Tuesday, February 22, 2011

How do we measure freedom?

Have you ever thought about how freedom is measured? I mean there stands to reason that something so abstract can't be measured in the first place but then, why have something that can't be valued? Well lets all agree that it has value, and to most of us it has a lot of value. Do we measure freedom by what we as individuals? Do we say that the measure of our freedom is the measure of the persons actions? Or do we take the view that freedom is as free as we allow our peers to be? If we measure it either of those ways, then we have our sense of freedom based on personal responsibility, meaning we have defined our freedom by the responsibilities that we have. Do we measure freedom by the sacrifice that we make to make strides in the name of freedom? Is then freedom only granted to the winner, the person who sacrificed the most to gain the most? What kind of world do we live in where freedom is to do what everyone else is doing? To do what we are told to do, what the right thing to do is. Why don't we ask ourselves just how free we allow ourselves to be? We live in a society where no one will take you seriously without a college education, a choice that people used to be able to make on their own, now society makes for them. We used to be able to choose how we learn, how we eat, where we live, every single aspect of our life at one point in time in our history was a personal choice. Have we ever asked our selves to define ourselves, not by our accomplishments, our jobs or occupations, our passions, or earnings, but by our freedoms? How rich is the person who can do whatever they please, whenever they please, and not have to worry about others who will be against them. Why can't we respect people for the way they choose to live their life and let them live it? Why can't we follow the unspoken rule of, "You live your life, I'll live mine. And as long as you don't bother me, I won't bother you." Why does everyone have to have such solid answers all of the time, who's right, and who's wrong? Why don't we just ask our selves what choices will bring a positive outcome to the most people, and a negative to the least people. World renowned economist Johnathan Nash is famous for his simple rule, "The best thing to do is always whats best for the group and the individual." Why can't we just take that lesson to heart? 

1 comment: