So we live in a free world - do we? That's what we keep telling ourselves. We pity our forefathers because they lived in a "rigid" world, a world in which you were told what to do, or more frustratingly, what not to do. There was a right way of doing things and those who chose to be different were labeled as immoral.
I'm sure that in many cases this may indeed be true. We do, as a matter of fact have the right to disagree with traditions and norms. We do what we want, and it no longer matters what society dictates. Or at least that’s what we believe.
But if you look closely, things aren’t as rosy as we would want it to be. Freedom you say? What freedom? Define freedom. Dictionary.com defines freedom as: exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc. In other words, I should be allowed to choose what is right for me and what isn’t. And my choices shouldn’t affect my individual rights and dignity. Again you may say that this is indeed the way things are. I disagree.
Let’s take homosexuality for instance. If I were to say that, I feel homosexuality is abnormal and sick, I would be labeled old-fashioned, narrow minded, orthodox, conservative etc. I didn’t say that people shouldn’t engage in the act or that it’s wrong or pass any judgment. All I did was express my view, which in the so called free world, shouldn’t be a problem. Yet, I become a lesser human in the eyes of others - because I don’t subscribe to the popular view - that is homosexuality is normal and beautiful in its own way. Free world?
Something similar is true about the age old debate of creation or intelligent design vs. evolution. In the scientific world, it’s logical to accept evolution and discard creation. Creation limits nature and, leaves no scope for freedom - after all creation claims we have a creator. A person who accepts the intelligent design view is generally looked down upon by the scientific community and is considered ignorant and intellectually limited. Why? Doesn’t a free world allow an individual to choose what he or she wants to believe? It’s perfectly okay to believe that one is right and only his or her view is right - I’m not saying that all views must be accepted as correct - but if a person's views are what define his dignity and worth, then there is obviously no respect for another person's right to believe whatever he or she wants - something I fail to accept as a characteristic of a free world.
There are many similar issues which have a popular world view and a "conservative" one. What difference is there really, between the freedom our forefathers enjoyed and what we witness? They had a conservative view to most issues: good people go to heaven and bad people to hell, sex outside marriage is wrong etc, and our generation has a popular view to these issues. Either case there is a fixed correct view and all other views are wrong - or stupid. What's the
difference? All that has changed are the standards.
A truly free society would respect each individual's right to hold his own independent view. Of course you don’t have to agree to or respect the view. A person would be accepted and treated equal irrespective of his views...that’s true freedom.
You will find lots people endorsing popular views just to be accepted as modern and broad minded - you call that freedom? That’s being slave to freedom. You change all your principles just to be labeled a free thinker!!! We live in a world which doesn’t even allow us freedom of thought.
Free world? What’s that? Happy Independence Day.
