How does Individualism affect society?

Individualism is a concept that holds significant value in today’s society. It has a massive influence on the current political landscape, and is an idea that is widespread amongst the Western world. Seeing as it is such an important and influential concept, it is important to know how individualism actually affects society, for better or for worse.

Individualism affects society in many ways. Individualism puts a greater emphasis on the individual and decreases the power of the state. This gives the individual more freedom and rights, whilst at the same time making them responsible for their own way of life. It creates a society of competition, self-interest and free markets. This in turn decreases the value of collectivism and the state’s role in helping those in need.

Freedom

The biggest effect individualism has on a society is that it stresses the importance of freedom. Freedom is at the heart of the concept of individualism, and will have a great effect on how individualism affects society. Freedom in this context means the individual is liberated from any coercion or oppression from the state. This gives the individual more power, and the state less power. This carries with it both advantages and disadvantages in regards to how it affects society.

The biggest advantage of freedom is that the individual has more power and rights. Freedom brings with it freedom of speech, freedom to earn, freedom to learn, freedom of expression, freedom of choice, freedom of location, freedom of opportunity and much more. All these freedoms help the individual navigate through life and society in the way that most benefits them. Free societies almost always have a higher GDP per capita than restrained societies. This means freedom brings with it wealth and prosperity for individuals to enjoy. This is a massive advantage as societies that are wealthier often fare better long term.

The biggest disadvantage of freedom funally enough, is that it limits what the state can do. Although this can be seen as an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage under certain circumstances. It means that individuals who are perhaps less able to care for themselves are left behind by society. Sick, disabled and disadvantaged individuals may struggle in a free society if there is no state intervention to help them out. In a free society the state has less power to potentially do beneficial things for society through state run initiatives. Everything is less centralised which means it is up to the free market to decide the direction society goes, which in some cases may lead to a less desirable result than if the state had a clear vision of how society should be.

If you want to learn more about the value of freedom, click here

Positive Effects of Individualism

Individualism has many positive effects on society. As mentioned earlier, individualism puts an emphasis on the individual, instead of the wider collective. This brings with it many positives. First of all, it means the individual has more power, freedom and rights. The main argument is that when the individual has more power, they will make better choices for themselves, which in turn benefits society as a whole. In an individualistic society, the individual is responsible for how they go about living their life. It is this responsibility, and freedom from any state intervention that allows the individual to truly flourish if they make the right choices and put in the work. Individualism brings with it an incentive for the individual to work hard, make good choices and constantly improve. There is no other alternative, as the state is not there to pick you up when you fall. Because of this, individuals strive to do more, earn more and make a greater impact, as making a greater impact on society brings the individual more wealth. It emphasises the importance of commerce and innovation, which helps not only the individual but society as a whole.

It is because of these reasons that individualistic societies are often wealthy societies. Free markets, competition and private ownership all play a part in creating such a wealthy and robust economy. Societies with bigger economies almost always have better outcomes in terms of GDP per capita, education, healthcare, life expectancy and charity. This means we can directly correlate individualism to economic success and therefore a wealthy and prosperous society.

The benefits of individualism aren’t only economic however. Individualism also secures freedom of speech and freedom of expression. These are quintessential values of a free and fair democratic society. The primary function of freedom of speech is that it allows individuals to organise their thoughts, express their opinions without consequences from the state, and be used as a function for determining truth. It is a fundamental part of individualism and a value that has allowed Western countries to develop as much as they have and to truly flourish. Thus, individualism has many positive effects on society.

Negative Effects of Individualism

As with any idea or concept, individualism also carries with it some negative consequences as well. The most obvious is that it limits the power of the state and puts less emphasis on the collective as a whole. Although we mentioned these were positives earlier, depending on who you ask and the example you choose to use, they can also be viewed as negatives. It brings into question why we actually have a state in the first place. Is the role of the state to help its citizens? Is it merely just there to ensure the freedom of society, or should it put a greater emphasis on helping those in need and stepping in when need be? These are complex questions. In an individualistic society that emphasises freedom, the state is limited in what it can accomplish. As much as individuals and free markets can help benefit society, you can easily argue that the state is capable of doing just as much if not more in terms of innovation and boosting industry.

