I believe that everyone deserves freedom, but it also appears that not everyone wants it. Many people seem to value security over freedom. I am at a loss to understand why.
Life can be quite challenging at times, and owning one’s life, by being responsible for one’s actions, can be a tough road to travel. However, to hand over responsibility for your life to an impersonal centralized power seems to me to be egregiously unwise. Remember, all of us are unique individuals, and “one-size-fits-all” public policy does not serve any of us well.
The Back Story
When I was in my late teens or early twenties, I became a libertarian. I did not understand or know all the principles of libertarianism. However, I believed in my heart of hearts (and still do) that freedom is the quintessential value a free and open society must foster and sustain. Conversely, totalitarian societies promote control and power over their citizens with the consequent loss of freedom. Unfortunately, we have seen these totalitarian societies (for example, the former Soviet Union, Cuba, Cambodia, and Venezuela) rise and fall during the 20th Century and the early 21st Century. Update: This war between Russia and Ukraine is another telling example of how insidious and barbaric authoritarian regimes can be.
The Fragility of Freedom
In those early years, I recognized the importance of freedom, but I did not understand how extremely fragile it is. As President Reagan once opined: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” A generation ranges from 25 years to 30 years as a reference point. However, the loss of freedom took only two or three weeks for Canadians. For the Canadians, freedom disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Let’s all hope they get it back soon. And, of the greatest importance, let’s hope America doesn’t continue down that same road. Once lost, freedom is difficult to recover.
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If you have enjoyed reading this short post or it resonates with your “inner knower,” please share it with family, friends, and business associates.
Cordially,
Andrew J Guinosso
Quotes to Ponder
“…he judged more than they wanted freedom, the Athenians wanted security.”—Sir Edward Gibbon
“A life lived in fear is a life half lived”—Unknown
Book Recommendations
“The Discovery of Freedom”—Rose Wilder Lane
“Our Enemy the State”—Albert Jay Nock