The Two Types of Freedom
It’s what we crave the most, to live our lives on our terms. That’s the key to The Good Life, as the stoics say. To have ultimate freedom and to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want.
That’s what we desire, freedom. We all value it above everything else (most of the time). But how do we get it, how do we get there? Well, first we have to distinguish the different types of freedom.
There are two types of freedom:
Freedom to - do anything we want, feel like when I feel like.
This is external freedom, which many of us want, but there is another type of freedom that many of us are looking for. Internal freedom, the one that gives us peace.
Freedom from - desire, reaction, anger, quick pleasure, obligations, being forced to do something.
When we are going through life, particularly in the early stages, we want to be young wild and free. We want the freedom to do whatever we want. But as we start to mature, grow up and gain wisdom through experience we start to want freedom from the things disrupting our peace. The internal battles that go on inside of ourselves.
I know I’m experiencing this as I’m going through my own life. And as I grow up more and more, I’m seeking freedom from internally and externally, before I was just seeking freedom to - do what I want.
I’d say the ultimate goal is to have both freedom from internals and externals. Because if we really only have to freedom to, let’s say, buy all the luxurious clothes we want, how long before those possessions we bought end up owning us and controlling how we react and behave? Is that true freedom?
Freedom to (do) is great, but it can lead us into a trap if we’re not careful with how we go about it, that’s when temperance (self-control) comes into play, which is a key ingredient to maintaining our personal freedom.
If we focus more on freedom from, then we can use that as a foundation and starting point to figure out how we want to use our freedom to do, and live our lives accordingly.
The more we have freedom from… the more we will have freedom to.
Until next time,
Brody
