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Freedom/Liberty, The Abused Ideal!
Freedom/Liberty, The abused Ideal.
By, Uwe Paschen.
How often have we heard those words and used them our self?
They can be traced back to the antiquity and yet many do not know their origine even less their meaning or true value, or do we?
Liberty for instance comes from the Latin languish and the ancient Roman culture, the word then Liberta, was the name of a Goddess, namely Liberta, representing Freedom, or autonomy. Still in those days, Freedom was associated with being a Roman Citizen in good standing and with all the rights, privileges and duties that came with it. Being Free, meant not being a Slave or Gladiator nor a Legionnaire, but a Roman Citizen in good standing.
Liberty and Freedom in Modern English may be similar, are however not synonyms and do not mean exactly the same thing there for.
Freedom it self, finds its root not in Latin but in German and Euro/Hindu languishes.
Free coming from the word Frieden, Meaning Peace and Dom finds its origine in Doman meaning Love.
There for, Freedom would really mean Peace and Love.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/stromberg/stromberg14.html
The interesting thing is that the French, Spanish and Portuguese have adopted the Latin word Liberte, Where as the Anglo Saxon have adopted both the Germanic Word and the Latin word, making it at first a little confusing maybe, yet interesting.
Much has been written and debated about the two Words and their definition, as well as their manning, emotional and literal.
What I am more interested in though is the modern use or misuse of the Word and concept of Freedom and what it really is or may be or if it is even realistic or just a utopia.
Many have tried to define Freedom and it real meaning as well as its possible applications. Yet none has defied it better then Voltaire did, at least as far as I am concerned.
Voltaire said about Freedom the following, “The Freedom of the one does start where the Freedom of the other would end, and the freedom of the other would start where the Freedom of the One would end!” Making Freedom an illusion and a utopia.
http://www.thecaveonline.com/APEH/voltairebiography.html
I, tried to build on to Voltaire his philosophy and adapt it to a modern working concept that could be used in multiple application and came to the conclusion that Freedom may be best seen as “a razor sharp sword on wish we have to balance justice, equality and duty.”
So, what is Freedom then? Are we free to "Take, Say, Do, Feel, go, be …" as we please?
If so then we do not actually have freedom but anarchy and in sort the law of the Jungle, where the wildest, strongest and meanest beast reigns over all and does what ever it wants. By inflicting fear, injustice, and enslaving others for its own benefit, this can hardly be defined as freedom though and yet it is largely exactly, what is happening in today’s western societies.
The great battle of the American independence and the French Revolution, as well as the Russian Revolution, the Frankfurter Uprising and the British Worker movement was not meant to impose or to implement anarchy, but freedom!
Meaning stoping Slavery, Injustice, Oppression and abuse of a few over the masses.
Yet today we are moving right back into the system against wish our forbearer have fought so hard against and written those great constitutions such as the American, French, German and Russian Constitution that where real master pieces of what Humanity should be. Inscribed in them the Words, Freedom, Equality, Justice, Fraternity and Duty.
No where it said in any of the funding constitutions, that we want anarchy or abuse from any one over any one. Yet, in the name of Freedom this is exactly what has happened over the past 60 years
We have forgotten that freedom does imply the posasion and practice of a great sense of responsibility and duty as well as Justice, compassion and equality. With out those, Freedom can simply not be. Our present evolution is going toward Tyranny, Feudalism and anarchies not towards Freedom though. In fact, we may be less free today then we where two generations ago and even less then we had been eight generations ago.
Do we want to be Free or Slaves? Should we want to be free, then we are certainly on the wrong pass and may want to change course in a hurry.
Should we want to be Slaves, we just keep going in the direction we have been going for the past two generations and we will get there rather sooner then latter.
I for one would like us to change course and head back towards Voltaire and Nietzsche their philosophies. So we may one day achieve a Just, Equal and Fraternal World.
http://www.answers.com/topic/liberty
http://www.popline.org/docs/1043/095126.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_(philosophy)
http://www.voltairenet.org/article133815.html
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=RBjgOCZXX1A (Video)
http://www.island-of-freedom.com/KANT.HTM
http://www.quoteworld.org/category/freedom/author/albert-einstein
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/brandt_willy.shtml
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Paschen
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asterix611
Long Island City, New York, United States






Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (20)
at 02:37 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 03:28 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you for the read, Comment and Flag here dgermano, I do appreciate it.
