What is the Meaning of Freedom?
During our class discussion about the Declaration of Independence Ilana Urman pointed out the trouble caused by the document's definition of freedom. What exactly do people mean when they use the word freedom? Examine the chronological list of quotations about freedom.
1. Which statement about freedom comes closest to your own beliefs? Explain.
2. Do any of these authors appear to disagree with each other? Explain.
3. Write your own twenty-first century definition of freedom.
Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC). "Greeks were born to rule barbarians,... not barbarians to rule Greeks. They are slaves by nature; we have freedom in our blood."
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman statesman (106-43 BC). "Freedom is participation in power."
Christian New Testament, Galatians, 5:1. "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Samuel Adams, American revolutionary leader (1771). "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought."
James Madison, United States President (1788). "I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."
Rosa Luxemburg, German socialist (circa 1900). "Freedom is always freedom for the man who thinks differently."
Rabindranath Tagore, Indian philosopher (1861-1941). "He only has freedom who ideally loves freedom himself and is glad to extend it to others. He who cares to have slaves must chain himself to them. He who builds walls to create exclusion for others builds walls across his own freedom. He who distrusts freedom in others loses his moral right to it."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1934). "The freedom guaranteed by the Constitution is freedom of expression and that will be scrupulously respected - but it is not freedom to work children, or to do business in a fire trap, or violate laws against obscenity, libel and lewdness."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1941). "(W)e look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression - everywhere in the world. The
second is the freedom of every person to worship God in his own way - everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want - which...means economic understanding.... The fourth is freedom from fear, which means...a world-wide reduction of armaments..."
Theodor Adorno, 20th century philosopher (circa 1950). "People have so manipulated the concept of freedom that it finally boils down to the right of the stronger and richer to take from the weaker and poorer whatever they have left."
Martin Luther King, Jr., American Civil Rights leader (1963). "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed.... Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro."
Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor, New York City (1994). "Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it."
George W. Bush, United States President (2005). "In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. . . . By
making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear and make our society more prosperous and just and equal."
1. The statement made by Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1934) comes closest to my beliefs of freedom. I believe that with freedom, comes responsibility. I agree with Franklin D. Roosevelt when he says that, even though we have freedom, we should not abuse it. For example, you may have the freedom to dress in your own style, but you should not dress obscenely or offensively. You have the freedom to use your cell phone in public places, but you should be considerate of those around you because no one wants to hear your conversation. You have the freedom to sit anywhere on the bus, but you should be mindful of the disabled and elderly. You have the freedom to criticize the government and authority, but you should not slander or publish libel. You have the freedom to worship, but you should be respectful of those whose choices are different than yours, and that no one religion is more superior. And finally, you have the freedom to choose your partner, whether opposite or same gender, but you should also appreciate other’s choices, and that yours is no more appropriate than theirs.
ReplyDelete2. The statements from Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC) and the Christian New Testament, Galatians, 5:1, contradict each other. Euripides believes that our freedoms are dictated by birth. For example, Greeks were born to rule and barbarians were slaves by nature. The Christian New Testament on the other hand, tells us that all people are born free, for Christ has set us free, and should not submit to slavery.
3. Ariel Leong, United States citizen (2009). “The concept of freedom has developed over hundreds of years. It has been modified by those who have encountered it…so what is freedom? Is it having the right to follow your beliefs…is it having authority and power…is it respect? People view freedom as many things. Freedom to vote, to express your opinions, to freely choose your religion…all this is freedom to those who adopt this idea. Even with the many viewpoints of freedom, one thing is certain…with freedom, comes responsibility. Because as easy as you can receive this freedom, it can be taken away.” In the twenty first century, we now have freedom of marriage of the same gender in most states. This gives the couples the same rights as a heterosexual marriage. One freedom I would like to see in the 21st century is the ability to remove specific traits of an unborn child. Scientists are already studying cloning, DNA separation, and the mapping of the genes. For those whose linear heredity includes deadly diseases, they should have the freedom to weed out those traits from future generations. I am not asking for a superhuman race. I am just talking about eliminating deadly illnesses such as cancer and other genetic disorders. Before we do that, we must weigh the positive and negative consequences of this new freedom. We also want to draw a balance as to who has the opportunity to embrace this new freedom. It is not to be a case of rich versus poor, but a case of medical necessity. It is not to be turned into an event of blonde with blue eyes opposing dark hair with brown eyes. I don’t want to confuse this new freedom with physical traits such as generating a future of more beautiful people, but I am alluding to a future of more healthy people. Therefore, with freedom, comes responsibility.
1. George Bushes idea of freedom comes closest to mine because he says freedom is the right to shape one`s own destiny. I think freedom is the right to do what I want do ,to be what i want to be without anybody telling me otherwise
ReplyDelete2. These authors do seem to disagree with each other in a way. For example Euripides believes that since the Greeks are "free" they have the right to rule the "barbarians". the chrstian new testament states that none have the right to control another being.
