What does freedom mean to me?
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Following up on the What is freedom? question I put forth the other day...
I said I would let you in on what freedom means to me - in other words, how is it that I define the word freedom itself, first...then, how is that I will answer the question, second, for myself.
But before I do, here's the dictionary definition of freedom...
free dom - the state of being free
Okay, so now we logically have to check out the definition of free first...
free - without obligation; unobstructed; unconstrained; obtainable without payment; without limitation; being absent; unbound; without blockage; unattached; unencumbered; to be released; not imprisoned
Wow...this is getting a little overwhelming, isn't it? You would think a simple question requires a simple answer, wouldn't you?
But it gets even more complicated as we dig deeper...
Remember, a dictionary, and maybe an encyclopedia, are only the first references we can consult. After all, these traditional sources are but compedia (abstract summaries) - or compilations - of the English-speaking world's collective overview of these words' most-commonly-understood meanings. But then, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?
Now that we have just some dictionary definitions of free let's get back to the other words used to define freedom - the state of being - before we begin to check out the encyclopedias for more, shall we?
After all, if a suitable definition has been found already - by others who've come before us...or who might be more learned than us - then I'm all over what's easiest!
Aren't you?
And I just want to provide myself the simple answer to a simple question - without just guessing, or worse - getting the answer all wrong...
...because I really don't have a desire to be that smart; nor do I necessarily believe I can be forthcoming with a definitive personal answer - despite sounding so positive in my earlier pronouncement!
Notwithstanding the fact that an acceptable definition of the single word freedom may not be sufficient to succinctly answer the original question...
...we'll keep digging...and continue with the definitions of state and being next.
[By the way, do you think you have the perfect answer already? Without all this gobbledy-gook?]
state - a condition...of being, of being in a stage, as of structure, growth, or development, of depression or agitation; of a physical system, of excitement or distress; a social position or rank; a supreme public power within a sovereign political entity; within the purview of a supreme civil power within a given polity; a body politic, especially one constituting a nation; the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation; the organization or group of people comprising that which is the government; the group owned or operated by a state (adjective); declare, or set forth in words (verb); ceremony or pomp; the politically organized body of people under a single government; the way it is relative to its principal attributes; the federal government; as of matter, like of a solid, liquid or gas; to express in words (verb); put before (verb); denote; refer; vote, or express a choice; a mental or emotional condition
Whew! Hang in here with me now...'cause it only gets better! To define being, first we need to define the word be...
be - an action word (or verb form) of the words is, am, are, was, were; the root word of being (present participle) or been (past perfect tense); used with the present participle of a verb to express a continuing action; used with the infinitive of a verb to express intention,obligation, or future action; used with the past participle of certain intransitive verbs of motion to form the perfect tense; used to identify the predicate of a sentence with the subject, or as a verb serving as a link between the subject and the predicate of a proposition; to exist in actuality, or to have life or reality; to symbolize or signify; to equal in meaning; to go (past perfect tense); to have or exhibit a quality or characteristic; have the quality of being; have an existence; happen, occur or take place; identical or equivalent to; form or compose; spend or use time; represent; have life; remain uninterrupted, unmolested or undisturbed; priced at; occupy a certain position or area; belong to or befall (archaic) <Where be my poor thinking right about now?>
And to soldier onward...
be ing - derived from the word be; quality of having existence; an object, idea, or symbol that exists; basic or essential nature; in philosophy - that which can be conceived as existing, or absolute existence in its perfect or unqualified condition, or the essence of existence; a person; a living thing which has the propensity, or already possesses, an ability to function or act independently; existing; existence
...let's not neglect the words the and of...'cause we might just miss somethin'...so here goes...
the - pronounced thuh before a consonant; and thee before a vowel; a definite article or an adverb; an article or absolute adjective used before a noun or nouns in a sentence, clause or phrase; used before an adjective extending it to signify a class and giving it the function of a noun; used before a present participle; used before a noun with the force of per; used before a singular noun indicating the noun is generic; used before a noun specifying a particular human endeavor; used before the plural form of a numeral denoting a specific decade or period in one's life; used before a present participle, signifying the action in the abstract; used before a proper name, as of a monument or ship; used before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of a compass; used before a noun, and generally stressed, emphasizing one of a group or type as the most outstanding or prominent; used before a title, a rank or office designating its holder; beyond any other; to that extent:by that much; and finally, from the Old English and the Middle English periods, an alteration of the word se, a masculine nominative singular demonstrative adjective
...some more of our comprehensive understanding of these damn words...with the definition of...(you guessed it!)
of - derived or coming from; caused by; at a distance from; from the total or group comprising; so as to be separated or relieved from; from the total or group comprising; composed or made from; associated with or adhering to; belonging or connected to; possessing:having; on the part of; containing or carrying; centering on:directed toward; specified as; produced by:issuing from; characterized or identified by; with reference to:about; in respect to; before:until; during or on a specified time; by; used to indicate an appositive <that idiot of a wordsmith>; on (archaic) <A plague of all cowards, I say> - Shakespeare
Now, you just might be fed up reading this balderdash by now, huh? Well, I've got some good news for you...
I'm fed up assembling all these tedious words!
So, do I have an answer for you...for what freedom means to me?
You're damn right I do!
Freedom is unthinkingness and unknowingness - not wanting for nuthin'...including the stupid words to define it!
And you can forget about going into the encyclopedia definitions too...because...
Freedom is whatever the hell I want it to mean! You got that?
Friday, January 26, 2007
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