Freedom is an important topic that has consequence for our everyday lives.
Last week in class we talked about Bakunin's notion of freedom. He said there were three tyrannies that limited a person's freedom: God, the State and Society. Freedom means that a person must rebel against these chains that limit their freedom.
What are your thoughts on this? Does God, the State and Society limit your freedom? How? Give us an example. How might rebellion take place? Or is there no good reason for a person to rebel? Maybe God, the State and Society are good and empowering? What do you think?
I want to see you reflect on your own life and experiences and connect our discussion of freedom with examples that show your engagement with the concepts. It would likely be beneficial go back to the class readings.
Personally I think that all three of those could effect your freedom. No matter what religion or God you choose to believe in, there are always a set of ideas to live your life by. If you decide to follow that religion you are sacrificing in my opinion the freedom to make choices without having to think back to what your specific belief says is right. Also in terms of society, even in today's society people have expressed what is normal to wear on your own body or what weight is acceptable. Society can take away freedom because I believe most people wish to be accepted by their peers, and so they cannot express themselves fully because fear of being shunned from their loved ones. Finally the state every day in modern times tells you what to do even in the smallest aspects of our lives. What is a appropriate speed limit, to what you can consume in your own body. Even though I am aware of all these aspects that take away freedom in my own life, it is hard for me to want to change or want to change them because I have always been taught to live this way. Rebeling seems a good idea in theory, but the outcome of thinking of something to do and pursuing it in my eyes seems unclear because this country is already so entrenched in the idea of always being told what to do I don't know how we as Americans would respond to having complete freedom.
ReplyDeleteI think the State, and Society does limit our freedom. The state expects you to do so much already. You have so many rules to follow. They tell you what to do and what not to do. So many things are limited and we barely have any control. Our Society has a pretty huge impact in our limits. Peers, employees, friends, etc. always force things on other individuals such as school, work, drugs, relationships etc. I don't think God limits our freedom. One of our freedoms are religion and to believe in God is a religion, a choice. Rebellion can take place anywhere, anytime. Rebelling happens all the time, with someone wanting to do what they think is right. Rebelling can be a good thing, but really it's all circumstantial. There is also a limit to how far you should go. With limitations, I do believe it is a good thing to stand up for what you believe in. Growing up, I have been taught to stand up for my beliefs. I was also taught don't take no for an answer and to do what I think is right, depending on my reasoning.
ReplyDelete(Alivia Snyder PSCI 100.05)
I believe that God, the state, and society all have a major impact on an individual’s freedom. God is one of the most influential aspects on how people believe or behave. Even if there was not a formal government, most people believe in a certain higher power or God that tells them how to pray, behave, believe, etc. That is why it is so important that the church and state stay separate. There are also ways people can rebel against certain Gods/Religion. For example, one might decide to be Atheist and not believe in God or Gods in general. Another form of rebellion is to believe in a religion that is not the “norm” of what your family and friends believe in, like celebrating the religion of Buddhism instead of Christianity. The state has power against the individual because it can force the individual to abide by certain rules, or they will be punished. This may include but not be limited to paying taxes and serving in court. Although these are rules issued by our state, I’m sure individuals would not take part in these activities unless being told to. Rebelling against the state may include protesting certain laws and/ or putting new laws in effect in order to better the government of the people. Lastly, society has a large influence on our freedom. Although it may not be as obvious as God and the state, what people do in everyday society influences our choices and our freedom. From how we dress to the music we listen to, society tells us what is “in” or “right”. Even by getting up and doing the same routine every day, we are abiding by society’s norm of becoming working class people. Possible ways of rebelling society may include something drastic as living off the land without connection to internet and electronics like the norms of society tell us to do. I truly think that rebellion is a good thing for our society. If people were to stick to standard routine and not protest any of our rules or leaders than there would be no change or progression in our world. Our ideas, thinking, even our technology would not be able to advance without having new ideals brought up. On the other hand, I do believe that rebellion should be limited. Rebellion should be peaceful and brought up for the better good of the individuals in which it is impacting. I think that rebellion tends to get confused with violence just as anarchism does as well, but rebellion and anarchy can be done in a matter that does not create physical violence but still impacts our society immensely.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie Tepper (PSCI 100:05)
I like how you said "God is one of the most influential aspects on how people believe or behave." That is well said!
