The question of our age is simple, freedom or security?
That is the primary question of the modern age.
The constitution and the declaration of independence were quite
clear in their answer, freedom. Regardless of the question, the
answer was, is and always will be, freedom. The reason seems to be
clear as to why. But let us take security first. As we know,
no matter how hard we try, we cannot ever be 100% secure.
There is no such thing as absolute security. As we know from
our understanding of systems, that no system is 100% anything.
An example of this is with energy. No matter how hard we try, we cannot
get an energy system to be 100% efficient. That in every system, we can only
have a percentage of the system use energy efficiently. There is and will always
be inefficiency in a engine for example. So what this means for example,
is the relationship between the total energy contained in the fuel
and the amount of energy used to perform useful work. Most gasoline
engines are only about 20% efficient. Which means that the engine “waste”
80% of the energy possible in gasoline. The human body is about 25% efficient
and a Iowa cornfield is only 1.5% percent efficient at converting incoming sunlight
into chemical storage.
So we understand that in systems, that they are not 100% efficient,
and this is true in any attempt of a system, a person trying to be secure,
that he/she cannot ever, regardless of the energy put into their security,
ever be 100% safe and secure. It is simply not possible.
So let us look at freedom. We cannot ever have 100% of freedom.
In other words, we do not have absolute freedom. We can have a
percentage of freedom, but never absolute freedom. Our actions
are limited by various limitations, we cannot have bodily freedom because
we are biological creatures and that creates limitations in our bodily
freedom. I can only run as fast as my body will allow me. I am limited
in that aspect. I am not free to fly by just flapping my arms. I am
limited by the rules/laws of the physical universe. I am not free to act
with impunity regarding the laws of the universe. I cannot escape the laws/rules
of physics and evolution and gravity. I cannot be free to grow wings
nor am I free to float upwards on the earth because gravity is holding me
down. Nor can I travel the speed of light. My range of actions is limited
by the rules/laws of the universe. I cannot have freedom of actions.
So we know that there are limitations to both security and freedom.
What else can we understand about security and freedom.
Security is trying to make us safe from something. Security is
going away from something. It is negative in nature. You are trying to
escape harm by making oneself “secure”. It is a fool’s attempt.
so, what is freedom? Freedom is not going from something, but is going
toward something. I want to be free to act in some fashion. It is positive.
There are limitations in what I can be free in and how I can be free, but still
it is striving toward something. I am trying to be free to……….
This is why we must engage in freedom over security. Freedom is about
going toward something and security is escaping from something.
The attempt to freedom causes chaos and violence and
upheaval. Oh, yes it does, but since we cannot ever become 100%
safe and secure, we should work toward the positive actions
and positive results. The search for freedom is a dance, a celebration
of what is possible and the search for security?
that is a reaction to fear and the opposite of the reason for
seeking freedom. The drive to seek freedom is far different then
the drive to find secuity…the drive toward freedom is far riskier
and far more dangerious and full of traps to ensnare the unsuspecting
human being, but, but the drive for freedom is a positive action in
our lives and the drive for security is a negative drive in our lives.
the young person wants freedom, the old person wants security.
Who do you want to be?
Kropotkin