 
As I said in a previous blog, the counterfeits to Freedom are Permissiveness and Anarchy. They are counterfeits because they feel like Freedom, but in the end they are destructive.

Let's start with Anarchy.  



This is the popular symbol

Anarchy (in its original definition) is a society that basically does not recognize authority... of any kind. It is akin to lawlessness.

That means no police. No presidents. No mayors. No teachers. No parents. No rules.

To a kid, this sounds great. But what would the world be like without any leadership or authority or rules?

Ever hear of Lord of the Flies?

Anarchy generally leads to chaos.

Don't believe it? Let me explain it another way. Great structures, such as the Sistine Chapel, require foremen who make sure things are constructed right. Someone with authority who can see the big picture needs to be in charge to direct the work. People may get together with a really great idea, but someone has to be the mastermind and direct the others so that the work is coordinated - so that the structure is built right and in the correct order. Otherwise you get chaos and a really lousy end result. This means people taking orders, and yes, getting corrected (if not fired) by the foreman in charge.

Fact is, human cooperation often requires setting aside ones own wants and desires for a greater good. Not everyone enjoys it, but this is a fact of life.

Here is another way to explain why anarchy is not good or helpful. If you want to built a house, you need to do things in order. If you want to bake a cake, you need to do it with the right ingredients. I recently learned that the ingredients in shaving cream and in toothpaste are almost exactly the same things. They are just put together in a different order.

So why is Permissiveness NOT freedom?

Truthfully, permissiveness actually leads to private enslavement. The moral rules that govern civilized society are actually set up to protect us from personal harm...either for now or later. For example:

Permissive sex may lead to: the spread of venereal disease, pregnancy, distrust with your current partners, and an inability to have long-lasting relationships.

Permissiveness within a family (no family rules) may lead to laziness, which leads to lack of initiative to study, which may lead to dropping out of school, which may lead to failing to launch as an adult. The need for boundaries for children is actually very important for their growth. People need to know when to stop.

Permissiveness is what leads to addiction. You try everything, you experiment, and you get hooked...especially if you let these new thrills replace healthier activities. And addiction is the worst slavery of all.

But Permissiveness is really popular in society today. The philosophy is: "If it feels good, do it." Problem with that is there are lots of things that initially feel great but can hurt you later.

There was this story told to me a while ago that illustrates the concept of the different between freedom of choice and permissiveness:


Yep. These signs do exist.

Imagine you are walking along a beach. You are all geared up to go swimming in the ocean (something I really love) but when you get to this one spot you see a sign that says: Danger Whirlpool, No Swimming. Now, you have several choices before you. You can A, ignore the sign and go swimming anyway. Or B, do something else.  Lots of people tend to focus on A... saying "They can't tell me what to do!" and all that. But there are so many options with B. You can pick up sea shells. Make a sand castle. Take a walk along the beach. Or you could go find a different spot. But people who don't like being told what to do, fixating on the NO and defying it might find themselves metaphorically swimming in dangerous waters which could suck them down to the bottom of the sea to be food for fishes. Just saying, there are 'NO's for a reason.

The thing is, true Freedom requires using your brain. It requires looking down the road at the consequences of choices, and choosing the best end...even if it puts an unpleasant choice in front of you that you have to do. True Freedom also includes respecting the freedoms of others.

Freedom isn't about getting everything you want.

Freedom is the ability to act for yourself according to your own conscience without force or restraint, knowing full well that you will carry the consequences of your own choices. It is grown up responsibility, and not a free-for-all.