In an individualistic society that stresses competition and the free market, some citizens could struggle. The argument is that they should be more responsible and make better decisions, which holds a lot of merit. However, it excludes sick people, disabled people and the elderly. Many critics of individualism are quick to point out that sometimes the free market brings with it dire wealth inequality, and corruption of large entities. An individualistic society is not immune from these things, which becomes a problem when the state doesn’t have the power to intervene. There is a genuine and plausible argument that the state should step in to give financial aid to those at the bottom echelons of society, and have the power to regulate industries and corporations that are becoming too tyrannical and predatory in their own right. The balance has to be right, however, as too much state intervention strips away the fundamental rights and freedom of the individual faster than you think. It is a fine line, but definitely a more negative aspect of individualism.

Since individualism puts an emphasis on the individual, it pays little attention to the collective as a whole. You can easily argue that this is a negative as well. Although individualism is great for individual liberty and expression, collectivism is also a powerful concept that can sometimes arguably be more significant than individualism. A prime example is during times of war. Individualistic societies are usually more pacifist and isolationist. This means they are less likely to get involved in global conflicts. This can easily be viewed as a positive, but what if war is inevitable? Or the threat of a certain conflict is so great that it requires the nation to join the war? This is where collectivism comes in handy. A collectivist society will often have a stronger sense of identity, and a common purpose or goal. This is helpful during wartime, as it means they often view the bigger picture, can identify when and why they need to get involved, and usually have a better and more cohesive military, with morale boosted by those at home cheering them on and counting on them. You can see that collectivism sometimes does indeed fare better during specific instances than individualism, however, this is a highly hypothetical example. It is important though to remember that individualism does indeed have its drawbacks, and it helps to know what those drawbacks are. Thus, individualism also has some negative effects on society

Summary

The biggest effect individualism has on society is that it emphasises the value of freedom. Freedom can be very beneficial to society, giving more power and rights to the individual with less oppression or coercion from the state. It also has its drawbacks too, making the individual entirely responsible for their own successes and failures.

Individualism has many positive effects on society. An individualistic society is one that puts value on the free market, competition and private ownership. This in turn often boosts the economy, which leads to more wealth and prosperity for all citizens. It also gives the individual quintassential values such as freedom of speech, which have helped Western civilisation progress as far as it has over the past couple of centuries.

Individualism also has negative effects on society as well. Giving the state less power may backfire in times of economic pessimism and may be dire for those who require a helping hand. Individualism also puts less emphasis on the collective as a whole. Collectivism sometimes trumps individualism on certain occasions, which is important for proponents of individualism to take into account.

Overall, my personal view is that individualism is indeed one of the best values a society could base its system around. Although it has its drawbacks, the pros far outweigh the cons. History shows us that individualism always prevails in the end, and that Individualistic societies are almost always better off. Hence, individualism has a major positive effect on society.

What is the concept of Individualism?

Individualism carries significant importance within society and has been an essential idea used in politics for many centuries. It is a popular and widespread concept, but one that is regularly misunderstood. The true meaning of individualism varies, depending on who you ask. In this post I will make sure you the reader are clear on what the concept of individualism is and what it truly means.

The concept of individualism is that the individual is the centrepiece of society. It emphasises the intrinsic worth of the individual over the wider collective. Individualism produces a free society where the individual has more power and rights.

The 6 Principles of Individualism

There are 6 main principles regarding the concept of individualism. They are listed as follows:

Economic Freedom
Private Ownership
Self-interest
Self-reliance
Competition
Individual rights and freedoms

Economic freedom refers to the idea that the individual is free to earn a living in whichever way they choose. They can choose what field they want to work in, the type of role they wish or even whether or not they want to set up their own enterprise. This is crucial as the individual has full control over this. The state cannot intervene.

Private ownership is an important economic element of individualism. It means that assets are privately owned by individuals, rather than the state. This gives more economic power to the individual and is based on the idea that the individual has a better idea of how to utilise assets rather than the state.

Self-interest refers to the idea that the individual is essentially free to live their life in a manner which best benefits themselves. The individual will almost always have a better idea on how to live their own life than the state.

Self-reliance can practically be summed up as personal responsibility. In an individualistic society, the state doesn’t intervene as often. This means the individual is responsible for taking control of their own lives and securing a living for themselves.

Competition is how individuals compete against one another in the marketplace. A competitive economy is one that spawns innovation and benefits the consumer overtime. It is an essential idea of individualism and one that has immense benefit for society.

