Free

What does it mean to be free? Different things to different people, I guess. Some basic freedoms are essential to everyone, if they're to have anything resembling a life worth living, freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from ill health, freedom from the fear of sudden death, whether by way of natural or man-made disasters. Then there are 'political' freedoms, as it were, freedom of thought, freedom of speech, of conscience, of religion, or the lack of a religion, not vital to staying alive, but all contributory to enhancing the quality of life. But where does an individual stand, even if those basic and political freedoms are in place, if they're still not free to be themselves? If what you are and what you want are so completely anathematised by society, so that you have to spend your whole life hiding, pretending, denying, fearful that an unguarded word or a stray glance will betray you, what kind of freedom is that? 'Man is born free, but is everywhere in chains', Rousseau wrote, but what happens if the innate means that you are already in inescapable chains? Only being free to be what society will allow is no freedom at all. But there's no hope of reprieve, of parole. This captivity, of being who you are, is forever. Free to conform, or to die. Thanks a lot.

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B