3.I believe freedom is the right to do what ever oneself pleases as long as it isnt harmful to my fellow human beings. nobody has the right to control another human as if they were slaves. The people have the right to choose their leader, their rules and their way of life and nobody should have the right to stop them!
1. I think that Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s in 1934 idea of freedom comes closest to mine. Franklin Delano Roosevelt says that yes freedom is guaranteed in the Constitution but just because you have freedom doesn’t mean that you should abuse it. For example just because you have the freedom of speech does not mean that you should go around saying whatever you want. People don’t go around shouting fire because many people would get scared and it would cause mayhem. I believe that freedom is a privilege and you must show control of what you say and do. Another example of how with freedom comes responsibility would be by vandalizing someone’s property. Yes, there is freedom of the press but it is not right to write something bad on someone else’s property. In my opinion everyone can have freedom but they must not abuse their rights.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Martin Luther King Jr. and Euripides the Greek dramatist disagree with each other. Martin Luther King Jr. says that freedom must be demanded sometimes in order to be gained. But Euripides believes that freedom only comes to the Greeks and that it must be in your blood. Both of these statements contradict each other because one person believes that you freedom status cannot change once you are born that way and Martin Luther King Jr. believes that you need to demand rights and prove why you deserve them. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s head you freedom status may change but this is not so according to Euripides
3. Freedom has many meanings in the 21st century. The dictionary definition of freedom is liberation or free from constraint. Now to me I think that freedom is when you are free to do whatever you want as long as you aren’t violating anything or anyone else. Everyone should be free to have their own ideas and opinions but yet also be respectful to others. Together this combination is what I believe freedom is all about.
1. The statement of Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1941) comes closer to my understanding of freedom. He determined four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression. I think that if a person can talk about what he/she thinks without being punished for that, it is the big achievement of democracy. It can free peoples’ minds and give them a lot of freedom for intellectual development and achievements. If a person can express him/herself, even if he/she has a different opinion from others, it is freedom. The second, by Franklin Roosevelt, is a freedom of every person to worship God in his/her own way. All history shows to us that when one religion wants to dominate, it leads to tragedies for others. My ancestors struggled to be free from Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Nazis. All the time they won because they knew what they wanted, only freedom. The third is freedom from want –which means economic understanding. I think people should realize the economical situation and not to be dependant of their “wants”. The forth one is freedom from fears, which would decrease needs for weapons. People can be free if they are not afraid of each other, if they know that tomorrow they can wake up, raise their children in peace and be sure that nobody in the world can take their belongings and most important, their lives. I think that Franklin D. Roosevelt gave the strongest and full definition of freedom.
ReplyDelete2. The statements from Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman statesman (106-43 BC) and Samuel Adams, an American revolutionary leader (1771) contradict each other. Marcus Tullius Cicero stated that the only people who have power (rule something or someone) can have freedom. Although, Samuel Adams stated that all people can have freedom if they prefer to have it, value it and try to defend it with all their strength. It is not the fact that you can rule over someone else to be free.
3. Many wise and famous people in different times tried to define freedom. My definition of freedom is not unique but it fits into a twenty-first century life. I believe that freedom is a persons' right to say or do what you want if it does not contradict with other peoples’ rights. The freedom should be in everything-in your opinions, in your choice of religion and education, in your decision to have a family and children, and in the way you should be treated. You should be able to have this type of freedom only if it is not putting other people in danger. We should be free of fear not to be understood, being misjudged or not being safe. All of this will lead to personal freedom and to the prosperity of our world.
1. President Roosevelt’s definition of freedom comes close to my beliefs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt states that he feels that we have freedom of speech, expression, and want and it is important that it kept that way. The freedom that we have is a privilege and it can be taken away. Therefore, we should not take advantage of it. Freedom is one of the keys to happiness and we should feel lucky that we have freedom. Expressing our freedom in mean and inconsiderate ways would show how little we care about our actions. I believe that freedom should be treasured because we are fortuitous to have it. Slaves did not have it and the thirteen colonies did not have it, but we do. Freedom is a right that we are grateful to have and it should we treated with high importance.
ReplyDelete2. The authors of the numerous freedom definitions do not disagree with each other. In my opinion, they all have the same definition but it is expressed differently. I believe that freedom has only one main definition; it is just interpreted in different ways.
3. The 21st definition can vary depending on every individual’s opinion. Behind it all, freedom is just one thing: ability to act freely. My definition of freedom is: the ability of each and every individual to be able to express themselves freely without any limits to their actions. Of course though, people should be considerate of others. Freedom is valuable and we must treat it well.