Individual rights and freedoms are crucial to making sure the state doesn’t have any authoritative power over the Individual. It ensures the individual is liberated from any discrimination or coercion from the state.

These 6 main principles are all crucial to the concept of individualism.

Freedom

A value at the core of the concept of individualism is freedom. It is the idea that citizens of a democracy are free from any oppression or coercion from the state. Freedom is important as it gives more power and opportunities to the individual, whilst disallowing the state to interfere with their lives. If implemented correctly, freedom always leads to a happier and more prosperous society in the long run.

Freedom is crucial in ensuring all the values of individualism are met. It gives more power and rights to the individual, and prevents the state from getting involved in individual affairs. This is essential to the concept of individualism, as advocates of individualism always put freedom and benefits of freedom at the top of the list for arguing why individualism is such a beneficial concept. Freedom allows for private ownership and a free market which spawns competition. These three things help boost the economy, the productivity of the population and therefore the wealth and standard of living of each individual.

Freedom allows the individual to explore their own self interests, and take responsibility for how they go about life and their living situation. It helps eliminate corruption from the state, as the state under a free and individualistic society is less involved. It secures essential rights which are all at the heart of individualism, such as: Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom to earn, freedom to learn, freedom of choice, freedom of location and freedom of opportunity. Hence why freedom is quintessential to the concept of individualism. If you want to go more in depth on the topic of freedom, click here.

Personal Responsibility

Another value that is paramount to the concept of individualism is personal responsibility. Personal responsibility means that the individual is responsible for the choices they make, how they want to live their lives and their quality of life. As mentioned earlier, individualism puts a heavy emphasis on freedom, putting less reliance on the state. While this has many benefits, less reliance on the state means the individual has more responsibility and has to take more ownership and accountability of their own lives.

Personal responsibility means the individual is responsible for how they decide to live their lives. The choices they make, the career or job they choose, how they wish to spend their capital, where they live, who they choose as a partner, whether they have a family or not and how they spend their free time. The individual has to weigh up the pros and cons of every decision they make, and be wary of any opportunity costs they could incur. If the individual grows to great heights and lives what is deemed to be a successful life, then they have reaped the fruits of their own labour and deserve everything they have. If life goes south, then they have to take ownership of their choices, as frustrating as it may be. The advantage of individualism and personal responsibility though, is that even if you do fall you can start making the right choices, get back up and rise to great heights.

Personal responsibility is a very useful value to have at the heart of society. This is because a society that preaches personal responsibility is one that is made up of individuals who are accountable and make good choices. The more good choices individuals make as a whole, the better off society will be. These choices will look different for each individual, as everyone has their own strengths, weaknesses and life story. The individual will always have a better idea of how to make choices that benefit their own lives more than the state. This is why personal responsibility is a value at the heart of the concept of individualism.

Summary

The 6 principles of individualism are:

Economic freedom
Private ownership
Self-interest
Self-reliance
Competition
Individual rights and freedoms

All 6 principles play a crucial role in the concept of individualism. They all carry massive advantages for the individual, the economy and society as a whole.

Freedom is one of the core concepts of individualism. Freedom is paramount to ensuring the individual has more power and rights. It ensures the state does not interfere in personal matters and liberates the individual from any state imposed oppression and coercion. Freedom is a value that benefits society immensely, and is one of the main reasons why the concept of individualism is so attractive.

The concept of individualism brings with it the value of personal responsibility. Personal responsibility means the individual is accountable for the choices they make and must take ownership of any situation. Personal responsibility makes the individual more competent and successful over time, leading to a better and more prosperous society.

What are the advantages of freedom?

Freedom is one of the most widely used terms used in politics. It is a value that has held deep importance within society for centuries. Seeing as it is such a common idea, it is important to know the advantages of freedom.

The advantages of freedom are that it liberates the individual from any state imposed oppression. It gives people more power, choices and rights. This in turn increases productivity and therefore the economy. Allowing society to become more prosperous, educated, healthy and happy.

Personal Advantages

There are a multitude of advantages freedom offers the individual on a personal level. The most obvious one is freedom of expression. Freedom of expression essentially means that the individual is free to express themselves however they wish without any fear of the state intervening. Freedom of expression is a massive advantage for the individual in regards to living in a free society. It gives the individual freedom of speech and a value of significant importance, when it comes to an inclusive advanced society. It gives the individual freedom of choice, which is crucial to ensuring the individual is not forced into anything by the state. Freedom of expression also gives the individual the right to peaceful protest, which plays an essential role in maintaining a free and fair democracy.

