What is Freedom? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Have you ever thought about the meaning of the word freedom? I think it is quite an abstract thing which different individuals may view differently. Many people think that freedom is connected to the right of saying or doing anything they want without the fear of being punished or restricted from doing so. Others think that freedom is related to walking everywhere they want at any time. However, few people can say what the word freedom means by itself. The meaning of the word freedom according to me is however completely different. Growing as a young child, my parents used to ask me the kind of freedom I would like to have whenever I grow up. I could not make sense to me because I could not comprehend and wished to have anything beyond what my childhood could offer. I have come to understand and get the whole meaning of the word freedom. Understandably, freedom means the choice to live one's life doing what one wants, live where one wants and eat and learn by one's own choice and desires (Benn 13). It, therefore, implies that freedom can lead amply to different aspects of life and hence not an absolute term. In my opinion, freedom involves the right to speak, the right to choose, the power of opening one's own business and gain the financial independence as well as the right to say no and make personal decisions.

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The right to speak forms an integral component of freedom and therefore constitutes to its meaning. In the view of Benn (13), the right to speak means the freedom of uttering anything at any time. However, this freedom is only granted when the actions of one individual; the speech, in this case, does not limit the rights and freedoms of other people. Many nations do not have freedom of speech for their citizens (Miletzki and Nick 45). It means that people are disallowed from criticizing the government and therefore cannot freely express their opinion on the public. Any move to say something ill about their government may result in being punished. In my view, therefore, freedom entails the right to speak within limits allowable by the government. It is not an absolute right because it has some constraints. Freedom that poses any amount of threat to the society and the nation people dwell in is not freedom in the real sense (MacCallum 110). One cannot abuse his leaders or leak tremendously sensitive information or secret to an enemy in the name of freedom. Working within the permitted limits constitutes to freedom.

When I hear about freedom from the perspective of other people, I am thinking about the freedom of choice. Undeniably, this meaning is much easier to understand. Majority of people connect it with issues that revolve around elections. The freedom in such cases, therefore, involves the right to choose which party to get affiliated to, and the public leaders to represent them in matters relating to development and economic issues. Many nations across the world do not provide citizens with the opportunities to enjoy the freedom of choice, perhaps because of corruption, the political structures which do not permit making choices, and maybe because some people paid their choice (Fiss 33). However, a genuine right to choice integrate many aspects including the right to choose own leaders, freedom to choose the political party to affiliate oneself to, and the right to make one's judgment regarding the matters involving personal, social, economic and political (MacCallum 114).

I believe that freedom is also connected with the right of opening one's business and gain financial independence. In my view, this freedom encompasses an exclusive right to engage in activities that involve the production of goods and services. Majority of the corrupted nations do not provide individuals the room to participate in the income-generating activities and become independent (MacCallum 113-115). It is tremendously impossible to start a business in those nations without criminal support. On the other hand, the countries where the freedom of being independent is respected have their citizens provided with equal opportunities and security to start and maintain their businesses. Freedom is therefore associated with the financial wellness and without such right, then the liberty in such circumstances is not real.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that freedom is exclusively non-denial of our fundamental rights as humans. It is something that is beyond stereotypes and templates. As such, real-life freedom is a substantial opportunity to express oneself in any possible way. I have had the experience with some of my friends claiming to enjoy freedom in their lives. Tattoos, hairstyle, clothes and the right to wear or do anything to their bodies. This is the freedom of expression according to me. It is undeniable to mention that freedom is around us and our understanding of the world varies but always connected with people around us. The freedom to choose, freedom to speak, freedom to understand, think and do whatever we want constitutes to the whole meaning of the word freedom. The world without freedom is profoundly cruel to reside in, and I would probably be depressed with its absence.

Works Cited

Benn, Stanley I. "Privacy, freedom, and respect for persons." Privacy and personality. Routledge, 2017. 1-26.

Fiss, Owen. Liberalism divided: Freedom of speech and the many uses of state power. Routledge, 2018.

MacCallum, Gerald C. "Negative and positive freedom." Liberty Reader. Routledge, 2017. 100-122.

Miletzki, Janna, and Nick Broten. Development as freedom. Macat Library, 2017.