November 23, 2004
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Freedom
I am a believer in freedom. Freedom to say what’s on your mind, to be yourself, to make choices (even mistakes – how else do you learn?), as long as your choices don’t infringe on others.
(and just for the record, being different should not, in and of itself, be construed as an infringement against those who seek conformity).
I’m not primarily talking about political freedom. Assaults on freedom feel the same whether they come from government, employers, society or family. And they do come from all of those sources.
So, I like when people feel free to talk about sex, or to admit things about themselves that people don’t normally admit. Above all, I value self-honesty and courage. If we all admitted to ourselves and others how weird we really are, the world would be a better place.
So that’s another way we can contribute to the collective consciousness. Arguing politics certainly isn’t the only way. Probably the most effective way is to simply (as if it were simple – I don’t know, maybe it is) be yourself.
At the very least, you are free, and at your best, you challenge people to accept you – freeing them as well.
Comments (11)
I like to suck on my girlfriend's toes. She doesn't like it, though, and doesn't usually let me.
Being true to yourself is the best example anyone can set to lead the way towards true freedom. The more you are honest with yourself and others about who you are and what makes you happy, the more others are set free to be who they are as well...by being less inhibited, others are given permission to break free of their own inhibitions...and isn't that the true definition of freedom?
~Laura
It's the "as long as your choices don't infringe on others" part that's the issue. What is or is not an infringement depends on where you stand. You could argue that this last election hinged on a perceived infringement--gay marriage--that many successfully argued was a dangerous affront to our culture. Question becomes, which "freedoms" will be socially sanctioned, and potentially politically licensed? If W. came out today and said he had a rabid latex fetish--a choice that presumably does not infringe on others' rights--he'd suddenly be faced with a new political issue. Point being, there's an invisible societal threshold about these things. Gay marriage approached it and fell in, not being allowed to cross by a society not ready (if it ever will be) to sanction it. We can talk about freedom as an idealized goal, but people are too indebted to presuppositions of normalcy to embrace it.
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
J/k An old wise man once told me "Never forget who you are", that kind of stuck with me. I agree with you, self-enlightment could change the world. Better yet, embrace who you are.
an old wise man once told me "I'm wearing a thong." It kind of creeped me out, but to this day I'll only wear thongs.
Yeah, I've refounded my belief in freedom after a long period of doubt. I've decided it's independance that I disagree with, instead.
Also, I will from now on use this blog as justification to bring up sex at akward moments in random conversations. I can respond to the ensuing sudden silences with: "What? I'm bettering the collective conscious of humanity. So fucking sue me."
Also, being oneself is the most intrinsically difficult task I have undertaken yet, but I'm working on it.
thongs are gay, freedom rocks!
freedom - hope this word still have some significance these times...
Thanks for speaking up for us on John's site.
i do believe that being yourself will make things easier, i have a friend who is a completely different person around his work people, another person at home. that is just too much time and energy wasted on others. how exhausting!
You make a strong argument.
Admirable. I prefer debate to the "everyone is entitled to my opinion" concept---all to prevelent online.
The real value of a blog is finding where your head is at.
Sometimes I don't want to delve...othertimes---right to the heart....
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