Delete(Alivia Snyder PSCI 100:05)
I do believe that the State and Society limit our freedoms. The State directly limits our freedoms through laws. Although some of these laws may seem ridiculous, others are for our protection. If we had no rules or regulations, the United States would be so corrupt. People would murder others and get away with it. Without the State we would not have organization. Since we would have no court system, justice would really never be served. I believe rebelling against the State would cause more tragedy than help. I also believe that Society slightly limits freedom, but this limitation is indirect. We are influenced by the media and our peers everyday, but it is our decision how we live our lives. I do not believe that God limits our freedoms. Maybe I'm bias because I'm a Christian, but I made that choice myself. Everyone has a choice whether or not they want to accept and practice a certain religion.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Reid PSCI 100:05
Before our discussion in class last Thursday I would have commented that we are indeed free as individuals. Then Professor Stump made me question my beliefs in class. I have come to the conclusion that we our freedom is limited when it comes to State, society, and God. Our world has been built up with what I would consider guard rails and we are expected to stay within these walls or else we will suffer the consequences of it. I feel that God has the least amount to do with anything when it comes to limiting our freedom because there are so many religions. One of the big things is that not everyone will share the same religious beliefs or even be as religious as another person may be. I believe this is more preference rather than being forced because most people have the ability to choose what they want to believe in. When it comes to State, the rules and laws that are set in place are there for our safety and without these our world would come crumpling down around us. However, our freedom is very limited when it comes to the state. For example, Professor Stump said "we are not even allowed to leave the country without permission." The way the State is set up is that they want us believe that we are "free" so we do not ask question, but in fact we are all children running around at a daycare. Lastly, Society plays a huge impact in limited freedom. We live in a world where we have developed social norms and the individuals that go against this current are looked down upon or even shunned. We are expected to act a certain way and even look a certain way and the people who do not follow these norms are considered outcasts or even weird. When really just because an individual might do something a little different from another, it does not categorize them as weird. I would say that State and society play an equal role when it comes to limiting out freedom because of you break a law you are punished or sent to jail and if you do not follow social norms you a socially crucified. We lived in a messed up world.
ReplyDeleteKylie Rorls PSCI 100:05
Where you said "Before our discussion in class last Thursday I would have commented that we are indeed free as individuals," I honestly felt the same way. If we did not talk about it in class, like we did. I would of said we were free. But after the class discussion, I sat back and realized that we really aren't.
Delete(Alivia Snyder PSCI 100:05)
If we did not talk about it in class, like we did, I would....* (correction)
Delete-Alivia Snyder PSCI 100:05
Freedom can never come from an oppressed society. The U.S government has children starting at 5 reciting and pledging their allegiance to a country and government they know nothing about. Working in God or religion into country/state politics. How could you ever be free if you're not even free to choose what religion you are from the beginning? Then they make laws for us and our own bodies. We're not mentally or physically free. The fear of having our "freedom" more like limited access pass taken is all that keeps us in line. A society run on fear of an oppressive government. Society as a whole is oppression we are what makes up a country. Yet here we are trying to control everyone around us. When someone isint doing what societal norms are then they are outcast. Once again we're living in fear of those in charge and those around us. Those who fear cannot and never will be free. Rebellion can be a good wake up call for those in power,oppressors,judgmental people. It lets them realize that you have moral individual rights and you can protect those if you feel they're being impeded on.