1. I find that the statement made by Samuel Adams, American revolutionary leader (1771), was closest to my beliefs. I believe in this statement because one must first value and cherish freedom before they can obtain it. There will be no reason to have freedom if you do not even care for it. I believe if your freedom is trying to be taken away, you have the right to fight back and hold onto it. These were the actions done by the colonists when the British tried controlling the thirteen colonies. The colonists fought back and I think that was the right choice.
ReplyDelete2. I see that there is a disagreement between Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman statesman (106-43 BC) and George W. Bush, United States President (2005). Marcus Tullius is stating that only those who have great power will deserve freedom. While George Bush sees that everyone shares the same amount of freedom. Marcus believes that only the strongest can only have freedom and the weak do not deserve it. George Bush declares everyone is made equal, even in freedom.
3. I think the twenty-first definition of freedom is able to speak and write freely. By writing and speaking freely, you are able to express your ideas and emotions. By having freedom, there are also rules to be placed. One rule about freedom, is that one is allowed to speak freely without breaking lawful authorities. Another rule about freedom are manners. The power of speech is a dangerous thing that can start conflicts, if not used properly. Freedom gives everyone their rights and must be cared for.
1.Franklin D. Roosevelt's definition of freedom in 1934 came closest to my definition of freedom. He stated that even though the constitution gives everyone freedom, they should not abuse it. Freedom is a privilege and nowadays, since people do not need to earn it the same way as they did decades ago, they seem to take advantage of it. Everyone has freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean people go around yelling at teachers or disrespecting others with harmful words. It is hurtful and wrong. Roosevelt said that we must respect the laws made for us. There is a limit to how much freedom one has. I believe everyone deserves freedom as long as they do not abuse it.
ReplyDelete2.I believe that Euripides, the Greek dramatist and Martin Luther King Jr. disagree with each others definition of freedom. Euripides believes that freedom is in your blood. He states that once you are born, especially if you are Greek, you have the privilege of freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. thinks otherwise. He says that people must earn and demand their freedom. People are not born with freedom in their blood, but they must acquire it. Unlike Martin Luther King Jr., Euripides thinks those who are born with it must rule over everyone else and that can never be changed. Both of these definitions contradict each other. One is based on skill and change, but the other is based on class and rank which cannot be changed.
3.In the 21st century, freedom can be defined in many ways. The dictionary describes freedom as the "restraint from the power of another". I think that freedom is when you have the right to say and do what you want as long as it doesn't harm others in any way. People can dress how they want and say their opinion, but if they go ahead and kill someone or hurt them, they should be punished. Freedom never gives one the permission to hurt another, but only to express their opinions or feelings without being judged.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1934), made a statement about freedom that came closest to my beliefs. Just like Mr. Roosevelt, I believe that all people deserve freedom of expression as long as they don’t abuse it. To abuse this freedom is to take unmoral actions such as to use children’s labor, to knowingly jeopardize the safety of others, to damage somebody’s reputation by making false accusations, or to permit obscenity or improper sexual behavior.
ReplyDeleteFranklin D. Roosevelt’s definition of freedom contradicted Euripides’s statement. Euripides believed that freedom should exist only for the superior race, the Greeks, whose destiny was to rule all barbarians. Euripides unfairly and disrespectfully classified primitive cultures as destined slaves. A difference between Euripides’s and Roosevelt’s definitions of freedom was that Roosevelt believed in equality and freedom of expression for everyone, while Euripides thought that freedom should be granted only to the superior race (the Greeks). Roosevelt believed that freedom should exist for everyone until they abused it, while Euripides believed that if you were Greek you had freedom in your blood, making you unconditionally superior over barbarians.
I believe that everyone has a right to freedom of expression. Being expressive and thinking outside of the box is important to develop and expand ideas that will improve society socially, economically, and politically. Everyone deserves this natural right until they violate it by expressing immoral or sexually offensive behavior, by publishing false and malicious statements to damage somebody’s reputation, or by knowingly endangering others or depriving them of basic human rights.
I believe that the statement made by Franklin D. Roosevelt, president of The united States( 1934), is the closest to my heart. his statement is closest, because even though freedom allows you to be your own person, and be free, you must follow the rules and be responsible with freedom. without rules to go with freedom, then it would not be called freedom, but instead a chaotic world.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the two authors of two different statements about freedom,Theodor Adorno, 20th century philosopher(Circa 1950), and George W. Bush, United States President(2005) statements contridictes each other. Theodor Adorno states that the strong deserve freedom, and they will take it all away from the weak, but Geroge W. Bush states that no matter what, all people have equal amounts of freedom. I believe that all people have a right to believe their own meaning of freedom.
My 21st century definition of freedom, is that you can do as you please as lond as you follow the long, and don't abuse your freedom. I believe in this defenition, because freedom is a vague topic, but when used today, if you stole something, it would not be counted as freedom to do what ever you want, but as stealing, because it foes not follow the rules of the society or community.
