Phun-size Philospohy # 19 – Freedom

Freedom is the basis for what makes our country great. It is outlined in the structure of our constitution and it is essentially comprised of the famous line that everyone has heard before; the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” which basically allows you to live life the way you want to. But what exactly is freedom? Google defines it as being the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints. In my personal viewpoint it is the having the opportunity to make decisions for yourself and not be restricted by what others want you to do. When I refer to freedom I am talking about being able to think for yourself and then act on them too. In life there are always going to be situations where there are restrictions put onto your capabilities. Other factors involved in situations may not necessarily be your fault or placed upon your being but be because of a lack of resources, time, or money etc. While you can’t always control what restrictions get placed on your life you can choose how you respond to them and thus increase your freedom for future situations you may experience. Another thing that can be perceived as holding people down is authority. I am not saying authority is bad but it can limit your abilities to live for yourself because you must follow the directions of others. When it comes to people who have power over you, whether it is parents, teachers etc, you need to learn to be submissive to have a successful lifestyle and avoid unnecessary hardships. If they are demanding you do things that are morally wrong to you or will negatively impact your life then you should stand up and defend yourself but in general disobeying your parents just because you don’t feel like cleaning your room will usually never end well. Someone will probably always have power over you. Until you move out it is your parents. When you get a job it’s your boss. The secret to success when dealing with this is learning to adapt and make others happy in order to do so for yourself. Cooperation and getting along is key in a happy and successful life.

-Allan Nicholas