Thinking about Freedom
Last year, just about the same time, I wrote Thinking About Independence. That article was targeted more at my Indian friends. But today I want to think about a global issue, some what related to independence, about freedom. What is the difference between the two? According to Wikipedia:
" Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, orsome portion there of, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory.
While according to WikiAnswers:
Freedom is the ability of a person to do those things s/he wishes, at least to the reasonable extent of not harming others. Freedom means that you can keep your home safely, have a right to work, learn, play, and do business. Liberty refers (to me) to the idea of expressing yourself in writing, speech, religion, organizations, and movement without interference from the government. All three ideas are closely related. No country and no person has complete freedom, independence, and liberty.
I think most of us live in 'independent' countries. But are we indeed free and know what freedom implies?
Are we ready to be free? Are we aware of the demands from us for our freedom of various kinds? I do not think so. Why???
Today most of us are not free from our unfettered desires, that are a consequence of very many influences from the society we live in. Almost all of us desire to be able to consume a lot, live in a much spacious and comfortable home. Not be forced to pay bribes for what is rightfully ours, that is to live in acorruption free society. To pay only reasonable part of our income to the government as taxes; and stillable to enjoy unfettered life. In short we want to be free, even if that is at the cost of someone else's freedom. We want freedom from daily chores with the help of cheap labor, so that we have all the time and resources to enjoy, we are not bothered how it is achieved, as long as the status quo continue we are happy. But, as soon as people, who provide us those services, want a reasonable price, we start feeling uncomfortable.
Why is it so?
I think it is a consequence of our education, from school to the university. Where we are taught lots of concepts, but seldom about social equity, about our own responsibilities and the consequences we can face unless we live morally an uncorrupted life, a life that demands from us many sacrifices of wants we desire so much, because they are so attractive, courtesy the media and the advertisements we are exposed to.
Ultimately, I conclude with a quote of Mahatma Gandhi, the person who lead the freedom movement for the independence of India from British:
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right."
Rakesh Mohan Hallen