Freedom Is Complicated
October 13th, 2006
Starting ‘close to home’ helps me begin to grasp the meaning of ‘freedom’ in other parts of the world where it involves life or death.
In my world, I value my freedom of thought. It means the freedom to search for the truth with as little outside pressure or manipulation as possible. It means the freedom to listen to differing opinions. This requires another valuable freedom —expression.
Freedom of expression is inhibited by fearful consequences that result from expressing one’s true thoughts. In many parts of the world, the consequences are death, imprisonment, torture, rape. In our relatively safe, free society, expressing one’s thoughts has subtle consequences, which inhibit expression, nonetheless. If I express myself, I risk being rejected, I risk being judged, I risk being yelled at, laughed at, ostracized, ignored; I risk being alone. Did such consequences result in the tragedies that occurred at Columbine, Taber, and Montréal?
Tolerance is an integral part of freedom. I must accept that other people have the same freedoms as I do. My neighbor has freedom of speech, too, even if I disagree with what she says. The more I tolerate my neighbor’s right to express her thoughts, the more chance I have of hearing what she is saying, and the more likely that she will hear what I have to say. We might even find common ground. At the worst, we can agree to disagree , respectfully, civilly.
Imagine how much violence could be prevented around the world if opposing parties tolerated each other, instead of trying to eliminate any hint of opposition. Even within relationships in our ‘peaceful’ part of the planet, tolerating each others’ right to the same freedoms might reduce spousal violence.
Are the thoughts that I want to express to my neighbor really my own? What about media in the pocket of right wing (or left wing) politicians? If I only see the news from one perspective—the facts—as they present them, do I have freedom of thought? Maybe if I listen to my disagreeable neighbor I will have an alternate set of ‘facts’ to consider.
Freedom is complicated.
Thank you for providing this environment that allows freedom of expression without negative consequences, and which nurtures freedom of thought. It is one more step toward a respectful, civilized world.
by Vicki Parker
Victoria, BC, Canada
Vicki you are right, Freedom is complicated. It’s odd in a way, because for those of us who have relative freedom it seems so simple, yet to the many in this world that do not have freedom, it is complicated and eludes them continually. Thank you for your words.