>SNIP
>
>>Freedom means that you don't have any responsibilities to anything else but your own goals. IT however often also means that noone gives a damn about you when you need help.
>>
>>Striving for freedom is a bit old fashioned IMO and silly. Happyness is something that people really should be looking for. Happyness and freedom really are not the same thing.

>Freedom is definitely NOT the same for you and me. If I understand you correctly, to you freedom means no responsibility. To me freedom means having the power and ability to assume responsibility. Freedom is not the right to do anything I want regardless of the impact on anyone else. Freedom cannot impinge on another person's freedom. Freedom is the exemption from control by some other person or from restrictions of rights like religion and speech. Freedom is the right of self-determination. When the U.S. was born, freedom was equivalent to liberty. The word is used for many things today, but freedom is not the same as liberty.

Ouch, that will take some time to sink in: "freedom means having the power and ability to assume responsibility". It does not make any sense to me.

"Freedom is the exemption from control by some other person or from restrictions of rights like religion and speech" - well that I understand and agree. But we all face restrictions in one way or another. The most common one is that we have to play by the restrictions we have set in our society. Either by law or by common social rules.

To freedom to me is like living in the bush, and doing what ever you like. Since the definition of "Freedom" can be so vague and meaning different things for different people, and really all western coutries already ensure basic "Freedom" through their laws, why aren't we aiming for the ultimate goal: Happyness ?

Walter,






>I fear this may start a debate on freedom and liberty and the difference between the two. Hope not. :o)