The concept of “freedom”

The idea of “freedom”

The idea of “freedom” has been the subject of debate for many years. The topic of the conversation has been well-chosen. varying people from all over the world have varying perspectives on what freedom means and how it affects people’s lives. Freedom, in the words of J. F. Kennedy, is the path forward. According to the American Heritage College Dictionary (AHCD), “freedom” is the state of not being subject to any restrictions. All over, people speak about freedom! Freedom of expression, association, and religion are just a few examples. From this vantage point, it is possible to describe freedom as the capacity to fulfill all of one’s desires. A free individual, for example, can alter the environment to meet his needs. Many questions are still unanswered regarding freedom. Are people free of constraints or do the past events determine everything? Is freedom an absolute right? Indeed, hardly anything happens freely, and at the same time, nothing happens by chance, and therefore people are not free. Everyone strives to have freedom and independence from others but living free starts by respecting the rights of the other people.

Freedom is essential in any society

Freedom is essential in any society because it promotes a harmonious coexistence of the individuals. People who are exercising their right to liberty are respectful and useful in the community. Freedom is an important social aspect and people who are deprived of that right develop a feeling of disrespect. In fact, those who freely communicate, travel and give their opinions without fearing for their lives. In some societies, freedom of speech is not guaranteed by the authorities. In such circumstances, the people’s minds encounter deterrence from becoming creative, and in the long run, the society emerges as the most significant loser. Animosity among people can never be as a result of the freedom to give an opinion if the people are respectful and mindful of others’ rights. Since freedom is not an absolute right, one has to remember always that there are constraints that require adherence. For example, security is as important as freedom hence practicing of the latter should not jeopardize the former. Liberty also has something to do with religion. People who are free to establish own places, and perform their religious actions can be said to be free.

From the historical perspective

From the historical perspective, there is proof that freedom is innate to human and that explains why people fight for their rights to be free. During the era of imperialism, a group of nations that considered themselves to be Greater Powers guaranteed freedom to their people while curtailing the same for the other developing countries. The colonized states had to fight tirelessly to restore their independence and autonomy. Depriving other people of their rights is a disrespectful human action because man has the responsibility to maintain and keep the God-given rights. In most countries across the globe, people get punished for various reasons by taking away the right to be free. It’s believable that by doing so, human learns lessons that would discourage them from engaging in similar crimes in future. For a prisoner, coming out of the prison may mean freedom; however, from the social point of view, liberty is all about being free to do everything one desires by complying with the law and social customs. No community can guarantee absolute freedom to all the social beings because understanding the wants of everyone is technically impossible.

Perceptions of freedom

Many people have perceived freedom as an absolute right; however, this should not be the case. Being free is only enjoyable if it is limited and safeguarded against unnecessary infringements. If freedom is taken to be absolute, then that can be a recipe for unwarranted chaos. People are likely to engage in activities that jeopardize the rights of others in the name of being free. Indeed, parents have the responsibility to ensure that their children are free, but at the same time, the guidelines and boundaries of the same must be put under strict observation so that their behavior is by the rules of the country. Character building is crucial at the teen years, and so is the development of personality. The teens can easily get lost when not guided since they are a stage where they have the zeal to experience everything. When children are taught on decision-making, and on isolating the right from the wrong, then that does not amount to a limit on freedom; instead, the constraints are essential for the protection of existence.

In conclusion

In conclusion, freedom serves to promote respectful coexistence between people in society. Every community may define freedom in a manner that promotes their social virtues, besides seeing it in their light. Therefore, societies design freedom to be enjoyed in an appropriate manner. Being free does not mean an infringement of other people’s rights, everyone has the responsibility to enjoy the right to be free, while at the same time encouraging harmony with others. Freedom is an innate right that humans should enjoy without facing any threats; however, the enjoyment should promote respect and peace.