ReplyDeleteThe state, god, and society are all constrains on our freedom. The state or government controls everything from forcing us to go to school to asking for permission to in the form of passports to cross the man made boundaries of countries’ borders. We are limit by the theology of religion to stick to a certain code of conduct and to a certain set of beliefs about the world and even about life itself. Lastly but most powerfully, society dictates almost every aspect of how we express ourselves. Society tells us what to find beautiful and what we should find odd. It dictates what we wear, who we hang out with and how we see others. These constraints shape us as people. They shape our world view and even how we view ourselves. This makes rebellion difficult. To truly rebel from these limitations we would have to rebel from everything we know and identify with. To do this we must open ourselves to other perspectives and views. We must reject the norms and beliefs that were set for us by our religion, society and government and determine what we truly believe. We must explore alternative beliefs until we determine what resonates with us. This seems very difficult to truly accomplish, however; we can accomplish rebellion in small ways. We can explore other religions or try a hairstyle that has long gone out of fashion. Thus, we do not have to rebel totally. If you find that you are comfortable in the norms of your culture then do not rebel. There are ways to find your freedom within these constraints. We are limited by the state, god, and society only in our minds. They dictate us only if we allow them to. We choose to believe in religion and we choose to conform to society. Therefore, we are only constricted by our own choosing. Thus, we only need to rebel if you allow these thing to constrain you.
ReplyDeleteClaire Affinito PSCI 100.05
Yes all three can limit your freedom, but I would say that if you are not aware of it or happy with it then it doesn't count in some ways. For example, Many aspects of society limit a persons individuality, but the majority of people aren't going to be aware of this. Instead, they will feel like they will feel like they belong and take comfort in sharing there thoughts and opinions with others. But of course nothing is perfect and there is always something in religion, state, and society that in some way holds you down. I think we need this lack of freedom to function together. maybe not to the extent it is now, but in some way we need it, especially in the society sense. Rebellion will come when oppression is a constant concern on the peoples mind. If they are blissfully unaware or feel the positives outweigh the negatives then there is no point to rebel.
ReplyDeleteEmma Frank PSCI 100.05
America is usually connected with the word freedom. People often refer to America as home of the free. But as shown in our last class with the readings and from the class discussion, my perspective on America being home of the "free" is not so clear anymore. We all have choices we make and what we do with those choices can alter our freedoms. I have grown up in church environments my entire life. I have chose to believe in God and continue to attend church with or without the guidance of someone telling me to go. I must say that this can be a control of a persons freedom. By being so called forced to go to church a person may feel that they have no control of what they choose until they are out on their own. With that being said God and society will be connected. If a person chose to stray away from that "known" faith and norm the society may outcast them. Then how would that be known as living in a free society? America likes to contradict itself with the concept of being free and not being free. We are all really guilty of this to an extent. But how do we really know what the government is doing to hold us back if we don't really know all the details? When Dr. Stump mentioned the idea of leaving the country, he brought up that you must have a passport to go anywhere, and that really made me think. Freedom is having the ability to go as one pleases, but with a passport you must show documentation to leave or enter a different country. That is a way of government controlling. I can totally understand why a person may want to rebel against the country or other people, but I don't feel that any other country would be better so to speak. They all have their certain aspects of limiting freedom factors and it will be like this for decades to come. With that, I feel that yes America and the government does control our freedoms but to rebel and go against them wouldn't do any good. The world we live in is all about how we make it.
ReplyDeleteAshlyn Ramsay PSCI 100:05
Within a non-theocratic society, religious limitations on personal freedom are largely non-compulsory. There may exist cultural, familial, and societal pressure to uphold religious belief and practice, but ultimately it is the individual’s choice to restrict their thoughts and behaviors. If they choose to do X and to avoid doing Y, it is not the religion which forces this limitation. This itself is a freedom afforded to those who live in societies which purport freedom of religion. ‘Freedom’ may be interpreted loosely here, as a literalist interpretation of the Old Testament, for instance, may not be practiced in the United States where capital punishment of homosexuals or the selling of daughters into slavery is illegal. Nonetheless, religious organizations with millions to contribute to political campaigns are able to influence legislation created and enforced by the state. They achieve varying degrees of success in restricting freedom for even the non-religious, such as access to abortion or the legality of same-sex marriage, and stem cell research.
