What does "Freedom" mean to you?

[LaikaFreefall]

When people talk about "freedom" in society, what does that mean to you? And why is that important to you?

[Sonorous]

For us limited beings, true &/or full freewill or freedom is an illusion. So, I believe that true &/or full freedom is "the delusory belief that one has more control than one actually does."

However, I have a different definition for the more accurate representation of our "freedom." I just wish people didn't call it "freedom." But instead, something more accurate. Like "capable, conscious, limited, or modifiable freedoms."

I believe that the definition for this type of this freedom should be something like:

"Within the constraints of our limitations, it is the ability to learn about & understand ourselves while using that knowledge to consciously & purposefully choose the burdens we do/do not wish to bear."

I say that because freedom is meaningless without direction & you won't know what to aim for if you don't know what you do & don't like. Also, since life is filled with suffering, avoiding certain sufferings while consciously & purposefully choosing the ones we want to bear takes elements of freedom/freewill.

And of course, the constraints refer to the limitations like morality, legality, & the physical world. And I believe that most would benefit if those "freedoms" worked in harmony with utilitarian outcomes.

[anylolone]

Doing what I want with my life without the treat of force from the state.

Or basically, the freedom to make use of my free will, without infringing on other's free will or having my free will infringed.

And free will is the ability to output from inputs, to cut it short.

[Ailito]

Freedom means being able to do anything at anytime.
Personally, I would find my freedom by living on the road in a converted van. Day to day life. That's my freedom.

Hopefully one day I get it.

[Agape93]

It means let me live my life how I wish and leave me alone.

[LaikaFreefall]

This is a very popular definition of freedom in my experience. I always find it interesting people so frequently answer this question with "leave me alone" instead of something more along the lines of "the ability to pursue your dreams and ambitions" or something.

[ADFSDF1996]

• The absolute right to bear arms
• The absolute right to defend my home by any means necessary
• The absolute right to not be censored
• The absolute right to practice my religion
• The absolute right to practice my hobbies
• The absolute right to have freedom from fear.

Whatever happened to freedom from fear?

[okeydoke]

Just so you’re aware, about half of these are not protected by the American constitution. At least not in absolute and unrestricted forms, and they never have been.

[ADFSDF1996]

@okeydoke Hence the existence of the libertarian party.

[okeydoke]

That’s fine, but one doesn’t have to do with the other. By that logic, libertarian are constitutional revisionists rather than conservatives. You night feel at home with political anarchism rather than libertarianism.

[ADFSDF1996]

@okeydoke We thank (sarcasm) the leftists for none of these rights being absolute. They are the ones who always throw temper tantrums whenever someone successfully defends
themselves against a violent criminal.

Anarchists are a bunch of Pinko far left wingers who advocate lawlessness.

Libertarians are usually right wing but they put more emphasis on individual freedoms.

[LaikaFreefall]

Should you be allowed to own a nuclear warhead?

Also, would you say you are not a supporter of the idea that businesses should be allowed to conduct their business as they see fit, then? To put it another way, should businesses be regulated to ensure that they comply with what you stated above?

[ADFSDF1996]

@LaikaFreefall

You are talking extremes, there are still limits to the type of weapons a person can own.

Don’t tell me you are one of those pinkos that think people shouldn’t be able to defend themselves.

[LaikaFreefall]

No. But you said that you should have the "absolute right" to bear arms. I was just trying to clarify what was meant by absolute... So by "absolute right to bear arms," you meant "right to bear arms?" lol.

I also noticed you didn't bother to say if you believe businesses should be regulated or not... interesting.

[ADFSDF1996]

@LaikaFreefall Now you are nitpicking typical left winger.

Absolute right in the sense I don’t want you leftists trying to infringe on my right to purchase a shotgun.

Business regulation is irrelevant to this topic but since you keep insisting and keep acting like wise ass, here is your answer it goes both ways. Every time a conservative gets banned from a social media platform you leftists always cheer. But when a bakery refuses to make a cake for a gay couple you leftists protest.

[LaikaFreefall]

There are people who believe they should have the right to own those extreme kinds of weapons. It's not nitpicking if it's a genuine question, which it was.

Also, whether you believe a business should be regulated is exactly on topic for this conversation, You said you believed you should have the "absolute right" to be free from censorship... If you meant free from GOVERNMENT censorship, then that would be all you needed to say... But if you meant censorship in general, that would venture into the realm of regulating businesses, now wouldn't it?

Lastly, I'll just say that I dont cheer when anyone gets banned from a social media platform (unless they were literally attempting to incite violence, as I feel that crosses a line). The right should be able to say whatever ignorant bullshit they want, just as the Left should be able to say whatever ignorant bullshit they want.
And as for the cake issue, if a business doesn't want to make a cake, they shouldn't be forced to make a cake... But they can't then whine and bitch and moan if they face a backlash from that decision. It doesn't work both ways. It's one or the other. Freedom from being forced to bake a gay couple a cake should not and does not mean freedom from people thinking you're an asshole.