Additional personal advantages of freedom also include the freedom to earn. The individual is free to work (or not work) in any field and job they desire. They have freedom of location, meaning they are free to live wherever they want as long as they can afford to do so. Overall, the individual is free to live life on their own terms. This is a massive advantage on the personal level, as the individual will always have a better idea of how to live their own life. Freedom gives the individual the power to make their own decisions without the state intervening. This is important for the well being of the individual, as they are more informed than the state on what decisions will add the most benefit to their lives.

Freedom brings with it a plethora of personal advantages. It gives the individual more power and control over their own lives, which in turn benefits them immensely. Freedom is crucial to ensure the individual feels valued and can make the best decisions for their own lives.

Societal Advantages

Not only does freedom bring with it a vast array of personal advantages, it also benefits society as a whole. Think about it in this way. Society is made up of communities, and communities are made up of individuals. Therefore, the most crucial element in maintaining a prosperous society is to have flourishing communities. The best way to have flourishing communities is to have individuals who are productive and feel valued.

As we mentioned earlier, freedom gives the individual the power and rights to live life as they please. This ensures they feel valued and boosts the productivity of that individual. This in turn benefits the wider community, as a community of productive and valued individuals is one that will enjoy prosperity, relationships, progress and harmony. This is also a reaffirming cycle, as when the individual is productive, the community flourishes which in turn makes the individual feel more valued and therefore contribute more to that community. A society that enjoys healthy communities like this will become prosperous, as sure as two plus two equals four.

This is another reaffirming cycle, as when society prospers, its communities will prosper as well. This is why freedom is so important. It benefits all three pillars of a prosperous society. The individual, the community, and society itself. Freedom has a positive ripple effect felt at all levels. This is why freedom is a quintessential value of a prosperous society and a free and fair democracy. Without it, society is doomed to fail.

Economic Advantages

Freedom also carries with it an abundance of economic advantages. The first being productivity. In simple terms, productivity essentially measures the rate of input per unit of output. The more productive a society is, the stronger the economy and therefore the wealth and prosperity of the individual. Freedom is the number one factor in economic productivity, as a free market will consistently become more productive over time. This is because free markets create competition within and between industries, incentivises innovation and stresses the importance of only delivering the best possible products and services. All three examples help boost the productivity of a given economy. This not only benefits the economy and society as a whole, but also the individual. Productive economies are paramount to a prosperous society. Freedom is the best way to ensure the economy is productive and works in the best interest of the individual.

Another economic advantage of freedom is that it gives the consumer more options. As discussed earlier, freedom gives the individual the power to make their own decisions. This ties in perfectly to a free market. Free markets produce heaps of competition, this means there are more than one option of a specific product or service for the consumer. Not only does this give the consumer more choice, competition also drives the prices of goods and services lower over time. This creates a more prosperous society overall.

Because a free market benefits the overall economy, it in turn increases the GDP per capita of each individual within that society. A wealthier society will be better educated, more prosperous, have higher life expectancy, lower mortality rates, better healthcare and more individual ownership. It can not be stressed enough how important freedom is to ensure a prosperous economy and society.

Summary

Freedom brings with it a multitude of personal advantages. These include freedom of expression, free speech, free choice, freedom to peaceful protest, freedom to earn and freedom of location. All of these advantages give more power and rights to the individual and to ensure the individual feels valued.

Freedom inherently has many societal advantages. Societies are made up of communities, and communities are made up of individuals. When the individual is free to live life on their own terms and feels valued, their community will flourish. This in turn helps society prosper as a whole. Freedom is essential to ensuring society is as prosperous as it can be.

There are many economic advantages of freedom. The first being that it increases the productivity of a given economy. When productivity increases it benefits the economy and therefore society as a whole. Competition leads to higher quality goods and services and forces prices to drop, directly benefiting the consumer. A free market creates more wealth for society, and therefore more wealth for the individual. Freedom is paramount to the success of a given society.

Why is freedom to express yourself important?

Freedom to express yourself has been one of the main pillars of Western civilization for centuries. It is a term that is used constantly in political dialogue all around the globe. Seeing that it is such a common term, and such an important value, I decided to write this post so you know exactly why freedom to express yourself is important.

