The phrase individual freedom has no meaning. We exist not as atomized, individual phenomena but as aspects of a vast interconnectedness. In most of the important ways, individualism is an illusion, and a highly destructive one at that. This is not a political observation, but a metaphysical one. As we bandy the word freedom about in our political discourse, it serves us well to remember that freedom is ultimately an ineffable mystery, not a simple policy achievement. As Wendell Berry writes, Our present idea of freedom is only the freedom to do as we please: to sell ourselves for a high salary, a home in the suburbs, and idle weekends. But that is a freedom dependent upon affluence, which is in turn dependent upon the rapid consumption of exhaustible supplies. The other kind of freedom is the freedom to take care of ourselves and of each other. May we expand our notion of freedom to include all other sentient beings, and the very cosmos itself. As Dr. King taught, injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, and if everyone isnt free, no one is free.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:25:13 +0000
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