[ADFSDF1996]

Freedom from censorship means that people like you can’t try to censor someone because of a disagreement in political views. Many times public figures who have right wing political views get harassed by leftist mobs in an attempt to intimidate said public figure. And if the public figure decides to defend him or herself then people like yourself vilify that public figure.

All I see from you is backpedaling.

[Shizunk]

Freedom can legitimately represent many contradictory ideas. As a political extremist (meaning I believe the correct position is very close to one end of the political spectrum and any compromise is simply the introduction of more destructive tendencies) I tend to think about it in political terms. To me, freedom means violence is not initiated against me. If people laugh at me, slander me behind my back, tell others to not cooperate with me and try to ban me or convince my employer to fire me, I am still fundamentally free. All those things are seriously bad and a lot of my time is spent thinking about how to stop people from doing them, but I am not entitled to the cooperation of other individuals.
My freedom ends the moment someone pulls a knife on me and asks for my wallet. Or when the legal mafia euphemistically called "democratic government" politely implies that if I don't pay them the amount they unilaterally decided I owe them, armed men may show up at my house and ask for my wallet, just as that violent thug would. Of course after I would ignore a lot of letters with more polite words saying the same illegitimate things.
As a result of this, I would not frame most every day practical questions about politics, morality etc in terms of freedom. Most such debates already assume my freedom should be trampled to the ground and even I eventually have to engage in debates about how hard it should be done.

[Nomoturtle]

I'd like it to mean leaving people alone, or even just not being physically forced to do something, but very few people even believe in that basic degree of freedom when you get down in the mud.

As a general principle, it means being able to do what you want.

In the context of many actors, this can be restricted to being free to enact your will according to your innate human rights, provided they do not infringe on the rights of others.

Further restrictions can include things like duty, distinguishing between being completely free from all influence, and having responsibilities that you voluntarily uphold.

For most people, freedom is a rag that people wipe their butts with and quickly dispose of, willingly, on both their own behalf and the behalf of others. For a long time now, people's innate rights have been put to a vote and sold.

[LaikaFreefall]

When you say people wipe their butts with their rights, what rights specifically come to mind?

[Nomoturtle]

Property rights - most commonly today, people feel entitled to free stuff, voting for government to steal from people on their behalf to give it to them.

Association - everyone's human as far as I'm concerned, but if someone for whatever reason (yes even if they're racist) doesn't want to associate with others, that's should be their right. Whether that's a particular bus company refusing to serve black people the same way, or if it's women not wanting men in their sports or bathrooms, or priests refusing to serve gay couples, etc. A world without discrimination, as nasty as discrimination is, is a world of thought police at its end state.

Speech - we're currently at the advent of numerous hate crime laws in the west. In my country you can have a criminal record for being interpreted as expressing something offensive. Harry Miller is the go to case for that, where police called him to "check his thinking". We're also rife with censorship. You aren't being treated as a free individual, but a controlled serf that can't even have thoughts against the will of elites.

As I see it, the common theme of the west over the last 100 years has been the abolishment of its successful founding liberal principles of individual liberty and rights, towards a centralised bureaucratic and bloated government.
It's also people's fault, because they see something like gay marriage or some racist guy, and want to force their will on them and put them both in re-education camps. Socially and economically, westerners do not recognise the rights of their fellow countrymen.
This is especially notable with those that pursue the ideal of equality; inequality is a natural phenomena, but some people can't help but weight the scales one way or another so that everything is neat on a spreadsheet, a populous of ordered and subjugated worker ants that cannot deviate from regulated actions and outcomes; a metaphysics of permission and dictates rather than of freedom.

[libsaretards]

To me, freedom is the ability to say or do what I want without restriction AS LONG AS I am not hurting someone. For example, I am a gun owner and do not appreciate the government trying to tell me what guns I can and cannot have. Just because I carry does not mean I am a threat to anyone. I carry for my defense and the defense of others. I do believe it is reasonable to restrict weapons where alcohol is served because that is just common sense. As for speech, the ONLY acceptable restriction on speech is threats of harm. Anything short of that should not be restricted, regardless of if others feelings get hurt or not. You can choose to listen or not, but your feelings should not affect my ability to speak my mind. To me, freedom is leaving people alone who are not causing others harm.

[Dragonpurple]

No restrictions except those that DIRECTLY harm others.

Example, owning guns is freedom but using them to hurt someone else is not. Outlawing the tool to prevent someone from getting hurt is against freedom. I have no issue with outlawing the crime though, just no point in outlawing the tool.

Freedom can include annoying/offending others so long as you don't directly commit a crime against them or physically hurt them.

It also means freedom of speech without legal, criminals or even social penalities.

Sure freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences but the consequences should not lead to death, such as losing ones job and dying of exposure when your starving and homeless.

[The_Shadow_Dweller]

Being able to do what I want while being in a society that runs on a certain set of rules to maintain the order, is what freedom is to me.
I do not want chaos as that can create more divide between people, than a certain order can.
Being under constant monitor will also not be appreciated. But a some level of monitoring is a must.

[Massageman]

Being able to live my life as I see fit.

That includes the government not having to "nanny" me by telling me: what MPG I should get in my car, what temp (too low) I should use to wash my clothes, that I can't rinse my dishes off (I'll do my dishes MY way, thank you), that I have to get a jab of "vaccine", etc.