Freedom to express yourself is important in ensuring your rights as an individual are protected from any intervention by the state. It means you have freedom of speech, freedom to protest, freedom of expression and are free from any state imposed oppression. This allows the individual and society as a whole to flourish.

Freedom of Speech

Freedom to express yourself naturally includes freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the freedom that decrees the individual is inherently free to articulate their ideas and speak without any fear of censorship or intervention from the state. This is a crucial aspect of freedom of expression and the main reason for why freedom to express yourself is so important.

Freedom of speech is more than just another freedom. It is the fundamental mechanism humans have to organise their thoughts, articulate themselves and have their pre-existing ideas and notions challenged. It is right at the heart of expressing yourself, as without free speech, freedom of expression is non-existent. Freedom of speech is the fundamental right that has allowed humanity to progress as far as it has. It is the value that has been at the centre of Western civilization, and the main building block that has allowed the West to be so prosperous, throughout the last couple of centuries.

Freedom of speech is how new ideas come into fruition. It is how harmful ideas eventually become extinct. Freedom of speech ensures all ideas are challenged, and ensures that overtime only the most beneficial ideas become dominant. Freedom of speech is the only tool oppressed people have to spark change and challenge their oppressors. It is how society has progressed both socially and economically. It is the reason discrimination is becoming less common and why people are becoming more socially tolerant. It paves the way for diversity in all forms: Thought, ideas and people. It is for these reasons why freedom to express yourself is so important. If one does not have the freedom to express oneself, then they will never grow. They will continue to be oppressed and will have no viable option to make their lives better. Freedom of speech makes the lives of every citizen better off, which in turn makes society as a whole continually expand and become more prosperous.

Individualism in Regards to Freedom of Expression

At the heart of freedom of expression is individualism. An Individualistic society is one that focuses on the priorities of the individual rather than the wider collective. A society that focuses more on individualism is almost always going to give the individual more freedoms and rights. This is important, as freedom of expression and individualism go hand in hand.

Individualism inherently upholds the right of the individual to freedom and self realisation. This is crucial, as humans are biologically predisposed to be free and explore their own identities. Individualism ensures the importance of the individual is put before anything else. This is why freedom to express yourself is so important, without this freedom the individual is worthless. Without freedom of expression you are merely just a puppet of the state, which is not only detrimental to the individual’s well being, but the well being of society as a whole. When the individual feels heard, respected and is free to live life on their own terms, then that will manifest itself in society as a whole. A population of individuals who are free to express themselves as they wish is a population that is valued, happy, healthy and prosperous.

There are direct correlations with the amount of freedom the society gives the individual and the overall success of that society. Societies that value freedom of expression and individualism always are better off economically, better educated, healthier, happier and more prosperous. If you want to learn more about the value of freedom, click here.

Freedom of Expression in Regards to Diversity

Diversity has been a common buzzword thrown around in society and today’s political landscape. The best and most effective way to achieve true diversity is through the freedom to express yourself. This is because when we as individuals are free to express ourselves, we inherently also become free to explore ourselves and the wider world. This in turn creates an environment where each individual is unique in a plethora of ways. To link this back to individualism, what this means is not only is everyone unique, they are also all valued as individuals with no one being put on pedestal or anyone being held down. This is true diversity. Only freedom to express oneself can achieve this.

Freedom of expression also increases societies social tolerance over time. It is how African Americans have been able to break out of slavery, then secure their fundamental rights as citizens of the USA through the Black Civil Rights Movement. It is how society has become more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community over time, and allowed these people to truly express themselves to the world with no fear of discrimination. It is how women have secured the right to vote, torn down outdated societal norms and established themselves as just as deserving of every opportunity as a man. Without freedom of expression, none of this would have been possible. It is the only way true and long lasting diversity is achieved. True diversity is essential to maintaining a prosperous and progressive society that is always improving and striving to do greater things.

Summary

The main factor of freedom of expression is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the most crucial aspect of allowing an individual to express themselves fully without any fear of the state intervening. Freedom of speech is what has allowed society to progress as far as it has over the last couple of centuries. It is the only tool the oppressed have to challenge the status quo and create real change.

Freedom of expression is inherently tied to individualism. This is important as in an individualistic society the individual is always deemed more important than the wider collective. This in turn gives the individual the freedom and power to express themselves as they wish. This is of the utmost importance as it means the individuals can become the protagonist of their own lives which in turn makes society more prosperous in the long run.