Rabindranath Tagore, Indian philosopher, made a definition for freedom which is closest to my own beliefs. He states that a person has freedom if he loves freedom, and is willing to give the freedom to others. Those who want to be free must make sure they are equal with others and cannot forbid people from being free. If one refuses to share this power, he loses this ability himself. I completely agree with all of Rabindranath’s ideas. Those who aren’t willing to let others experience the glory of being free, is not considered free himself. He has to be able to respect and understand the power and authority that comes with freedom. There must be nobody excluded from this power.
ReplyDeleteSome of these authors appear to disagree with each other. Rabindranath stated that people can be free if they respect this power and let others experience it. However, Greek dramatist, Euripides, said that Greeks were always meant to be free and barbarians were always to be slaves. This shows that he believed that God created man differently, giving some people more authority, while putting slavery in the futures of others.
Many people may have different opinions on what freedom really is. To me, freedom is the right to live and be alive. One must not set boundaries for the people to have freedom, otherwise making boundaries for himself. Freedom is a state of mind in which you are happy to be on this Earth, and do not lack faith for what this power may bring you.
Theodor Adorno's way quote about freedom best describes what I believe is freedon. Throughout all history, the richer people were the ones with more rights, which counts as freedom. The poor people had their freedom taken away by richer people, destroying their lives. When we enslaved the African Americans, the white people were the rich ones with the freedom and the African Americans were the ones controled by others, without freedom. This went on for several hundreds of years until people finally realized that it was wrong. In the present day however, the common man feels less appreciated then the rich man. The rich men are the ones with the power. They run our government, considering the others decisions and suggestions, however, often not follow. Yes, the constitution gives us rights but rich people are still treated better. This wasn't the intention of freedom. We have manipulated the definition to our own liking.
ReplyDeleteTheodor Adorno's definition of freedom contradicts that of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt believed that everybody was being treated the same way and the constitution was really enforcing this. He said that the constitution gives everyone similar rights, which is true, but there are actions occuring that the people aren't noticing. The richer people can take others properties. Roosevelt thinks that the definition of freedom has stayed the same all these years, but Adorno claims that it has been changed itno something that actually suits the smaller population of the world better.
My defintion of freedom on the twenty-first century as it seems now is: all freedom can be bountiful, but mainly to those who have power and can make things work for them, as long as it suits them. People have been changing the meaning of freedom. In the times of Ancient Greece, the greeks were the ones with the freedom and the barbarians to be ruled over. During the time of the American Revolution, freedom was for the whites, and the African Americans to be enslaved. Nowadays, freedom is more bountiful for those rich and willing to change freedom itself, to make their lives bountiful and the common men must obey them. There is a pattern here, although the people are different. They have been changing freedom, to help themselves.
1. The statement made by Samuel Adams, an American revolutionary leader, in 1771 came closest to my own beliefs. "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought." he states, and I agree with it 100%. Everyone can be free, but they must first earn it one way or another. They must foresee any possible consequences, yet still go for it. After they get past that point, they must respect their freedom and not ask for more than they've already got. Also, the people must defend their freedom and fight anything that may take it away from them. All of this is a good example of something I would do for my freedom.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Rabindranath Tagore, and Indian philosopher, and Theodor Adorno, and 20th century philosopher, disagree with each others point of views on freedom. Rabindranath Tagore believes that freedom is given to anyone who truly loves it, believes in it, and wants to do good and share it with others. The man also believes that if anyone who has freedom takes away the freedom of someone else, than it's unfair and absolutely punishable. Theodor Adorno, on the other hand, has a different point of view. He believes that freedom has been given out and used too freely, and that it all resulted in an unstable relationship between the people of the earth. In other words, he believes that the rich have the right to take from the poor as a consequence of the misuse of freedom.
3. Through my eyes, the definition of freedom is extremely complex and hard to explain, yet so easy to understand. Freedom is the rights that people obtain, such as freedom of speech, and it is granted to a person that really deserves it. A criminal in jail gets his freedom taken away after he abuses it, while a regular, innocent young adult keeps it safe and sound in his heart. Freedom, it's the "you can do that if you want to" in life.
1. When Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President of 1934, defined freedom, it was the closest to my definition. Like Franklin D. Roosevelt, I believe that you could have freedom, as long as you don’t abuse it. I believe that some examples of abusing freedom are plagiarizing and child labor. Plagiarizing is against the law and even in schools its one of the biggest offenses. Some people think that if they copy and paste information from a book or the internet source, it’s going to be ok and nobody is going to find out. Child labor is also against the law. For example, in China, people use their children to help them do work in the factory since early childhood. It’s illegal to use children for work purposes. Freedom is a privilege, not a right. Sometimes people tend to look for the benefits of the situation. For example when a principal or a teacher is giving a speech or a meeting at school in front of all the kids it is not their right but it’s a privilege to work and be responsible for the kids. Franklin D. Roosevelt also stated that the freedom of speech has to be respected by both kids and adults.