Yes, my freedom ends where someone else's begins, but theirs ends where mine begins, so it can work out if we all stay rational.

[LaikaFreefall]

So in other words, you dont want any government TELLING you to do things that benefit society. If you CHOOSE to not cause harm to people/society, you want that to be your choice, not something forced upon you. Is that about right?

[Massageman]

The United States was FOUNDED because people were sick of being under the dictates of a monarchy, and I'll stick to that tenet.

[okeydoke]

@Massageman
Just as a clarification, the U. S. was founded not because of a distaste in monarchy, but a frustration innot having representation in that monarchy.

[andreasderjuengere]

''Freedom'' is a much strained term.
To me it's the absence of the oppression of my own thoughts, wishes, options and decisions.
Absolute freedom as in: ''I do what I want'' will reduce the freedom of others; it's a childish attitude - and can't and should not exist.

[VanillaSalt]

Leave me the hell alone and let me do anything I want without trying to control me. I won’t kill you so I expect you to respond with the same courtesy. If you don’t I will kill you…. That’s freedom.

[okeydoke]

That’s political anarchism.

[VanillaSalt]

Well it’s still the closest to freedom that you can get

[DarkWinterNights]

The ability to go, do and live your life the way you see fit provided your actions do not directly infringe or conspire to damage another’s property or freedom.

[Summer03]

Freedom is total free movement. Perhaps the full rights.

[Anonymous]

When you can tell every body and the whole world to kiss your ass, because you don't need any body's help. You are financially secure and you buy and pay for what you need. You don't need to kiss any body's ass.

[LaikaFreefall]

Can you define "kiss somebody's ass" for me? What might that look like?

[FinalFantasyBro]

It means being a certain age to get the life you chose over the life others had chose for you.

[LaikaFreefall]

And what age do you feel that is?
Do you have the life you chose?

[FinalFantasyBro]

Being at least 18 for college and probably sex while 21 for actual drugs and drinking.
And so far nah, I don't have my own place not yet, no girlfriend, and I ain't a big entrepreneur not yet. Plus I suffered from anxiety and depression which sucks but I am getting sidetracked here but I at least have the whole world now open for me over the restricted bullshit lifestyle children and teenagers usually face. It wasn't fun having the adults in your life make all of your decisions and you just needing to accept the injustice.

[Notfabricated11]

To be truly free from the sufferings of this world is to be truly at peace. Understanding that will allow you to be free in any situation you are put in.

[OddBeMe]

Obvi we don’t have complete freedom to do what we want. But we’re ok giving our freedom to rape and pillage for security. So I’d say we are free to do exactly what we want.

[cloud9vortex1234]

Being able to do what I want with as little interference from the government as possible.

[SlightlyEccentric]

Freedom means living my life as I see fit and tovnot hinder others lives for my own gain.

[Snakeyes7]

It means being able to make my own choices that does not involve infringing on other people's rights without being incarcerated by the state.

[SenseiSeptred]

Not being in any system. It means not being traced.

[msc545]

Freedom is a vague concept often cited when promoting schemes to control others.

[jasco]

To be free is to not be bothered by people i don't know

[Anonymous]

free from toxic people, and escape from reality, lol

[CaptainSmartass]

Doing what you want where you want, when you want.

Simples...

[MJtheCoach]

people don’t stick their nose on my business and tell me what to do and how to behave

[Anonymous]

Political liberty and economic security.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GfjiBIkIOqI

[Slim57]

Free to anything you choose as long as its not harming anyone else, free from unescessary taxes

[Hangry06]

Having the option to do what you want

[LaikaFreefall]

To what extent? Is there a point that option should end? Or do you believe in a kind of unrestricted, absolute freedom?

[Hangry06]

Doing what you want as long as it doesn't harm anyone else

[LaikaFreefall]

So you do believe in some restrictions to freedom then? Like, one person shouldn't be permitted to harm another through direct action?

[Hangry06]

Yes.

[LaikaFreefall]

IS harming someone through indirect action okay? Like if you see someone trapped under a car, but choose to tell no one? Should that be legal?

[Hangry06]

Well that is not indirect harming. It's common decency to help someone.

[888theGreat]

means there are no Democrats present

[LaikaFreefall]

That response is just silly lol.
You dont think ANY Democrats want freedom? You dont think ANY Republicans act against freedom?
You can bring party politics into it if you really want, but that's a really foolish stance to take lol. Up to you, bro.

[Anonymous]

Go, Brandon! hahaha

[LaikaFreefall]

Sorry, what?

[libsaretards]

Means FJB

[noohair]

My business is no one else's business.

[Doubleohseven]

A great reason for happiness

[LaikaFreefall]

Can someone be happy if they aren't particularly free?
Can a LITTLE freedom be enough for someone to still be truly happy?

[Anonymous]

For ones actions to be unimpeded by others.

[Anonymous]

An overrated concept.

[Anonymous]

Freedom to live your life how you choose.

[Anonymous]

No theft or coercion in society.

[Iron_Man]

Everything

[jimmy2]

In Jesus's