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Freedom

In honor of Independence Day...

What is it that makes one free? How does one recognize when freedom has arrived? And what is it that defines one's freedom?

Some might say that the lack of restriction on a person is freedom. Any restriction on a person's agency is a diminution of freedom. Thus, a person seeking freedom would be able to do whatever is desired.

Is this achievable? Is it even desirable?

Perhaps, to a certain extent. But there must also be reasonable restrictions on personal liberty in order for a society to prosper. These legal strictures are put in place both on governments and individuals to limit the tyranny and oppression of the few by the majority. The strictures, thus put in place, represent a kind of social contract between the governed as to afford protections to life and property.

As an example, think of the yellow stripe down the center of the road. Driving on the correct side of the road ensures that everyone is able to get to their destination relatively unimpeded. The yellow stripe is only so much yellow paint, except where people are willing to abide the precepts it stands for, and it represents a willing and conscious abandonment of one's right to drive on the other side of the road.

It's a simplistic but illustrative example. This extends to many other aspects of our life - if we see the red and blue lights in our back window, we pull over. If a man is wearing a uniform and a badge, we respect that and honor the requirements put on us. And we look to the laws of the land to help all of us stay safe, alive, and free.

Because, at some point, the voluntary abandonment of some freedoms is what is necessary to live in a society with other people.

Ideally, there would be relatively few laws, and they would be things designed to promote order (like the yellow stripe). But we have seen that without some basic legal mores, together with their attendant punishments and consequences, some unscrupulous people will take advantage of others. So we have laws governing everything from the payment of taxes to first-degree murder. And, we need these laws.

I believe it is possible to live in a perfectly libertarian world, where people do what is right because it is right, and not because they are compelled to do so by the proverbial yellow stripe. Sadly, we don't live in that world (yet), and the yellow stripe helps people define where the line is between my side of the road and yours.

And we're all better off for it.

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