The Necessity of Human Freedom & Autonomy
Freedom is a necessity for having a meaningful and fulfilling existence. We are psychologically wired with a predisposition for autonomy. We derive self-esteem and self-worth from what we can accomplish and the skills and attributes we possess. It is important that we are able to apply our abilities in the manner we see fit. Exerting effort towards a goal and achieving that goal through means of our choosing is a type of freedom essential to our human and spiritual nature. This is especially true when it comes to our most essential needs like food, water, shelter, and clothing. To not be in charge of or have direct influence over these things, as an individual or part of a community, means we are dependent on whoever provides them, which is a source of anxiety, helplessness, and disempowerment. We can already begin to see how the eroding of autonomy creates conditions that are detrimental to our well-being. As we become less free, confident, and capable, we become more prone to unhappiness, feelings of worthlessness and purposelessness, lethargy, depression, and anxiety. It is not an accidental correlation that mental health issues have become so prevalent as our ability to be autonomous human beings capable of providing for our own existential needs has gradually been stripped away and replaced with dependency on technology, corporations, government, and other specialized segments of society. It is a truth we must acknowledge that technological progress has left us with more superficial choices but less existential empowerment and autonomy in many ways. So, from this perspective, we can see that freedom is directly related to how dependent we are on sources outside ourselves and our immediate environment for the choices and decisions we make over our needs.
Freedom has a most delicate existence. Often not even recognized until it has disappeared. Then its absence makes its existence self-evident and its importance obvious. But defining what freedom is can be a complicated and difficult task for absolute freedom does not exist. Life has limitations carved into experience so freedom can only exist in degrees. The human body and human mind are limited by physical necessities required to function and survive and psychological needs and tendencies that influence behavior. Our environments also limit the resources we have access to and thus require us to adopt ways of living compatible with our ecosystem. It may be said then that freedom is the ability to direct one’s actions in an autonomous effort towards important goals after considering biological and environmental limitations. Besides limitations rooted in nature and biology, we also make choices to concede some freedom in exchange for something else like safety. This is usually done as a part of a group. The individual will forego some personal experience or desire so the group may work towards a desired goal in which every individual benefits. Belonging to a group was an evolutionary tool that our ancestors relied on to strengthen their ability to survive. Although, there is a big difference in how freedom for the individual is maintained or lost among groups. It is a harsh truth that individual freedom has been destroyed and in its absence immoral and oppressive acts of abuse and violence have been carried out time and time again by those whose appeals to the good of the group have taken precedence over the rights of the individual. Nevertheless, it is also true humans are social creatures and need to belong to groups. Thus, there must be an equilibrium found between the freedom of the individual and the goals of the group, with an emphasis on the former to prevent its decay and the destruction that breeds in its absence.
Considering the limitations and degrees of freedom briefly touched upon, we can say that freedom is threatened by any limitation to an individual’s choice, action, or autonomy that is imposed from a source outside of nature and that was not voluntarily agreed upon. If an individual is forced, manipulated, or coerced into action he/she does not or would not consent to voluntarily then this is encroaching on that individual’s freedom. Whenever there is a force formed with the power of a collective that has the capabilities to enforce and mandate ways of life, that is when freedom is most threatened. This force becomes its own entity formed on the back of the collective, and this entity must sacrifice the individual to survive. What is good for the collective, or for the entity claiming the power of the collective, is often not good for the freedom of the individual. Whatever force is able to harness and direct the will of the collective, or at least claim the authority to make decisions and force action on its behalf, possesses incredible power over the lives of individuals. Anytime power and influence is consolidated and wielded over the individual, no matter how seemingly benevolent the entity holding this power, it puts personal freedom in great harm. Extreme skepticism and scrutiny is warranted as heightened vigilance directed towards this harm is necessary to safeguard the liberty of the individual. It is easier to justify eroding personal freedom whenever the good of the collective is the excuse. In the words of Albert Camus, “the welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants”. Because of the danger of eroding and restricting personal freedom by the collective, the group must always put the freedom of the individual as a guiding value. The protection of individual freedom is sacred and the collective must protect it as that is where the ultimate power to infringe on it resides. Although what is good for the collective should be considered by every individual, it is not such a violation for an individual to act opposed to the collective as long as no action is taken to infringe on the life choices of others. For the individual does not wield the same power over the collective as the collective holds over him/her. It is the collective that gives power to the various social entities that have the capabilities to enforce ways of life. Every individual must consequently consider their role in the collective and how they contribute to protecting or restricting individual freedom.
Therefore, in my view, allowing the individual to hold as much personal freedom as they can carry and allowing them to make voluntary compromises of their freedom without coercion are the most sacred values we as human beings can architect our communities and societies around. This encourages cooperation that is born of free will. What makes a purposeful, worthwhile, and meaningful life can not be mandated. It must be uncovered through personal contemplation, exploration, connection, and discovery. What is important to one may be trivial to someone else. An individual must be free to approach and experience the world as only they can. It’s necessary to nourish the soul. Encouraging freedom is encouraging diversity. It is also honoring our deeply rooted psychological needs for autonomy and self-expression. It facilitates creativity and abundance; if not materially then psychologically and spiritually. Freedom is what we are at our core, and without it we suffer greatly. As more of the world continues to eradicate personal freedom, we must deeply contemplate the dangers and consequences that will follow. Because once it dies our humanity will go with it.