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The Fragility of Freedom

Governor Ronald Reagan, in his 1967 inaugural address, famously remarked, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction.” However, even the most despotic regimes call themselves not only free but civilized. They often use the justification of "caretakers of the people." It sure works for the insiders and to recruit acolytes. It allows every sort of corruption. 


Freedom, as in real freedom, has another side - an evil twin as it were. Yes. Freedom can be used to destroy itself by using its agency to steal freedom from neighbors. Historically, every time a society achieves some measure of freedom, it is under constant attack to contain, alter, and control it from within and without.

Others interpret freedom to mean a well-ordered social society, where all must obey rules they have little part in creating.

Other social orders require giving up freedom by agreeing to precepts through which they become members, thereby securing safety, in a civilized manner of course. Such orders must remain isolated to function as intended.

Freedom, like people, requires constant maintenance. 

Achieving freedom in a civilization is nothing less than an optimization problem, whereby maximal freedom is allowed while minimizing restrictions upon action. This was the USA in the beginning, but now laws and regulations are taking it to task.


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