Flash 6: A Land Without Borders?

One of the predominant themes that the young mind has to grapple with as it awakens from its innocent slumber of childhood into maturity is the dichotomy of freedom and restraint. As the young individual becomes acquainted with the constrains (often perceived as shackles) imposed on him first at home, then at school and so forth, a longing is kindled in the young man’s mind. A longing for freedom.

Along his journey, the young man encounters many more like him, all clamoring for freedom of some sort. Through careful observation and attentive listening, he perceives the world as a vast cauldron brimming with the swirling echoes of cries for freedom - freedom of expression, democracy, identity, religion and more. Countless books, songs and films have been created, and continue to be created all echoing the same sentiment: We want Freedom. Break from us the chains of restraint! If he is wise and discrete, the young man will search the depth of the matter to acquire understanding. However, if he is a fool, he will wander into a life of casting away laws and restraints in pursuit of freedom, ultimately leading to his demise. 

The purpose of today’s post is not to praise the merits of freedom, though I, like the rest of humanity yearn for and cherish freedom. Instead, my aim is to extol the virtue of just laws and judiciously applied restraint in enhancing freedom. Often concealed beneath the guise of freedom is our inclination to selfishly exercise license at the expense of the collective good of our society. Due to the inherent fallen nature of humanity, it is imperative that restraint be applied when dealing with the concept of freedom. It has been asserted that freedom without boundaries is not true freedom. This means that the full enjoyment of freedom is realized when accompanied by restraint. History is replete with tales of individuals and civilizations that crumbled due to careless abandon; casting away just laws and restraint and falling into ruination. Think about Sodom and Gomorrah in biblical accounts, Atlantis in Greek mythology and the Roman Empire. 

It is immaturity, selfishness and folly that causes us to think of restraint solely as a hindrance to enjoyment and expression, rather than as a safeguard of the same. Vida Dutton would eloquently say, ‘An element of abstention, of restraint, must enter into all finer joys.'' Speaking of freedom and restraint, Edmund Burke had this to say, ‘Freedom without virtue is not freedom but license to pursue whatever passions prevail in the intemperate mind; man’s right to freedom being in exact proportion to his willingness to put chains upon his own appetites; the less restraint from within, the more must be imposed from without.’ When our pursuit and exercise of freedom is not tempered by restraint then it becomes the greatest of all possible evils.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts.

Shilako Abutaka.