ReplyDelete2. The authors had many definitions to explain and describe their meaning of the word freedom. I believe that the definitions both agree and disagree with each other. In my opinion, the main definition of these authors is that freedom is power and authority. On the other hand, some authors think that freedom is much more. They think that freedom is about just being free to the open world.
3. There are numerous definitions in the world that explain the word “freedom”. My 21st century definition of freedom is the right to be free. Freedom includes both power and rights, such as the freedom of rights and the freedom of speech. It is what you can and cannot do. For the most part, people think that freedom is considered to be that you can do anything you feel like doing. In reality, this is not true, you have to use freedom wisely and set boundaries or limits. Michelle
1. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s belief of freedom comes closest to my own beliefs. He says although we have the freedom the Constitution guarantee, that doesn’t mean we have the right to abuse it. For instance, nowadays, we do have the freedom of speech, but that doesn’t mean you can go around talking nonsense just for your own pleasure or sake. You can say whatever you want, but if you say something insulting or offending that would be abusing your rights and it wouldn’t be fair. We also have freedom of assembly. It gives us the right to gather as a crowd to protest or promote a cause. Britain wouldn’t allow Boston colonists to gather after the tea party, in fear that they would rebel. But now that we have this, it doesn’t mean we can get together to protest for something useless or insignificant. We can’t start abusing rights just because you have them. With rights, comes responsibility. In other words, we do have our freedom, but we can’t just take advantage of it. All it would bring would be complete chaos.
ReplyDelete2. Euripides, a Greek dramatist believed that Greeks were born with freedom in their blood and had a right to rule barbarians. He believed that barbarians were slaves by nature, and only Greeks had the right and freedom to own them. This belief seems to disagree with Roosevelt’s belief because he had believed that everyone has freedom as long as they don’t take advantage of it, while Euripides believed that only certain people (Greeks) had their rights of freedom.
3. My twenty first century belief of freedom is a way to show individuality and being able to express your thoughts freely without being bashed around because of what others think. When you have freedom, you have rights; something that should not be played around with. There is freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and much more. Most importantly, it is yours and your responsibility to see what you do with it. Freedom is something you should not disregard, because its what gives us rights and the ability to be just free.
In my opinion, the statement is most like the definition of freedom is what Samuel Adams said in 1771. He said that "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought". I think this because I believe what Adams said;only people who do not take freedom for granted and would fight to the death for freedom are free.
ReplyDeleteOut of these phrases, many authors of the phrases seem to disagree with others. For example, Euripides the Greek dramatist stated that the mighty Greeks were meant to rule over all barbarians. He probably said that since in his time, the Greeks ruled over lesser beings. In George Bush's definition of freedom, he speaks only of American freedom, not worldly freedom. This difference in aithors speech is most likely due to the time lapse between them.
My 21st century definition of freedom is:Freedom is a way to express your true feelings about something, but not be punished for doing so. Freedom is being able to practice any religion and to stand up for what you think is right. Freedom can be taken away, but it is never given. To have freedom you must earn it, you must want it, and you must be willing to put your life on the line for it
The statement made by Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1934) comes closest to my beliefs of freedom. He states that just because freedom is granted to you, does not mean you have the right to take advantage of it. With freedom, comes responsibility. I believe that even though the Constitution grants us freedom, we have to treat as a privilege and something that can be taken away from us. We have our rights, but to a certain extent, we cannot go too far and we cannot abuse those rights. We have freedom of speech, but that does not mean we can say whatever we want whenever we want. According to the Constitution we can, but it wouldn’t be ethical to walk around saying things that aren’t true or don’t make sense.
ReplyDeleteThe statement made by Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC) contradicts with the statement made by the Christian New Testament, Galatians, 5:1. Euripides said that the Greeks were born to rule the barbarians and the barbarians were slaves by nature. The Christian New Testament states that Christ set everyone free and no one must submit into slavery.
Freedom has many definitions. However, the definition of freedom depends on the individual. A long time ago, if a slave working in the South under harsh conditions was to come up with a definition of freedom, I don’t think that freedom of speech would be the first thing to come to his mind. I think he would think about being free from slavery. My definition of slavery would be, “the right to do whatever, whenever you want, as long as it is ethical.” This means that you have the right to do or say anything you want, but it needs to be reasonable. I think that this is what freedom really is.
