photo by @mrsimoncohen
We asked our community a simple question: What does freedom mean to you? We got answers via email, by post, on Facebook and Twitter. Here are some of the best answers. Please add yours to the comments, we’ll be updating as more responses come in.
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“Freedom is, simply put, having a minimum of things in your life that you must do or must not do, and a maximum of things that you want to do or you choose to do.” — Noah Brand, with one of a list of many, in the post What is Freedom?
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“When I was younger, you couldn’t listen to disco/dance. If you didn’t listen to rock/metal, you were one of them and you didn’t want to be one of them. I don’t know if it was the confidence borne of kick boxing/weight lifting, but in my 20s, I started listening to whatever songs I liked including Karma Chameleon, which you couldn’t listen to or you were the other them and that was considered worse.”
From John Anderson, on What’s Your Freedom Story?
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I tend to think of the definition used by the two paramedics in their testimony about the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I found a copy of it here
Our little encampment began to blossom. Someone stole a water delivery truck and brought it up to us. Let’s hear it for looting! A mile or so down the freeway, an army truck lost a couple of pallets of C-rations on a tight turn. We ferried the food back to our camp in shopping carts. Now secure with the two necessities, food and water; cooperation, community, and creativity flowered. We organized a clean up and hung garbage bags from the rebar poles. We made beds from wood pallets and cardboard. We designated a storm drain as the bathroom and the kids built an elaborate enclosure for privacy out of plastic, broken umbrellas, and other scraps. We even organized a food recycling system where individuals could swap out parts of C-rations (applesauce for babies and candies for kids!).
This was a process we saw repeatedly in the aftermath of Katrina. When individuals had to fight to find food or water, it meant looking out for yourself only. You had to do whatever it took to find water for your kids or food for your parents. When these basic needs were met, people began to look out for each other, working together and constructing a community.
So the answer is that society needs to provide for the basic necessities for all it’s citizens. Once that is done you have the capacity to pursue other freedoms. Without it you have nothing but lawlessness and every man for himself.
From David Byron, on What’s Your Freedom Story?
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@GoodMenProject freedom doing what you believe to be right even when everyone else is opposing you
— Titan40481 (@Titan40481) July 4, 2013
@bpetrovic @GoodMenProject freedom is getting up in the middle of the night, eating a nutella sandwich, and going back to bed…bcoz u can.
— Milos J (@miloswebs) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Freedom is pie for breakfast!
— Quelcy Kogel (@WithTheGrains) July 4, 2013
Freedom is waking up in the am & deciding what u want 2 do with ur day, simply because it is urs. RT@GoodMenProject: http://t.co/AwJc4UUrzX
— Bojana Petrovic (@bpetrovic) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Letting go of your ego.
— Gary Dunstan (@3BigQuestions) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject freedom is an illusion created by the wealthy
— Andrew Nadin (@anadin84) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Very few are truly free. We need to recognize what we have and be humbled, and act for those who don’t. #checkourprivilege
— Danny Catalano (@dannycisme) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Freedom is being single again after being in a marriage where I wasn’t true to myself.
— Divorced Kat (@1stYrDivorce) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject freedom is when some tells u wat to do and yu still decide wether you doing it or not
Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good Men Project ad free— Dj Scoob Doo (@Vincentvimbai) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Freedom is moving from oppression to purpose.
— Jason Helveston (@JasonHelveston) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Freedom is the power to decide what is right for you knowing that you are the author of your fate.
— JuliannaRVerona (@dcuriouspianist) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject Freedom is to Feel, Think, Act, Do, Be whatever WE humans See, Dream, Desire, & Go after for ourselves! #ProudToBeAmerican
— Tanya Dawn Hack (@luckieu44) July 4, 2013
@GoodMenProject #Freedom is today: playing in a poppy field with my newborn baby pic.twitter.com/9OJOqk8guI
— Simon Cohen (@mrsimoncohen) July 4, 2013
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The following poem is from @talk2PeaceX, originally published here.
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
I’d like to feed myself
Freedom.
And clothe myself
Freedom.
And feed my child
Freedom.
And clothe my child
Freedom.
Shelter myself
Freedom.
Shelter my child
Freedom.
Live far away
Freedom.
Be here to stay
Freedom.
Sit on a wall
Freedom.
And if fall…
Freedom.
Release my soul
Freedom.
Enjoy my self
Freedom.
Swim ‘cross the sea
Freedom.
Impunity
Freedom.
Rise in the night
Freedom.
Bed down at dawn
Freedom.
Be natural
Freedom.
An actual
Freedom.
No need to pay
Freedom.
Bills every day
Freedom.
Willing to give.
Freedom.
To how we live
Freedom.
As long as my
Freedom
don’t compromise
Freedom.
.
Freedom is the ability to choose what is good and reject what is evil. In defining good and evil, I guess it all comes down to your conscience and how you choose to inform/validate your conscience, whether by a religion or some other moral code, or just by developing your ability to reason perfect goodness and feel perfect goodness it in your heart. Freedom of mind, freedom of heart and freedom of will. That’s all I need. The thing is, freedom is not a permanent state but a choice to be made every day, every minute. I have heard stories… Read more »
Freedom is a myth.
Freedom is what you make it.
Freedom means not having to pay outrageous taxes of under 3% to ‘tyrannical empires’ who are paying off the cost of fighting your wars.
Happy Independence Day, y’all! 😉