“And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life. We substituted good grammar for intellect; we switched habits to simulate maturity; we rearranged lies and called it truth, seeing in the new pattern of an old idea the Revelation and the Word.”
— Toni Morrison
What is freedom? It is difficult to pin down a definition for the word. According to the dictionary, there are several definitions:
- The right of an individual to act as they see fit, provided that this right does not infringe upon the rights of others and remains within the bounds of the law; The state of a person or nation that is free from external constraints or subjugation. But if that law or nation is oppressive, do its citizens live in freedom?
- The state or condition of someone who is not detained or imprisoned; the state or condition of something that is not imprisoned, confined, or subject to any physical or material restriction. So, if it is a physical condition, is there no psychological or intellectual oppression that affects that freedom?
- Each of the rights guaranteed to the citizen; A manner of speaking or acting without attempting to hide feelings or intentions; Consent to disregard certain rules or conventions; The ability to act without fear or constraint; Familiarity considered excessive. And if this freedom imposes itself on that of others, does it not interfere with its own concept?
Philosophers of Classical Antiquity, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, defined freedom primarily as self-control, in which the sovereignty of reason over the passions defined the truly free man. This premise served as the foundation for Stoicism, which further developed the idea that freedom lies exclusively in that which depends on our will. In the modern era, with the emergence of John Locke’s natural rights, the idea that freedom is inherent to human beings became established. In existentialism, Sartre asserted that man is “condemned to be free,” constructing his essence through his choices. According to The Letters of Cato, the history of humanity is a record of incessant conflicts between Power and Freedom, with Power (government) always ready to expand its reach, encroaching on people’s rights and usurping their freedoms.
With countless definitions of freedom, what, then, is the condition of the one who is free?
“I’m not a human, I’m a dove”
— Prince
Freedom takes many forms: civil and individual liberties, political and economic freedoms, and the freedoms of speech and artistic expression.
A few weeks ago, the world’s elites gathered in Davos for their annual meeting, and with them came their toys. In the first 48 hours, 157 private jets landed, the most common model being the Gulfstream G650, valued at $78 million. During the week, Greenpeace recorded a total of 709 private flights, one for every four participants. Hotels cost over $3,000 per night. Some participants brought their own personal chefs, and the market for “luxury escorts” surged by 4,000%.
The topics of this meeting? Sustainability, equality, climate action, and global resilience. One panel warned that misinformation posed a greater global threat than climate change. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen even promoted a new Digital Services Act to control what platforms “promote and propagate.” Gita Gopinath, former IMF deputy managing director and Harvard economist, warned that we may be at the beginning of a collapse of the global order.
In the wake of this meeting and in light of current events, the message is clear. Markets must be guided, discourse must be controlled, outcomes must be coordinated, and power must be consolidated. Now! Whatever the cost. With these restrictions being imposed on all forms of freedom, what is left for us?
“You think that it is the bird who is free. You are deceived; it is the flower”
— Reb Zalé (Edmond Jabès)
In his book Escape from Freedom, Erich Fromm raises important points regarding humanity’s struggle for freedom. Freedom of expression represents a historic victory over past restrictions; however, if our opinions are shaped by those of others, do we truly have our own opinions, or the ability to form original arguments?
The result of this influence is that the individual develops skepticism and cynicism toward everything that is said or published, or, conversely, adopts a naive belief in everything they are told, provided it comes from sources they consider to have the “authority” to do so. This lack of an opinion of one’s own or of a critical spirit places the individual on a ceaseless search for structure. The loss of identity leads them down the path of least resistance: conformity.
“Freedom allies and exchanges itself with that which restrains it”
— Jacques Derrida
In my article On Running, I discussed minimalist or barefoot running shoes. In addition to the benefits I described, this physical activity is often associated with Grounding. This movement is defined as the deliberate practice of establishing direct physical contact between the human body and the Earth’s natural electrical charge.
According to advocates of this movement, this connection allows the transfer of free electrons from the Earth’s surface into the body, neutralizing the excess positive charge (free radicals) accumulated through modern lifestyles and exposure to electromagnetic fields. The goal is to restore the body’s bioelectrical balance, promoting the self-regulation of physiological systems, such as the inflammatory response and circadian rhythm.
“Love your ties to their last splendor, and you will be free”
— Reb Elat (Edmond Jabès)
Although there are studies on the benefits of spending time outdoors and getting as much sunlight as possible during the day, such as lower blood pressure, reduced resting heart rate, and improvements in sleep and mood, the literature is not as conclusive when it comes to the practice of this movement.
Nature introduces so many variables into this type of study that it is difficult to isolate the factors that benefit us, and that is the problem. Despite the physical and sensory freedom this activity provides, by eliminating the restriction imposed by sneakers, this freedom can only be expressed in relation to the object (the sneaker) that restricts it. If that is the case, can this truly be considered freedom?
“Nature, as the concrete form of the immediate, has an even more fundamental power in the suppression of madness. For it has the power of freeing man from his freedom… Liberty, far from putting man in possession of himself, ceaselessly alienates him from his essence and his world; it fascinates him in the absolute exteriority of other people and of money, in the irreversible interiority of passion and unfulfilled desire.”
— Michel Foucault
We are limited by what our biological and genetic makeup allows us to do, we are limited by the structures and ecosystems in which we live, we are limited by the economic, political, and social conditions in which we find ourselves.
We are dependent on our parents in childhood, we are dependent on our friends and their opinions in our adolescence, we are dependent on our bosses and romantic partners in our adult lives, and we are dependent on those who care for us in our old age.
Whoever told us we are free lied to us. Or rather, our freedom arises in spite of our dependencies and restrictions, not in opposition to them.
“My revolution is born out of love for my people, not hatred for others.”
— Immortal Technique
Today, young people are in revolt against the world. Although they have valid reasons for this, this path leads to neither freedom nor peace. This revolt is merely another chapter in the unfolding of human history.
Freedom is achieved only within; it is a state of mind. “Freedom from something” is not freedom; it is a bond we create with our oppressor. As a state of mind, it relates only to our present; it is independent of the past and the future.
The individual finds fulfillment through spontaneous activity and the way they relate to the world. By ceasing to be an isolated atom, their doubt about themselves and the meaning of life disappears. That doubt arose from their separation and their frustration with life. When they manage to live, not compulsively or automatically, but spontaneously, the doubt dissipates. The individual becomes aware of themselves as an active and creative being, recognizing that there is only one meaning to life: the very act of living.