I believe that all thirteen definitions of freedom are correct. They all make a strong point in their own way. But, the one that stood out to me the most, was the one by Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1934). "The freedom guaranteed by the Constitution is freedom of expression and that will be scrupulously respected - but it is not freedom to work children, or to do business in a fire trap, or violate laws against obscenity, libel and lewdness." This quote is very strong, inspiring, and makes its point clearly.
ReplyDeleteBecause these definitions came from different people, each individual person had their very own meaning. Whether it was just or unjust is a different story. Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC) said that the Greeks were born to rule the barbarians. Not the other way around. This was freedom for the Greeks, but slavery for the barbarians. On the other hand, Martin Luther King, Jr., American Civil Rights leader (1963) thought differently. He thought that all people should be treated equally, no matter what their race, religion, or background is. These two authors disagree with eachother.
If I could write my own definition of freedom, I would write "Freedom is a privilege. Freedom has to be earned. Freedom doesn't mean to abuse the laws. It simply means to take part in your government. For example, voting." This a modernized version of Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin D. Roosevelt's definition.
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ReplyDeleteFranklin D. Roosevelt’s, United States President (1934) statement comes closest to my belief of freedom. Franklin D. Roosevelt states that the power of freedom shouldn’t be abused. Freedom is a privilege that was guaranteed by the Constitution. He states that freedom should be respected and not abused. I believe that there should be freedom, but with limits. For example, we have freedom of speech but we shouldn’t be able to say things that will disrespect or hurt other people.
ReplyDeleteYes, some of these authors do disagree. Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC) stated that their freedom allows them to control other people and make slaves of them. Whereas the Christian New Testament, Galatians, 5:1 states that people can not control other human beings.
My definition of freedom is that you can do whatever you want to as long as it doesn’t affect, insult, hurt, or disrespect other people, places, or groups. I believe that freedom should have certain limits and that freedom is important so people won’t feel trapped and enslaved by the government and their laws.
1.The statement made by Rudolph Giuliani comes closet to my beliefs about freedom. Freedom has a limit to how much one single human can have. “Freedom is about authority”, as stated by Giuliani. This one sentence is quite true. To have freedom, you must know when you have too much freedom or too little freedom. Just as with parents, children may think that their parents give them no freedom at all, but they do this to keep their kids safe. Giuliani also says that everyone must have “a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it.” He is saying that with freedom you must think about your actions, and how your actions can affect other people. I deeply agree with him, freedom does have a limit, having too much freedom can end up with large consequences.
ReplyDelete2.Many of these authors do seem to contradict each other. Especially these two men, Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC), and Rabindranath Tagore, Indian philosopher (1861-1941). Euripides says that the barbarians should not at all rule the Greeks, that they are slaves, and the Greeks have freedom in their blood. On the other hand, Tagore says that he who does not believe that others have freedom loses their moral right to freedom. So if he was to be talking to Euripides, he would be telling him that he does not deserve freedom. Euripides did not believe that barbarians should have freedom, they should be slaves, literally he is going against what Tagore had stated.
3.Jacklyn Merr, United States Citizen, (2009). “Freedom is a word that has no true definition. People have been defining freedom for thousands of years; and they have all had different opinions on this one word. My own definition for this word would be: Freedom is ones’ way of doing as they please. Although doing as pleased has a limit depending on the situation. One may have their own opinion or say in anything or against anyone as long as it is not offensive or hurtful. Freedom also has to do with ones’ actions. If their actions do not violate someone or something, they should have the right to do it. Everyone has freedom, but freedom is something that should not be wasted by doing the wrong thing; this could end up in much trouble.” Freedom is a truly undefined word. No one person can give an exact definition for freedom.
1. I think that the statement F.D.R. made, "The freedom guaranteed by the Constitution is freedom of expression and that will be scrupulously respected - but it is not freedom to work children, or to do business in a fire trap, or violate laws against obscenity, libel and lewdness." comes closest to my beliefs. I think that being free is to be independent and have freedom of speech, but there is a certain point of lawlessness where freedom becomes anarchy.
ReplyDelete2. I think that many of these authors have different opinions. One has stated that being free is being able to rule over another person. Others have stated that you can be free, but only to a certain point. Some have even stated that you can be free as long as you will it.
3. My 21st century definition of freedom is that you can be free, but only allowed certain freedoms. What I am trying to say is similar to F.D.R's first quote. You can choose your own destiny, Say what you want, and have power in deciding your government leaders, but you can't run a sweatshop and murder. Even freedom has its limits.
The statement that is most like my definition of freedom is by Samuel Adams. He said "The truth is all might be free if they valued freedom and defended it as if they ought." I believe that if you do not abuse or take what freedom is for granted you will truly be free. And that freedom is a very precious thing and should be defended.Many of these authors have different opinions on what freedom is.Some think that certain people rule over others. And one thinks that people cannot control over other human beings. The word freedom has no true definition but, If I were to try to define it. I would define it as.......... being free but only allowed to do certain things. This is kind of a mix of Samuel Adams And F.D.R's definition. For example you can say whatever you want, make your own decisions but you can't just go around hurting people. By doing the last thing stated(in the sentence before) you are not defending your rights, you have to really want it. Freedom has boundaries.