ReplyDeleteSociety may be too broad a term to use in reference to restrictions on freedom. Members of society with greater access to wealth, education, and resources are certainly in a position to decide the fates of oppressed and marginalized groups of society. For instance, millionaire CEOs are able to commit great crimes against humanity such as exploiting the weakest and most vulnerable for profit. The state, which has a symbiotic relationship with the bourgeoisie will always support the interests of the CEO and allow this oppression either passively (sweeping the plights of the poor under the rug) or more aggressively through legislation (i.e. the minimum wage is only $8 an hour in West Virginia, although a 40 hour work week would only yield $15,360 a year before taxes, well below the federal poverty line). Restricting upward mobility is exclusively in the hands of the very rich and the state which benefit from the existence and exploitation of lower classes. Without access to basic physical, emotional, and social needs, an individual and community’s freedom is virtually none. However, your average Joe or Jane does not possess the economic or political power to inhibit your personal freedom.
Ultimately, the state is the greatest source of the suppression of freedom. The state has granted itself the ‘right’ to kill, imprison, and even torture those it deems unlawful or threatening to its agenda. In the United States, even one’s freedom to live may be abolished under certain circumstances. Police brutality in particular is emphasized in the current consciousness; it’s legal (as mandated by the state) for police to possess lethal weapons which they may use as they see fit, including taking the life of an unarmed civilian. Black men are statistically more likely to be killed by the police than any other ethnic group, including the white majority. Beyond oppression by police, economic, social, and political inequality leads to less and less freedom for people of color, particularly black men. This is one example of how the state reduces human freedom to nothing more than a consumerist brand preference (i.e. the ‘freedom’ to choose a Samsung television over a Sony television, but not the freedom use cannabis without risk of arrest and imprisonment). The state dictates what we may or may not do in every nearly every aspect of our lives, and may withhold certain rights and freedoms when it sees fit. Freedom no matter how trivial or how vital, is a luxury under the state.
Moriah Smith, PSCI 100.05
I do believe that all three of theses tyrannies aide int the limitations of ones freedom. However, in my opinon there is no valid reason for one to rebel against God, or whoever your religion has you worship because ultimately it's your choice to practice that religion so you obviously agree with thos beliefs or that wouldn't be the religion you chose to practice. Society can also take away, or put limitations on your freedom because, I think, no matter how much a person says they don't care what others think of them or how unpersuaded they claim to be by their peers at the end of the day everyone wants to be accepted by soiciety and feellike they fit in with their peers. The state sets major limitations on peoples freedom, and half the time we don't even realize it. As disscussed in class when we drive we go a certain speed limit or stay in our lane not becasue we want to, but because thats what the law requires us to do.
ReplyDeleteThough these three factors play a major role in limiting our freedom I feel as if there is no good reason for one to rebel. Us as a nation are so use to there being rules and regulations, so even if we were to rebel and not follow the set laws we as people would eventually set our own rules to abide by. For example, as disscussed in class, if there were no laws and someone were to commit a crime such a raping a child people would see that as wrong and in result someone would give them a consequence such as shooting them. This would lead to everyone thinking that since rape is wrong everytime somone commits this crime they will be shot and since that is what will take place everytime that would then be the rule, or law that people follow. So in the end, though there are things such as laws and rules we need to abide by, rather it be within our religion or within our state, that limit our freedoms us as a nation don't know anything other than a society with rules and it would be pointless to rebel because ultimately rules are all we know.
