Greater freedom does not necessarily lead to greater happiness?

[belledetenebres]

What do you think about this? In my opininon, freedom and happines are not necessarily linked together. And being free also requires a lot of responisbility.

[mintscent]

I agree with you. If we have absolute freedom, we need to have the maturity, stability, reasonableness, temperance and wit to make good, suitable decisions for ourselves. Otherwise, we may lose common sense, life principles and values and end up experiencing unhealthy things for us, especially if we're young, since we're still not completely able to discern what is right and what is wrong. That's why (at least in theory) we have our parents right there, next to us, when we are still in the springtime of life: so they could help us understand what's good to do and what's bad to do, what's socially acceptable to do and what's not.
Freedom means power--the power to do whatever strikes our fancy without worrying about the consequences. But you know what? "With power comes great responsibility"--that's what Voltaire (and even Peter Parker's uncle, Ben, from "Spider-man") once said. Doing something (like indulging into a hedonistic lifestyle, procrastinating, taking drugs, stealing, killing) just because we can doesn't mean it's the best thing for us. We have the power to make choices. Now if it's a good choice or not, that's another thing.

[Settingemstraight]

Jesus said it first.

[mintscent]

Yeah, now that I think about it, that's true.

[Cj4TheWin]

I don't think freedom automatically inclines happiness, you could be free as a bird and still be the most unhappy son of a bitch walking on this earth.

[thtdiablo]

What is freedom? Is it freedom when I can choose what to buy in the supermarket while I actually can only pick from the choices they allow me to have (by producing it)? Is it freedom when it was a guy's greatest dream to become a pilot but his born with myopia that strong, that it's impossible? What happened to his freedom of choice?
And do responsibility, accountability and freedom really go together like this? Isn't it that the first ones actually limit the latter one leading to the conclusion that freedom would be where there is neither of the other two but where does such freedom exist?

So what is the actual question?

[Neurath]

Freedom doesn't just give a person responsibility, it also gives them accountability. In this day and age the blame culture is increasing. People are taking the responsibility on but not the accountability. I had a friend that sued a business for some defensive razor wire cutting the tip of his finger off. I believe he was to blame for the accident as he was the one to climb up the 12 foot fence and try to get inside the business. The business however had to pay out. What madness is that?

[sovetskii13]

It doesn't necessarily lead to greater happiness, but it does give you a greater variety of choices. It can be a good thing or a bad thing. Good if you end up finding exactly what you want or bad if there are so many choices and things to focus on that you just can't do anything at all. So, freedom is not necessarily happiness.

[martyfellow]

Freedom has so many meanings! If you mean having your own space, for example, not depending on others. that can lead to various results If you mean fredom from relationships, being single, clearly that doesn't always bring happiness.

Politically speaking, again, freedom has so many different interpretations...

[steveguitar]

I think the end of your description> being free requires a lot of responsibility, is the part that takes away the happiness. but I think that it could work when you are successful. if you are not successful where you want to be then you can't be happy

[Settingemstraight]

Nobody ever said it did.

that doesn't mean freedom isn't important. Or should be trampled in the name of "happiness" people must be free to make their own choices, and be happy or unhappy about them.

[Shyguy_1988]

To me, being controlled by governent a group of people that tell you what you can and can't do, even if its morally right will lead me to being sad. More freedom in the realm of morality leads to happiness!

[Prof_Don]

I agree, the freedom equals more responsibility, which also means accountability.

With the accountability, comes the inability to blame others for your misfortunes.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

It depends on what context you're using for the word 'freedom'. I certainly wouldn't sacrifice freedom if I had the choice.

[Bluegameroyon]

it can be true. but it's not an absolute.