ReplyDeleteI think that Samuel Adams, American revolutionary leader, said it best when he said "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought”. I think this is true because people had to fight for freedom of themselves and/or others. Examples of when this occurred include the revolutionary war, and the civil war. These are just wars in America. We have to earn every freedom we get.
ReplyDeleteIf you get great grades, and you play your cards right, you become a senator and your voice WILL be heard. If you just become a worker, and you say that you want to change something, you must gather many people on your side and do whatever you can to make sure all your voices will be heard. Even then your voice might fall in deaf ears. This shows how weak your freedom is if you do nothing to earn it. Freedom was never free, and it never will be.
I think Euripides, and Samuel Adams disagree with each other. Euripides is basically saying that someone was meant to rule someone, while Samuel says that freedom is attainable for all if wanted.
Freedom is the ability to make yourself visible in the world, the ability to do whatever your goal is no matter what your background is. Freedom is the ability to be equal from birth. Freedom is not free, but it is attainable with ambition.
I believe in Franklin D. Roosevelts statement,"(W)e look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression - everywhere in the world. The second is the freedom of every person to worship God in his own way - everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want - which...means economic understanding.... The fourth is freedom from fear, which means...a world-wide reduction of armaments..." This is the closest statement to my own beliefs. We should have the right to express ourselves in any way we want, and we should be able to believe in what we want to believe in, no matter what others think. We the people should be able to also know what to think between someone's wants, & the economical aspect. The fourth statement is the one I believe in the most; we should not be afraid of each other, and what they do. If we're not afraid, there would be more peace in the world, and there would be less war.
ReplyDeleteThe statements from Samuel Adams and Marcus Tullius Cicero seem to disagree with each other. Samuel Adams states that "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom and defended it as they ought." Marcus Tullius Cicero states that "Freedom is participation in power." While Adams thinks that a person could have freedom if they really wanted and protected it, Cicero thinks that you only have freedom if you have power over something, or someone.
Freedom is when you have the right to do everything you want, without being penalized for it. True freedom is when you can say anything you want, do whatever you want to do, go wherever you want to go, and believe in what you think is right. But I think that we will never truly be free. There will always be someone that's higher than you; someone that has more power, and rights. There's always going to be someone that sets the rules straight, and punish you if you do something that they think is "wrong." But, maybe true freedom is not impossible. Everything is possible...just not probable. So maybe, one day, we will gain true freedom, once and for all.
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ReplyDelete1. The statement that Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States President (1934) said comes closest to my beliefs of the definition of freedom. In the statement, Franklin states that freedom is guaranteed, but it doesn’t mean that you can have child labor, murder, or any type of violation against a law. When you have freedom, you have to be responsible and follow the laws. Just because you have freedom of expression, you don’t walk around abusing your freedom by destroying someone’s car or break into a house to show your expression. There’s a limit on freedom to protect us.
ReplyDelete2. The statements from Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC) and the Christian New Testament, Galatians, 5:1 disagree with each other. Euripides states that the Greeks were born with freedom and have the right to rule the barbarians. The Christian New Testament states that it isn’t allowed to control a human being.
3. My definition of freedom is to be able to do whatever you want to do as long as you don’t violate and laws. This means that everyone is allowed to share their ideas, say anything they want as long as it isn’t harassing anyone, study their own religion and so on.
My definition of freedom comes closest to Franklin D. Roosevelts in 1934. "The freedom guaranteed by the Constitution is freedom of expression and that will be scrupulously respected - but it is not freedom to work children, or to do business in a fire trap, or violate laws against obscenity, libel and lewdness."I think it is true that we have freedom to do many things. However we should not be able to abuse freedom, because when we abuse freedom we abuse somebody else's freedom. By stealing from a bank we take away someone's finacial security. So we should have freedom that allows us to do many things but not freedom to do horrible things.
ReplyDelete2.Martin Luther King, Jr., American Civil Rights leader (1963)and Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor, New York City (1994) seem to disagree with eachother. Martin Luther Knig Jr. said "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed.... Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro.",l while
Rudolph Giuliani said "Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it." Rudolph Giuliana seems to think that people who do not oppose laws are free, while Martin Luther King Jr. thinks that people who oppose laws are free. I agree with Martin luther King Jr. He is right, people who do not disagree with laws are the ones that cannot be free. They think if they oppose laws something will happen, they think they'll get in trouble. That does not sound free to me. People who are able to oppose laws even the most fairest laws are truly free.
