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I don't believe that our freedom is comprehensive. I believe that we enjoy some freedoms, but that we're not entirely free. Our society imposes too many restrictions on us.
Certain lifestyles receive castigation and ostracism that restricts a person's ability to live a free and fulfilling life of their choosing.
We're only allowed to fully express our views in very limited circumstances, such as in the privacy of our own homes, amongst friends and family in their homes, or sometimes in public places if a permit is not required. Private online media sources reserve the right to restrict your free speech, and they often do if it doesn't sit right. Employers reserve the right to terminate our employment based on things not only said in the workplace, but in our private space. There can be and often are restrictions for reserving public forums that would allow us to express ourselves to others.
The exuberant costs of things like childcare, healthcare, and education prevent many people from pursuing these things. And while childcare may not be essential to living, healthcare is. And education is becoming a more prevalent requirement in order to enter the workforce. But these things can cost a lot of money, creating a barrier to entry. And this, in turn, creates significant limitations on a person's ability to live freely how they would like. There are stories of people wanting to start their own businesses, but won't in order to not give up their health insurance through an employer, because individual insurance is too expensive. There are stories of people who want to escape poverty, but can't due to the exorbitant cost of education that would aid in lifting them out.
If we were entirely free, we'd have easy and unlimited access to those things that would allow us to live a more fulfilling and promising life that we want, not what society has imposed upon us with significant barriers to entry and restrictions on our desired lifestyles.
If we were entirely free, we'd have easy and unlimited access to those things that would allow us to live a more fulfilling and promising life that we want, not what society has imposed upon us with significant barriers to entry and restrictions on our desired lifestyles.
I agree with a lot of what you say, especially the part about the prohibitive costs to obtaining the education to pursue a well paying job/career...that opportunity(a chance)..... and healthcare, should be available to everyone....tax dollers well spent (I think)
I don't believe in socialism though.
Unfortunately when living within a "society", there need to be some rules and regulations or it wouldn't mean "freedom" to the person who works everyday, and whose taxes pay for others to pursue their dreams.
Somebody has to pay....right??? for the teachers, the doctors, etc.
If a kid smokes pot at school..disrupts classes... disrespects the teachers...skips classes etc....why should we offer him/her the chance for an expensive education?.....on the taxpayers dime.
If a couple decide to have a bunch of children, that's their choice....why should my taxes pay for their childcare?
If someone drinks to excess, smokes multiple packs of cigs each day, doesn't eat well....does street drugs...whose fault is that?
Should my taxes be spent to provide ongoing healthcare to someone who doesn't even care about themselves?
It's a touchy situation.....I feel bad for the good people who are struggling, and like you say, just can't afford the education they want, but I also resent paying for others who have no intentions of doing whats right...just there for the FREE ride while it lasts.......and unfortunately there's lots of people like that who would, and do, spoil a good thing.
I find it hard but nobody really wants free people. This dates back to the early days of the nation. We did not give rights to the tribes, women, African-Americans, immigrants and poor whites that couldn't own land. These groups were NOT included in the Declaration of Independence. This hasn't changed much since the days though one can argue that it is worse. I wouldn't agree with that but I wouldn't fully disagree either. Regardless, we are far more national-centric than the founding fathers thought we should have been for better and worse.
I think the problem lies in where one individual's rights begin and another's end. I mean some person could smoke or vape and so long as it don't effect another (especially physically) does the right of the smoker/vaper superceed the one who is effected or even the other way. It is hard to tell unless a law is passed to clarify and even still one side will not be happy.
I don't believe that our freedom is comprehensive. I believe that we enjoy some freedoms, but that we're not entirely free. Our society imposes too many restrictions on us.
Certain lifestyles receive castigation and ostracism that restricts a person's ability to live a free and fulfilling life of their choosing.
We're only allowed to fully express our views in very limited circumstances, such as in the privacy of our own homes, amongst friends and family in their homes, or sometimes in public places if a permit is not required. Private online media sources reserve the right to restrict your free speech, and they often do if it doesn't sit right. Employers reserve the right to terminate our employment based on things not only said in the workplace, but in our private space. There can be and often are restrictions for reserving public forums that would allow us to express ourselves to others.
The exuberant costs of things like childcare, healthcare, and education prevent many people from pursuing these things. And while childcare may not be essential to living, healthcare is. And education is becoming a more prevalent requirement in order to enter the workforce. But these things can cost a lot of money, creating a barrier to entry. And this, in turn, creates significant limitations on a person's ability to live freely how they would like. There are stories of people wanting to start their own businesses, but won't in order to not give up their health insurance through an employer, because individual insurance is too expensive. There are stories of people who want to escape poverty, but can't due to the exorbitant cost of education that would aid in lifting them out.
If we were entirely free, we'd have easy and unlimited access to those things that would allow us to live a more fulfilling and promising life that we want, not what society has imposed upon us with significant barriers to entry and restrictions on our desired lifestyles.
You're right in that we give up some of our personal freedoms, but the reason is to protect the broad freedoms that we all have. You talk about "exuberant" (I'm sure you mean exorbitant) cost of things like childcare, healthcare, and education...and that's a perfect example of why what you really want is selfish...people should sacrifice their own salaries and live poor so that you can live comfortably. We all owe a debt to society. I assume you want total freedom of speech...but you don't want that freedom of speech if it castigates some other lifestyle.