Briah Doleman, PSCI 100.05
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that God, State and Society limit people and take away many freedoms. For me it hasn't been necessarily God who takes away my freedom, or even State that much. Society for me seems to limit ones individuality and freedom because even society can be the main aggressor in pushing these rules of god and state and even more ridiculous things on top of that. I think even government rule can corrupt and totally brain wash societies into being their zombie mobs, and anything that is trying to challenge these norms will either be unacknowledged, shunned, or even punished in some way by society. For example I'll slip into some conversation with my dad about politics and he's like bla bla all I care about is taxes and some anti abortion views. And im like Oh well i hate all these politicians their all on their own greedy agenda I wish government would dissolve and we could just live more primitively, and that kind of statement to someone living almost mindlessly under the system would totally think thats weird and not even acknowledge that kind of statement, sometimes it can be just fun to say some off the wall un-norm ideas to those kind of people and see their response to it..
ReplyDeleteHolly Campbell PSCI 100.05
I think that God, the State, and Society could potentially affect any individual’s freedom. Throughout many different religions there are many different guidelines that should be followed. In some religions you cannot wear certain clothes. This is kind of like having certain laws that need to be followed. On the other hand, some people are not as religious as others and do not believe in any God. If that is the case they may not follow any religion so they may have more freedom about what they do involving God and religion. The state also impacts someone’s freedom because of many laws that are enforced. A good example of this is the speed limit being enforced. Another example is no stealing and no killing. People are not allowed to just do what they would like, they have to obey by some laws set by the state and government. Society also affects someone’s freedom. Many people in society want to be accepted by others. To be accepted people try and fit in by living by basic social norms. I think that having laws throughout the state are good for the most part. I think that it is good that there is a speed limit and consequences for certain actions. Sometimes I think that some of the laws are unneeded though and should not be as enforced as they are. Rebellion may take place involving freedom too. If someone tells an individual no to something they really want to do, that may make them want to do it more and make that person rebellious. Depending on the situation, rebellion could be good or bad. Overall, I do believe that these three things do affect people’s freedom.
ReplyDeleteI think that God, the State, and Society could potentially affect any individual’s freedom. Throughout many different religions there are many different guidelines that should be followed. In some religions you cannot wear certain clothes. This is kind of like having certain laws that need to be followed. On the other hand, some people are not as religious as others and do not believe in any God. If that is the case they may not follow any religion so they may have more freedom about what they do involving God and religion. The state also impacts someone’s freedom because of many laws that are enforced. A good example of this is the speed limit being enforced. Another example is no stealing and no killing. People are not allowed to just do what they would like, they have to obey by some laws set by the state and government. Society also affects someone’s freedom. Many people in society want to be accepted by others. To be accepted people try and fit in by living by basic social norms. I think that having laws throughout the state are good for the most part. I think that it is good that there is a speed limit and consequences for certain actions. Sometimes I think that some of the laws are unneeded though and should not be as enforced as they are. Rebellion may take place involving freedom too. If someone tells an individual no to something they really want to do, that may make them want to do it more and make that person rebellious. Depending on the situation, rebellion could be good or bad. Overall, I do believe that these three things do affect people’s freedom.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra Smith PSCI 100.05
God, State and society are in a lot of things we do everyday. All through K-12 we had to go to school, stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday. This involves all three God, State and society. We state that we are a nation under God, if someone chooses not to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance then society become concerned and immediately explains why it is important to participate, also going to school is the law. Although I do not agree with every decision that is made, I don't think that a rebellion is necessary. Voicing opinions and standing up for yourself is important but a full out rebellion I feel like is too much. And I do think that God, state and society are empowering and I don't think American would be as powerful as it is without these three things being present.
