For thousands of years, since prohibitions, power and morality, there has been a concept of freedom. Some people define it as the absence of the above factors. Others as the power of a person over his actions, provided that they do not harm other people. Still others believe that freedom is a subjective concept and depends on the aspirations of each individual.
So what is freedom? Let's try to figure it out.
Freedom in philosophy is defined as the state of the subject, in which he can independently determine his life path, his goals, opinions and means. That is, in fact, this concept brings together all the judgments given above. The freedom of each person depends on the degree to which he accepts it as a vital value. That is why we see so many different approaches to its understanding and self-realization. And therefore, all people differently understand what freedom is.
It is customary to distinguish between two freedoms: positive and negative. The second assumes the independence of the individual from any external or internal manifestations that interfere with its implementation. Getting it is possible by eliminating them. Positive freedom is achieved through the spiritual development of a person and the achievement of inner harmony. Some philosophers believe that it is impossible to achieve this freedom without going through the desire for the negative. Such a division does not in the least contradict the integrity of the concept. On the contrary, it helps expand our understanding of what freedom is.
The freedom of the individual is directly related to the freedom of creativity, since the second is a natural consequence and expression of the first. Therefore, many writers and artists, who at one time did not receive the opportunity to create their works due to censorship prohibitions, turned against the authorities. But it is worth distinguishing between freedom of expression and not confusing it with the freedom of manifestations of aggression. The ban on the latter is not a restriction of the individual. On the contrary, it was created to protect her freedom. Such prohibitions will exist until they pass into human consciousness as a natural necessity.
Currently, people are increasingly looking for freedom not from external factors, but within themselves. Modern man began to understand in a new way what freedom is. And he tries to achieve it through inner harmony, self-determination and expression in the areas available to him. Such a view is close to the concept of positive freedom, but it also contains echoes of the negative one. It was formed in connection with the weakening of social prohibitions. Therefore, now inner freedom comes to the fore - the achievement of the integrity of the individual and the possibility of its expression.
So, almost every generation forms a new view of what freedom is. And you can't say that any of them are wrong. After all, each person is free to give his own answer to this question and to give this word a meaning close to it. For someone, freedom is an opportunity to express their opinion, for someone it is the absence of a ban on creativity, for someone it is harmony with the outside world … But in any case, it plays an important role for each individual and society as a whole.