Freedom of expression is the only way to achieve true and long lasting diversity. When individuals are free to express themselves and are all equal before the law, that is true diversity. Diversity is a crucial aspect that allows society to use the thoughts, ideas and expertise of everyone to make society more prosperous and progressive.

What is the value of freedom?

Freedom has been one of the most wide spread, popular and talked about political topics for centuries. It has been and will always be a prominent component of political discussion. Seeing as it is such a popular idea, it got me thinking: What is the value of freedom?

The value of freedom is that it gives more power to the individual. The individual is liberated from any form of coercion or oppression from the government. The individual is therefore free to live their life on their own terms and as they wish. This leads to a more prosperous society in the long run.

Freedom in Regards to Human Progress

Freedom is the most important ingredient in regards to creating a wealthy, prosperous, healthy, educated, philanthropic and diverse society. Freedom gives more power and personal liberty to the individual, allowing for the individual to live life on their own terms. Freedom creates the perfect environment for individuals to grow and improve. This in turn benefits society as a whole, as the majority of the population is constantly and consistently becoming more productive, knowledgeable and self-sufficient.

The reason the individual takes to freedom so well is because the idea in itself is deeply embedded in human nature. Human development inherently requires the expansion of human choices, which is why the concept of freedom is paramount to human progress. There is a direct correlation between freedom and the prosperity of society as a whole. It helps lower mortality rates, increases life expectancy and increases literacy rates (all over time). Economically speaking, freedom increases productivity and reduces problems such as unjust economic distribution and increases the income per capita. All these factors help to further human progress.

Overtime, as a society becomes more free, we can expect to see higher rates of human prosperity. The graph displayed below is from the 2022 Index of Economic Freedom. It measures the overall GDP per capita of a country in regards to its level of freedom (measured by The Index of Economic Freedom).

This graph clearly shows how freedom and human prosperity are significantly correlated. The more free the society is, the more prosperous it will be. It shows how freedom adds immense value to a society as it is responsible for majorly increasing the GDP per capita.

The Bar graph above gives another visual representation on the value of freedom. Societies that are deemed more free can expect to see a vastly higher GDP per capita than societies that restrict freedoms.

Freedom and Democracy

Freedom and democracy are directly tied together. You can’t have true freedom without democracy, and you can’t have true democracy without freedom. A free, fair democracy is paramount to human prosperity. One of the main values of freedom is that it brings with it the fruits of a free and fair democratic society.

Democracy is an important political structure as it ensures the individual has the freedom to be heard and the ability to contribute to their society. Democracy directly reflects the values, beliefs and ideologies of the people of which it serves. A free society is one where there is a diversity of viewpoints, beliefs, values and ideologies. These all contribute to that society’s democracy and ensure all peoples voices are heard. The individual is free to choose which ideologies resonate with them the most, and then use that information to vote for who they think is the best representative for them.

The most important link between democracy and freedom is that there must be a system that is used to maintain freedom and personal liberty within a society. That system is democracy. Freedom has to be absolute, and therefore has to be protected at all cost. Democracy does the best job at this. A system by the people and for the people. Democracy inherently reduces the risk of tyranny and extreme authoritarianism within a society. This in turn protects freedom and personal liberty.

Freedom and Personal Responsibility

An amazing value freedom produces is the importance of personal responsibility. Freedom liberates the individual from the shackles of the government and gives more power to the individual. With less reliance on the state, however, it means that the individual is in charge of their own livelihoods. This is where personal responsibility comes in. Freedom means that the individual is responsible for the choices they make throughout their lives. They are responsible for their own success, and likewise, responsible for their own failures. Personal responsibility can seem like a scary idea to some, but it is an attribute that contributes significantly to human progress, prosperity and social/economic expansion. It forces the individual to grow, be held accountable and make the best choices they possibly can to ensure they are financially secure and live a good life.

This is the paradox of freedom and why it is such a good long term strategy, at ensuring human progress. A free society gives you freedom of choice, but you also must be aware of the consequences of those decisions. This is why freedom comes with great responsibility. It is this responsibility which really benefits society as a whole. The more responsible and conscientious the individuals of a society are, the more well off that society will be.

