Write space, free thoughts and white noise

Let's freewrite as I don't have much time.

The other day I was talking about freedom of speech in a post. I had to go and grab that link and realised the other day was less than 24 hours ago. Time has a habit of getting away from me.

In there or in the comments I mentioned that freedom of speech is impossible if someone feels they have something to lose. This doesn't matter if it is financial or reputation based, the experience of others or even one's own life; whenever there is a sense of potential loss, there is going to be a curbing of speech, a softening of terms and a little thought to limit costs paid.

True freedom of Speech is for the enlightened and the insane.

The other thing that many seem to believe is that freedom of speech is a right. This is senseless. Rights are granted and as far as God, Nature or whatever else you believe or don't believe in, there is what is possible and what is not. Rights are human concepts that the universe literally cares nothing about. If you think that your government can grant you freedom of speech, you are not free to speak without their permission.

People think that if they are not persecuted for speaking their mind, they have freedom of speech but this is not true at all and by definition it is limited. Freedom of speech is being able to say whatever one wants and NOT CARE about any of the potential costs, no matter how cruel or painful they may be. If one holds zero attachment to anything in this world whether past or future, they are always able to speak freely as there is zero to lose.

Are you willing to take that kind of responsibility for yourself? The kind that is able to release every string that binds, every possession, every relationship, every person to an ultimate fate? Are you able to watch immeasurable pain inflicted onto those around you, watch them tortured, beaten, torn apart and condemned to death due to the words you have spoken?

No? Then how are you free to speak your mind? How are you free to say what you want when you fear losing something you feel you possess or, feel connected to? Ever met anyone who truly speaks their mind fearlessly? I have not. For most that make this claim, the first line of resistance that inflicts a personal price is met with complaint and calls for justice. Justice is not a universal law, it is a granted law based on concepts of authority and it is bound to conformity of group values and behaviours. The same process of justice that sees a criminal imprisoned for rape in one area, will stone a girl to death for falling in love in another. Fair?

The universe doesn't do this, it doesn't force us to behave one way or another, it just gives us options. It is we as humans who take these options, fashion them to suit our personalised desires and if possible, impose them upon others to deliver for us, even if it costs them. Do you think that you are of a higher moral fibre? Are you sure?

Do you truly speak your mind, would you give up all that you love if it would improve the world for others? Would you suffer the most painful death so another may live - or is your life worth more than other's? How can you possibly evaluate and validate your decisions and choose one over another when free?

The only true freedom we have in this world is the opportunity to understand ourselves given what we have available and become our best. This is a freedom that very few want to take and will find any excuse to avoid. It is always someone else's fault we can't be our best, isn't it? The government, the family we were born into, the economy, the community, our skin, their skin or the coding of a platform.

I am a victim of the world but if I was free, I could do my best.

Freedom is impossible as we ARE ALL living limited lives whether it be in time or knowledge, economy or caste, the world a human lives is a continual expansion of limitation and opportunity and part of our individual journey is coupled with the journeys of those around us, whether we know them or not, whether we like them or not. Their limitations as humans impose limitations on us and ours upon them also.

We all always have freedom of speech. I am yet to meet anyone who is willing to take the responsibility to pay every cost imaginable. We are limited beings and by definition of the universe can never know it all. We can all do better though.

You are free to decide what better means for you. Someone else is free to disagree.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]