You're right in that we give up some of our personal freedoms, but the reason is to protect the broad freedoms that we all have. You talk about "exuberant" (I'm sure you mean exorbitant) cost of things like childcare, healthcare, and education...and that's a perfect example of why what you really want is selfish...people should sacrifice their own salaries and live poor so that you can live comfortably. We all owe a debt to society. I assume you want total freedom of speech...but you don't want that freedom of speech if it castigates some other lifestyle.
Well said. I also think what constitutes "freedom" isn't the same for everyone. Ex. does total freedom mean anyone can literally act anyway they want? I wouldn't even think that would be possible for humans. Even wild animal groups have social rules in place for the benefit of the whole. Or does freedom go up to the point where everyone is provided a certain level of services (Ex. food, shelter, schooling, medical care). But then you have to think that this would impinge on the rights of other to enjoy the fruits of their hard work, therefore they would have less freedom. Why should someone who works 60 hours a week have to support someone who wants to sit around all day doing nothing? Like a lot of things freedom should be expressed in degrees. I will agree with the OP that we in America are not totally free, but our freedom is much greater than past generations, at least based on my definition of freedom.
There's nothing "free" about federal gun-free school laws. There's nothing "free" about women getting punished for being topless on beaches and tv while men aren't.
I don't believe that our freedom is comprehensive. I believe that we enjoy some freedoms, but that we're not entirely free. Our society imposes too many restrictions on us. ...
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"Freedom is apparently the right to do anything The Law allows." --Baron de Montesquieu
The translation of that is "Every Law or Regulation takes away a little more freedom from us."
If you're under about 60 yrs of age, you have no idea what freedom is, and our progressive (ironic use of that word) loss of freedom has been akin to the frog in hot water phenomenon. We read 1984 in the 50s and were appalled at the thought of The Govt monitoring our every move electronically. Now, we not only allow them without objection to post cameras on the street corners & tollways, but we ourselves voluntarily buy monitoring devices (Alexis & such) to mount in our own homes or carry with us.
In the 50s, we kids regularly played BB- Tag with Daisy air rifles. (Nobody ever lost an eye.) Now, you're expelled from school and your parents jailed if you dare to point a finger at someone with your thumb raised cuz it looks like a gun to the Snowflakes.
CO2, an absolutely essential material for Life has been declared "a Poison" by the govt-- all as a means to control us-- and we're encouraging them do it to us. Stupid.
Your initial premise is correct-- we've lost our Freedom. Your reason- tight money- is absurd. Anybody is allowed to be a Major League pitcher-- but you need a good fastball to qualify. Not everybody has one.... Anybody is allowed to start a business or access healthcare--but you need money to do so. Not everybody has it. .. Who's fault is that?
You said: Private online media sources reserve the right to restrict your free speech, and they often do if it doesn't sit right.
Well, not quite correct. Private online media sources, as well as public sites, restrict speech in some form. That is not "free speech" that is being restricted. It's speech. There's a difference.
It's common knowledge that our right to free speech is limited. The well known example is that we are not entitled to yell "fire" in a movie theater.
One person's right to free speech ends where another person's right to be free from harmful speech begins. We are not entitled to malign or disparage people without proof. We are not entitled to call people derogatory names. We are not entitled to spread malicious rumors or spread false information about important matters or people. We are not entitled to reveal private things about others that are protected by law (like medical information).
We are also not entitled to say anything we want on or in someone else's property. That is what "private online media sites" are. You can say anything you want. You just can't say it EVERYWHERE you want, because of the rights of others.
If you start a private organization or site, you are allowed to dictate the purpose of the organization and the behavior and speech that is allowed. For example, if you start a local white supremacy group, and someone shows up in a t-shirt that says, "Black people are cooler than white people," they can legally kick you out because their group forbids that kind of expression as not conducive to the purpose of the organization. Yet, you are free to wear a t-shirt that says the opposite, or a t-shirt that says "all lives matter" as a dig to the "black lives matter" movement. You cannot wear an "all lives matter" to an organization meeting for Black Lives Matter, probably.
It makes perfect sense. Otherwise, no one would be protected from harmful speech by others. No one would be able to have an organization for a specific purpose. And all of this is in accordance with free speech. All of this is not an infringement on speech. Free speech encompasses some restrictions in certain places or at certain times. That is what free speech is.
The only way to be completely free is to live in some remote wilderness far away from any society. Free to provide your own dentistry and medical care, free to defend yourself against the ravages of animals and insects, free to produce all your own food......
Then you can run around naked and screaming if that's your idea of a good time.
Unfortunately there isn't much to debate here.
For the majority of Americans, wages have not kept pace with inflation.
And less $ = less freedom for vacations and such.
15 years ago I could have threatened to break someone's chubby little typing fingers online, and not meant it.
I'd have heard nothing of it back then, doing so now would result in prosecution; whether I intended on doing so or not.
That's how soft this country has been become, as though spoken works and hurt feelings are a crime.
If you want more freedom, move to the Dominican Republic; where one can build a bonfire on the beach without a permit.
There's a trade-off though, while traffic laws are not enforced due to no police patrols; it has THE highest rate of traffic fatalities on the planet.
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