Summary

The value of freedom is that it gives more power to the individual. The individual is liberated from any forms of coercion or oppression from the government. The individual is therefore free to live their life on their own terms and as they wish. This leads to a more prosperous society in the long run.

Freedom is the main factor in regards to human progress. There is a direct correlation between personal freedom and human prosperity. The more free a society is, the more productive its economy will be and the better educated the people will be. This leads to more prosperity, better health outcomes, better life expectancy and a better standard of living.

Freedom and democracy go hand in hand. Freedom brings with it the benefit of a free and fair democratic society. Democracy allows for freedom of its people to be protected from any tyranny. This is a crucial component in ensuring freedom is absolute and the individual is protected from any forms of corruption.

Freedom brings with it the value of personal responsibility. In a free society, the individual bears more responsibility as they are held accountable and have to pay attention to the outcomes of potential decisions. Personal responsibility is an important trait in bettering the individual and adding value to society as a whole.

What is freedom and why is it important?

Scrolling through twitter throughout the past day, I can’t help but notice the amount of political tweets out there regarding freedom. It got me thinking: What is freedom? And why is it important? I know I’m not the only one who wants to know this. Below I will share my findings in an easy and readable format.

Freedom is the idea that citizens of a democracy are free from any oppression or coercion from the state. Freedom is important as it gives more power and opportunities to the individual, whilst disallowing the state to interfere with their lives. If implemented correctly, freedom always leads to a happier and more prosperous society in the long run.

Why is freedom so popular?

Freedom is an extremely popular political idea, and has been for centuries. The main reason it is so popular is because it gives you the individual more rights and opportunities. It gives you choices and gives you the power to shape your own destiny. It gives you independence, and does not make you dependent on the state.

Freedom is so popular because it is deeply rooted in human biology and evolution. When it comes to living one’s life, not one size fits all. Everyone has their own thoughts, opinions, values, beliefs and ways of being which all shape who they are as people. Freedom allows for people to explore these sides of themselves and become the best versions of themselves that they can be. This in turn makes society itself better, as each individual is harmoniously improving in their own ways. This would not be possible if freedom as a political idea didn’t exist, which would go against one of the most fundamental traits of being human.

It is for these reasons why freedom is such a popular and adopted political idea. The alternatives to freedom are less popular as it suppresses the desires of the individual. The individual almost always has a better idea of how to run their own lives than the state.

The Three pillars of freedom

There are 3 main pillars which are fundamental to bringing the political idea of freedom into tuition. These are freedom of speech, freedom of opportunity and freedom of choice. Each will be broken down below.

Freedom of speech

Freedom of speech is arguably the most fundamental element of a free and democratic society. It is a term that has been used increasingly frequently in political discourse throughout history. Essentially freedom of speech decrees that the individual allows the individual to articulate ideas and speak without fear of any censorship by the state. Apart from incitement to violence, it means individuals can say whatever they want with no consequences imposed by the government. This is an important element of freedom as it sparks discourse and debate which in turn leads to better ideas, people and a more prosperous society. As soon as speech starts being censored, individuals are no longer free to speak what they believe in, which leads to the gradual decline of freedom within a society.

Freedom of opportunity

Freedom of opportunity means that all individuals have the same opportunities, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexuality, religion and more. This is an important one as a truly free society allows for all citizens opportunities to better themselves. If the state prevents a certain group from fully participating in society, or gives special privileges to other groups, then it is not truly a free society. All individuals should have the same rights and opportunities regardless of their differences. They should be free to express themselves without fear of the state punishing them. Every citizen should have the same opportunity to succeed despite class and social status. A free society is one where equality of opportunity is practised.

Freedom of choice

Freedom of choice relates directly to freedom of opportunity. It essentially means that when faced with two options, the individual has the freedom to choose either one without any constraint from the state.

Freedom of choice is important as it gives the individual control over their own lives. They aren’t tied down to one way of doing things. They can choose what is best for them without being forced to do anything by the state. The individual always knows what is best for them, so this is a crucial pillar of maintaining a free society.

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash

The top 5 benefits of freedom

The top 5 benefits of freedom are:

More diversity
More prosperity
More emphasis on the individual
Less centralisation
Less corruption

Essentially, freedom gives more power to you, the individual. It means there is less centralisation, which helps prevent any corruption. In the long term, this leads to a more prosperous society with more diversity.