ReplyDeleteKali Osborne PSCI 100.05
I agree completely wit Bakunin's notation of freedom and that our freedom is limited because of God, the state and the society. They limit our freedom by not allowing us to wear what we want, because in some religions women have to wear clothing that cover their entire body, not allowing them to wear what they want, (if they wanted to wear something different). The state forces us to abide by all the rules they set, where to drive, how to drive, and the fact you have to get a license to drive in the first place. Society limits our freedom because if we do something out of what is considered the norm we get shunned, or considered an outcast from the rest of society. A rebellion would take place by people breaking the laws and the social norms and going off on their own or with a group. In my opinion though I don't think a rebellion would take place because people believe we are in fact completely free to do what we want and they are happy where they are.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, our freedom is majorly limited by society, particularly the capitalist aspects of society. As capitalists encourage and praise freedom to the public, they continually destroy our self-worth by creating systems of mass production. These methods of mass production not only limit our creativity and individuality, they force the working class to act as just a cog in a larger profit-making machine. Capitalists directly discourage unions, which help the working class cooperate with each other and act collectively, again, limiting and asserting control over our 'freedom.' Aside from society, I feel that religion also limits our freedom because it can sometimes hinder a person's ability to think for themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis trio (God, the State and Society) definitely limit our freedom just by existing. If freedom is defined by being completely without rules or limitations, then this is confining us. We may have the ability to choose which religion, where we live, what we do in our lives, but there will still be basic principles set forth in the bible and other religious scripts to dictate how we live, how we act. Society is the biggest cage, because no matter what we do, we are constantly told whether something is right or wrong; everything is opinionated. The idea of freedom from a state is very rare, as to be completely free from it, you would have to live somewhere completely remote and even then it would be impossible to erase any lingering ideas of government and rules from how you live. I think rebellion is a way for people to think that they have the freedom to choose these things, to feel free by taking their "freedom" into their own hands, when usually rebellions end poorly. I don't think there is such a thing as being truly free, not in our world today.
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree that God, State, and Society limit our freedoms. These are aspects of our daily lives that push and coerce us to do things whether we want to do so or not. God limits our freedom because people of a religion follow very intricately the guidelines set by their religion. They may see something they know is wrong and not make an effort to help or fix the situation because their "god" forbids them to do so. The state limits our freedom by creating and enforcing very strict and sometimes unnecessary rules. If you choose not to follow these rules then you are imprisoned and lose any source of "freedom" you once possessed. For example, say you own a house and it is completely paid for. Though it belongs to you, you cannot kill an intruder for trying to invade this home that YOU paid for? You are not able to rightfully protect your belongings and your family because a law says it is wrong? THAT is a prime example of limited Society limits your freedom because if society does not feel your actions are just or acceptable, then you are shunned or used as an example of what is bad. For instance, if you where a shirt advocating abortion, the people in today's society will give you dirty looks, argue and say vulgar things to you, and maybe even take some sort of offensive action. The point is, if somebody gets offended by your words or actions, they will ultimately limit your freedom. Especially if enough people feel the same way about a certain topic. I think with an absence of these three influences, we would be given a chance to see the true good in people. Given a chance to live our lives freely as we please would create a stable and cooperative environment for us to live in. I know that when I am told not to do something, I often find that option to be the most intriguing. We all know the consequences of breaking the law, but often its the feeling of satisfaction of doing what you were told you cant that drives us to do it. Not being able to technically speak how you feel, or wear what you want when you want, or go where you want to go is the cause of a lot of rebellion. Anarchism is not a way of chaos, but a way of living freely and happily. Though converting now from our "democracy" may not be the best decision.
ReplyDeleteChristina Marsh PSCI 100.05
I agree that God, State, and Society clearly limit our freedoms. Religion limits our freedoms on what it views as a sin or not. Like the way you speak per say, if you have a bad mouth and say words they are frowned upon you are considered sinning. This also applies to many things that aren't against the law but you are looked at going against your religion when you do so. State obviously limits your freedoms by telling you what is legal and what is illegal, and if you commit a crime you are punished/ sent to jail. Society limits your freedoms on what they view also as cool/uncool or good/bad by judging one another on what they do and how they do it.
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