IS FREEDOM AN ILLUSION?

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Is Freedom An Illusion?

“The Ability to exercise our own judgement and to choose how we respond to external event is true freedom.”

• Stoic Philosophy

Freedom, the idea of being free from anyone’s authority, person or state has been the cause of multiple wars in history. In today’s world, the entire population is awarded with the gift of Independence.

But during the 18th century, renowned philosophers around the globe pondered upon the ‘concept of freedom’. They wondered whether being free from someone’s possession really fulfills the conditions to be free, be independent or have freedom.

If I take an example of a lay man, he would be doing a job for a company or an organization, let’s say. He would be going to office even on the days he doesn’t feel like going, why? Because he has got a family to maintain or even his own ambitions, in that respect he is not free of his will, he is not free to stay back at home without any consequences, hence freedom is not accessible to him.

We are indeed free from tyranny or slavery but we are also shackled in the chains of worldly duties, pleasures and traditions.

“No man on earth is truly free;

All are slaves of money, of necessity.

Public opinion or fear of prosecution force each one,

against his conscience, to conform.”

• Euripides

Humans are social animals. They grow up in this society. They adapt to this society. They make their decisions, choices or even statements in accordance to the community.

True and pure freedom is a state when an individual has no strings attached to the world, no responsibilities, no plans, and ambitions; is free to do as he/her desires. The individual is not responsible for his actions and can’t be questioned by anyone.

But even this definition is not entirely true, even in that state, the individual is controlled by their desires, their thoughts, their values, which are shaped by one’s upbringing and environment.

Children who saw was have different values than the ones who saw peace. Children who have had a happy childhood think differently than the ones who have not.

The core concept of freedom is a never ending paradox, even if we discard emotions in this respect, still we are bounded by the physical capability of human body. We have limitations thus in a way we are controlled by them.

Thus, ‘freedom’ is a virtual idea which is not fully applicable in any respect to its fullest.

“To attain full freedom,

One should first free oneself from one’s control.

The only way to enjoy freedom,

is having no connections.”

Essay written by Vaibhav Raj