Freedom is a good thing, right?
We all want the freedom to be someone desirable, or the freedom to break away from something unpleasant. Freedom allows us to explore our lives on our own accord and pave our own paths.
Besides, both U.S. government and culture were founded on Enlightenment values of freedom. The freedom our society gives us to be independent is necessary for further enlightenment.
“Enlightenment is mankind’s exit from its self-incurred immaturity,” Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote.
Freedom, however, is a more complicated concept than we have let on. Without even considering what truly counts as freedom — or better yet, who is truly free — we are confronted with some hard truths concerning freedom.
Are those Enlightenment values that are ingrained so deeply in our society beneficial to us, or have we made a mistake?
The first and most glaring issue with freedom is its inescapability. Whether we like it or not, we are ultimately free to choose our actions. We make every decision, think our own thoughts and subsequently act on said thoughts. Outside factors may influence us, but we are ultimately responsible for every action we take.
“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does,” wrote French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.
Now, you might be reminded of a certain Alanis Morissette song when you hear this. It’s rather ironic we are not free to choose to be free. Instead, freedom is required of us. This means the integrity of freedom — its self-sustaining value — is questionable at best and downright broken at worst.
And it gets worse.
Since we are condemned to be free, we are also condemned to be responsible for the consequences of our actions. But in a world where good and bad are often more subjective than not and we are largely incapable of preventing evil, we are responsible for the suffering, anguish and pain.
This is a complicated concept, but it can basically be summed up as such: Freedom allows us to make a good and ethical decision, but it also allows us to make bad decisions. However, the concept of right and wrong is nuanced, so the decisions we make — and are responsible for — are usually both correct and incorrect.
The resulting effects, whether good or bad, must weigh on our conscience.
That’s a harsh reality to live with, and it makes freedom seem much less desirable. Some of us may find it significantly easier to absolve ourselves of choice and give in to being cogs in a machine. Some may even go so far as to say the Enlightenment and its values were a mistake that negatively impacts our society today.
But let’s take a step back from all the philosophy and consider freedom’s impact. Freedom may be complicated, and it may be harsh, but does it make us happy and whole?
Remarkably, the answer is an astounding yes.
First, let’s consider freedom solely in terms of economic freedom. It has been demonstrated that economic freedom largely correlates with increased levels of happiness. This is because economic freedom allows individuals to personally create their own wealth in the way that they see fit, meaning they get both meaning and sustenance.
Moreover, freedom and happiness on a personal level have also been shown to have a high correlation, and perhaps even causation. In a psychology experiment performed in 1976, nursing home residents who were given the freedom to choose which night would be “movie night” — as well as the freedom to tend to plants — proved to be more alert and consistently in better moods.
But personal freedom isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The dreary philosophers have a point: Freedom can make us anxious. It can impact us all differently, and it may even exacerbate inequality.
Freedom, however, is a good thing. It gives us the ability to create meaning for ourselves, and it allows us to be the unique individuals we all are. Without freedom, life may be easier and less stressful, but it would be incredibly dull and boring.
Freedom, with all of its nuanced self, allows us to be us. And that will always be good.
