THE HIGH COST OF FREEDOM vis-à-vis THE HIGH COST OF LIVING
Sunday, November 22, 2020
When candidates pander for votes, they often talk about investments to be made, but once elected, most values in our society compete with all expenses, all at risk of being cut …
Freedom always comes with a price. – C.S. Lewis
The price of freedom keeps going up, but the quality keeps deteriorating. – Ashleigh Brilliant
Is freedom actually free?
I live in a free democratic country, where citizens expounder acclaim of their joyous freedom – our individual freedom.
Testimonial to freedoms as two-sided coins, double-edged swords – freedoms vary, nation-state to nation-state, based on laws and rules, and upon civilized norms and guidance in our work and business life – restricting our freedom; balanced by lacking free reign, protection of rights balanced with restrictions against infringing on someone else’s rights.
Those restrictions could be argued as protecting everyone else’s freedoms.
Fair enough, and if that freedom comes at a cost, is that a price worth paying?
Are we getting value for money?
Is our life better than if we were living in a place that isn’t free, or where we weren’t free, is non-freedom more or less costly than freedom?
How can you separate things that are so entwined?
For me, peace of mind is priceless when I have it, and a psychological prison when I don’t. The comfort blanket of freedom is also invaluable, but it isn’t free. It comes at a price. Our free will, our right to vote governments into or out of office is essential but can be a deceptive illusion.
We deserve comfort to know politicians are not evil, bureaucrats are not corrupt, and law enforcement is fair and even-handed.
Individuals and groups’ rights can be protected in law, but if they aren’t safe or fairly treated in reality, then maybe there is work to do …
Is freedom free?
I think we pay a high price for our freedom, one we happily pay. It is the cost of citizenship, the cost of admission, the cost of doing business when living in a free and civilized society. It’s very far from perfection, and some days our freedom is under incredible pressure – all the more reason to appreciate its value.
Reader feedback:
I think “ caught between self-pity and self-pardon” pretty much captures the human condition, with people like Trump occupying only the latter end of the spectrum. Personally, I need to bury my hatchets in deeper graves so they are less tempting to retrieve, RH, Calgary, AB
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