3.Freedom is the right to do anything yuo want while not abusing freedom.
1. Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor, New York City (1994). "Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it." Is the statement that comes closest to my beliefs about freedom. Ever human has their own life and can make their own choises for themselves. I agree with mayor Giuliani because every person is different about what they do and how they do it. Everyone has the freedom to make their own choices in their life.
ReplyDelete2. Euripides stated "Greeks were born to rule barbarians,... not barbarians to rule Greeks. They are slaves by nature; we have freedom in our blood." This is a statement that many people, not just the authors of these quotes. Martin Luther King for example would definitely disagree with this. He fought for freedom for the blacks, and definitely does not believe in slavery.
3. Freedom- the ability to dress how you want to dress, say what you want to say and most importantly to be who you want to be as long as it doesn’t break any laws. Freedom is the power to choose things for yourself instead of the government deciding things for you. Freedom is the ability to be yourself.
1. The statement about freedom that comes closest to my own beliefs is Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian philosopher (1861-1941). He states that, “He who distrusts freedom in others loses his moral right to it." This analysis means that the person, who destructs and does not appreciate freedom, loses their right to have freedom and every right to it. I would like to add on that Rabindranath Tagore should’ve specifically stated that everyone has there boundaries to freedom, and no one can have eternal freedom. “He only has freedom who ideally loves freedom himself and is glad to extend it to others” is another aspect of this speech. If one has freedom and loves freedom, they should extend it and share it with others. If they do not, and have greed, then they shall not be fit to have it. “He who cares to have slaves must chain himself to them. He who builds walls to create exclusion for others builds walls across his own freedom.” For example, since you have slaves and give them no freedom what so ever, then you deserve no better and deserve to be chained (become) as a slave because you are no better then the slaves that you have.
ReplyDelete2. One of the philosophers that disagree with each other was Euripides, Greek dramatist (484-406 BC). He claims that, "Greeks were born to rule barbarians... not barbarians to rule Greeks. They are slaves by nature; we have freedom in our blood." However, Samuel Adams, American revolutionary leader (1771) has a rather different definition of freedom. He claims that, "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought." Euripides’ analysis of freedom is based upon people having freedom in our own blood. However, Samuel Adams says that one must fight for freedom and, “defended it as they ought.” These two definitions of freedom trouble one another.
3. My own twenty-first century definition of freedom is quite different from others. There is no definite definition of freedom. Freedom is taken in on different perspectives of people. People all have freedom- freedom with BOUNDARIES. It would be cruel for the whole world to have freedom. If every single human being in the world has eternal freedom, life and Earth would be destructive and out of control. That is why everyone has there own definition of freedom in their lives. My definition of freedom is that freedom can only be achieved with boundaries!
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ReplyDelete1.) I believe that Franklin D. Roosevelt's statement in 1934 cam closest to my meaning of freedom. I believe that freedom is not about men thinking differently or people treating others as slaves. I agree with Roosevelt for the fact that we shouldn't take charge over our freedom and take away someone else’s. When we have the chance of having freedom, we should be thankful for it and not abuse it. We have the right to do things differently, like wear different clothes every day. We must also be considerate of others' freedoms. Criticism and hatred might lead us to anger or even getting their freedom taken away by government.
ReplyDelete2.) I believe that Theodor Adorno, 20th century philosopher (circa 1950) and Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman statesman (106-43 BC) do not agree with each other. They do not seem to agree with each other for the fact that Adorno believes that whoever is stronger should get to have freedom, while Cicero believes that freedom is for who ever participates in power. In Adorno’s case, it’s whoever is better and stronger either physically or mentally. In Cicero’s case, it’s whether you are strong or weak you can participate in power to earn your freedom.
3.) Nicole Ginzburg, US Citizen and Student (2009). “Freedom is living your life as freely and as independently as possible, while respecting others’ freedoms. It is also about having the right to make decisions, but these decisions must be reasonable.”
1) I agree with Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian philosopher with his quote about freedom because, I believe that the freedom you give others is the freedom you give yourself. For example, by forcing slaves to do work you chain yourself to them and you cannot let yourself free without letting them free first. He has a really good idea about freedom and I think that we should all follow it.
ReplyDelete2) The Greek dramatist Euripides and the Indian philosopher Rabindranath Tagore , appear to disagree with each other because Euripides believes that the Greek were born to enslave barbarians, while Tagore believes that anything you do somebody else, you do to yourself. They both have opposite ideas about freedom and slavery.
3) My definition of freedom is that you have the power to express yourself and do anything you want as long as it doesn’t violate any rules or laws and doesn’t cause harm to yourself. You may vote, say what you feel, have the right to a jury if you are accused of something. But, you may not say something that hurts somebody’s feelings, be violent to a person, try to hurt yourself, or disregard the laws.