Freedom

It's not just another word for nothing left to lose

Jan 05, 2024

woman in black and white tank top leaning on wall — Photo by Hanna Zhyhar on Unsplash

We are living during a precarious time. New technologies have given new meaning to the statement that “lies spread halfway around the world while the truth is just getting its shoes on.” — a phrase that is falsely attributed to Mark Twain, but may have come from Jonathan Swift, long before there was an Internet.

One of the most pernicious forms of a lie is the distortion of the meaning of a basic word or concept to the point at which it can mean anything to anyone. One of the biggest examples of such a word is “freedom.” People from all sides of the political, literary, legal, and cultural spectrum are convinced that they are fighting for “freedom.”

The American ideal has always been about freedom. The Declaration of Independence declared that the colonies should be free from the tyranny of the king. Mostly, it seems, they didn’t want to pay taxes or be exploited by a far-away ruling power. They wanted the freedom to elect their own leaders and write their own laws. Of course, those freedoms only applied to white men who came from Europe, not women, slaves, or the people who already lived here.

Over the 248 years since the Declaration was signed, the idea of who is free to do what has expanded and contracted several times. FDR took a stand when he was trying to end the depression, as well as change America’s reluctance to join in WWII when he delineated the four basic freedoms: freedom of speech, of religion, from want, and from fear.

I have been reading the memoir of the first women president of Harvard, Drew Gilpin Faust. She was more liberal than Claudine Gay, but she was chosen before there were so many political forces attacking diversiy-equty-inclusion. In one chapter, she writes about all the definitions of freedom she encountered as she grew up. One was the “freedoms” they were trying to achieve in East Germany in 1963. Their supposed goal was to free people from the exploitation and deprivation of capitalism. They wanted to give people a good life, with free education, healthcare, a means of support, and the equality of everyone. Of course, it didn’t work out that way, but that was their ideal.

Now, in this country, we are again going through a terrible struggle to determine who gets to define who has the freedom to do what. Everyone is calling for free speech, except there is a big disagreement about what the limits should be. How much hate speech is permissible? When is making threats too threatening? Are all lies permissible, or are some lies too fraudulent or dangerous? How much antisocial or oppositional behavior is permissible? You can criticize the government; maybe you can even threaten the government, but you can’t act on your threats.

Some people want the freedom to carry a gun with them at all times. Some of those people want the freedom to shoot that gun if they feel threatened. Other people want to feel protected from the people who are walking around carrying guns. It gets complicated.

In my life, the concept of my personal freedom has always been important to me. In part, that meant that early on I didn’t like being told what to do, and I didn’t want to be in situations where I had to do things I didn’t want to do, even if it was “the right” thing to do. Partly, it was because I was lazy and easily bored. I didn’t want to do things that weren’t fun or interesting.

I was a skinny kid and spent my first eight years in Brooklyn, in a neighborhood full of relatives and characters. Before we moved to the suburbs I had gained some awareness that adults were fascinating, but too many were self-serving blowhards who didn’t know what they were talking about. I thought they were being funny. My father told me they were serious.

My parents moved us to the suburbs so that my sister and I could go to very good public schools. I was a good student, but I unconsciously refused to be a great one. At some level, I felt that the best students were the ones who bought into the system. If they followed all the rules they could become the leaders of the system and have successful careers. But, since I was younger than all my classmates and still skinny, I always felt like the underdog, and I saw clearly that the system took advantage of those who were less talented, less aware, and everyone who was less privileged. I didn’t want them taking advantage of me, and I didn’t want to take advantage of anyone.

That attitude set the tone for my life. I always positioned myself to have the freedom to do the work I felt was intrinsically valuable, and do it my way. I always felt I did things ethically and morally. I realized I set my own standards for that, and I felt those standards were higher than most. I collaborated and consulted with colleagues, especially about complex issues and cases. No one ever complained, so I guess I didn’t overstep too drastically. I came close, but I avoided making “necessary trouble.”

I know that I could have made a lot more money if I had found ways to be part of the system. I was offered jobs of doing therapy or coaching corporate clients, but that meant coaching them for success in a system that I didn’t believe in. Corporate life contains a difficult blend of competition and cooperation. “Success” often means making some uncomfortable compromises. That was something I wasn’t good at. I am amazed at how skilled both my kids are at it, and I mean that as a compliment. They have been able to take things from two parents, leave other things behind, and live in the world as it is today.

I followed enough rules to stay out of trouble and get a Ph.D. I ran a community mental health center until Reagan shut them down as being socialist agencies. Then I developed my own practice seeing patients, consulting with agencies, and working with the schools and courts. I saw my role as an outsider, advocating for those who lost, confused, or were left behind in the system.

In this way, I had the freedom to run my own life. More than most fathers, I was able to be home with my kids when they were young. I could play too much basketball. I saved time to wander around aimlessly trying to figure out how the world worked — which is what I do now that I’m retired.

My life is pretty much as I want it right now. I am in good shape for my age thanks to having access to good medical care. I am close with my kids and their kids. I still coach basketball, and I get to spew out my opinions to my friends, in the classes of old folks that I lead, and on the Internet. I talk about what we can all do to protect our freedom.

My concept of freedom is for everyone to be able to think, say, and act as they please, but there must be clear restrictions that limit the harm they can do to others. Every person on Earth deserves to be respected, and understood, be given the chance to live in a safe place, and have enough to eat. Beyond that, people can decide for themselves how to live.

However, there are dark clouds all around us. I fear that even the system that I always questioned is in danger of collapsing into something much more unfair and repressive. I fear for the freedom of my grandchildren. I have fears because of the outbreak of so many tragic wars, as well as the random violence that is increasing all over America. I have always tried to push back against cruel and ruthless people, but now so many of them are trying to cheat, lie, and force their way into power.

As I have often posted in other places, it’s a disgrace that we don’t have a legal system that enforces laws evenly. Politics and lots of money have corrupted almost everything.

I know that I have been privileged to live at the time and in the places that I did. I want more people in future generations to have the same opportunities and good fortune.

I still believe there is power in speaking the truth, helping others, and having compassion for everyone. To achieve that end I will send text messages and money. I’m trying to find more that I can do.

It’s crunch time.

I Ain't Dead Yet: Oldandintheway's Substack

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