Freedom should not be taken for granted nor be misunderstood.
at 02:44 on August 28th, 2008
This is how I see the word:
When we use the essence of Freedom to blur the truth; in which freedom the pivot or fulcrum to positive and negative significance is held in esteem making “both“ its negativityan equal to its positive counterpart; we fail to recognize that we end up following the glitzof freedom and reject the consensus of truth. Nations are built and secure when based upon Truth and Goodness not freedom, which is based upon the void, in thinking bad is good, and thinking hypocrisy is diversity and an acceptable framework for governmental eschatology. Thinking God instituted freedom in order that men might have the choice in doing good or evil, without considering that mankind and its historical violent past prove that such a decree is utter nonsense; is fact enough; especially when man continues to choose evil. I believe that if mankind was able to discern their choices correctly; what need therefore of religions promised savior, prophet, or discerning entity of deliverance from any type of religion? God therefore does support freedom but supports its positive righteous behavior. Simply put, Freedom to most Americans today is the space inside a barrel of a gun. It allows bullets of all sizes and force, to pass freely on its destination to eradicating another person’s life, allowing it to control the world with its self-interests, extortion, domination, arrogance and hypocrisy. And yet there are other Americans who believe and think the exact opposite.They hope that even though crimes are committed, their use of Freedom hides the truth to real elocution. Those whom clamor that one side is negative fail to recognize that negativity comes from not resolving conflict. The moment guns are introduced into any conflict those whom intend to persuade or defend support the realm of negativity. In such it is concluded that <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />America since it’s beginning has always been that country which mistakenly has followed a negative path, and has spread it throughout the world.
Rev.
at 05:27 on August 28th, 2008
We should never try to blur the truth though for it wound get us any where if we did. Yes,we can have both Positive and negative Freedom and there is a good link to that in the list I put up in this post discussing both.
Mankind is able to do so if it had the courage to face it self and to take the step of trust and good will. Fear seems to be the biggest hindrance here though.
Crimes versus Freedom would not be freedom any longer by tyranny and or Anarchy. As I tried to depict in my Post.
at 04:17 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, an interesting opinion piece. Thanks for posting.
at 04:20 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you Rhonada, I do appreciate the Comment and GS here.
at 04:22 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 05:29 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you Milieunet I do appreciate the Comment and Flag here.
at 05:41 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Very thought provoking and well written.
How does one get about seven-billion people, all living on the same planet, to live together in peace and harmony ?
The answer to this question is very difficult to find ...
at 05:49 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you for the comment Emilio Lizardo, Good question in deed. I think the anther may be simple though, Faith and the will to do it, one step at the time. However it will only happen if it is a grass root move that starts in the Western Nations.
Thank you for comment and Flag here, I do appreciate it.
at 05:57 on August 28th, 2008
Yes !
Considering each other as brothers and sisters, all in the same big, extended family instead of enemies divided over issues of possesions, race, religion, politics ... clearly, this direction is makind's only hope for survival.
We can do it. The potential exists for us all to find a future here !!
at 06:10 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you for the reply, Now we have to start some where though, or we never get any where at all.
However we are going the opposite direction in the Western Nation as well as around the Earth. We are loosing and dismantling basic rights and laws, that protect real freedom and rape the word in order to put in special laws restricting freedom in the name of freedom and in order to protect freedom. It is perverse at best, the TV has taken all metal will away to raise up and protest this evolution, in the mean time we are building a suppressive system and make our self's slaves out of fear of what? Terrorist? I be more afraid of Blair, Braun, Bush and Merkel or Sarkozi.
at 06:50 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 08:37 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you for the Visit Barry and leaving a flag. I do appreciate it.
at 11:24 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, I like this story. Title hit my eyes... "Freedom to express yourself, make your dream, offer a project.... great theme ends in self responsability for group thinking ourdays
at 17:04 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, as always well done.
at 19:54 on August 28th, 2008
Thanks, Every one, for the Read and Comments as well as for the Flag, It is appreciated.
at 20:13 on August 28th, 2008
Paschen, I like this story. It's good stuff. This is better than good stuff Uwe, this is OUTSTANDING STUFF!
at 22:00 on August 28th, 2008
Thank you for the Comment Resonant Earth, I am Happy you liked it that much.
Thank you for your input and GS here, I do appreciate it in deed.
at 14:36 on December 20th, 2008
Perhpas we should become modern day "abolitionists" in the sense that we need to abolish (Or work toward abolishing) our own personal flaws and problems thus making us better, nicer people. Freedom is only free as long as it is not hurting others...
My opinion! :-)