There is a direct correlation with the success of a given society in regards to the amount of freedom its citizens have. The more free a society is, the more productive its economy is. This in turn leads to higher standards of living, higher amounts of happiness, less mental illness, better healthcare, better life expectancy and better education just to name a few. This shows how freedom benefits a society and why it is so important.

Summary

Freedom is the political theory that citizens are free from any oppression and coercion from the state. It puts more emphasis on you, the individual, rather than a powerful centralised entity. It is a popular idea because not only does it offer huge benefits to society such as individualism, diversity, economic prosperity and happiness. It is also deeply rooted in human nature, so it comes naturally to us.

The three pillars of freedom are freedom of speech, freedom of opportunity and freedom of choice. All 3 pillars give more power to the individual. If any one of these pillars are non-existent within a society, it is very likely that society is not a free one.

The top 5 benefits of freedom are more diversity, more prosperity, more emphasis on the individual, less centralisation and Less corruption. All 5 benefits lead to a more happy, healthy and prosperous society.

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Stop With the Pressure on Young People

Growing up is something everyone has to do, and one of the most difficult things for a human being. Probably the most difficult challenge when growing up is not to do with growing up itself, but more to do with society’s expectations of young people. In this post I am going to write about how society’s standards and expectations are essentially pressuring young people into a life full of regret of mental health issues and unhappiness. I am only 19 years old myself, so I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on this issue.

First things first, growing up and leaving school is a very challenging and confusing time for a young person. You are quite often naive, and take the opinions and expectations of others way too seriously. This is not good when mixed with the fact society itself puts immense pressure on young people to abide by a set of rules and expectations laid out by previous generations. Young people just finishing school are being told by society that they need to have their entire lives sorted out, their career planned and a romantic partner to marry. This is way too early to have any of this planned, in fact I would argue most 30 and 40 year olds don’t even have a lot of this ‘figured out’, hence why midlife crises are a thing. I also know a small handful of young people do indeed have it, quote on quote, ‘figured out’ and credit to them. The vast majority don’t however, and likely never will. We all have had our own life experiences and upbringings. We all think our own thoughts and have our own values and beliefs. One size does not fit all when it comes to how someone should live their lives. It’s disgusting how society indoctrinates young people into this way of thinking. No wonder mental health and suicide rates are up amongst the younger generations. They are being sold rules which are unattainable.

The classic example is young people fresh out of high school being persuaded to choose a career path and go to university/college straight away. As a young person, your interests are changing constantly. You are consistently discovering new things that light a fire inside you. It is ludicrous to think you have to decide on one thing to do for the rest of your life right out of the gate. You are potentially missing out on new discoveries and experiences which would shape you so much more as a person. Society tricks young people into believing university is the be all and end all, which it is not. University is a powerful tool if you do indeed know what it is you would like to do, and have a blueprint for achieving that. For most people though I would just say block out the noise and other people’s opinions, try new things and if you do decide university is part of your pathway, go ahead and smash it out! I myself haven’t gone to university yet, I’ve been working full time getting real world experience while I try new things and see what it is in this world, I really love doing. What I’m really trying to get at here is that there is no be all and end all, or one blueprint that everyone must follow. We are all unique in some way shape or form so it’s important we tap into that and live our lives how we want to live them.

The most heartbreaking thing about society putting so much unnecessary pressure on young people has been the toll on people’s mental health. As mentioned above, most of the ‘rules’ society forces on young people are unrealistic, but society tricks young people into thinking these things must be obtained under a certain timeframe. This is the ultimate concoction for a widespread wave of depression, anxiety, stress and unhappiness. It is soul destroying to see so many young people feeling inadequate and ashamed of themselves just because they have taken society’s standards to heart and measure their self worth because of that. As I have stated many times above, most of these things are unrealistic, and they create unnecessary pressure that is truly crippling our young people. People need to know that they are perfect just as they are. Their self worth isn’t measured by society, other people’s opinions or trivial things such as having a degree.

Another problem society norms have caused is the fact so many people compare themselves to others. Comparison is the thief of joy. There is absolutely no reason for you to compare yourself to someone else. You don’t know what that person’s past has entailed, or how they are truly feeling. The only person you should compare yourself to is who you were yesterday. That is how true self improvement is made, not by trying to compare yourself to others. All this constant keeping up with the Jones is terrible for someone’s mental health, and robs them of living their own life.
It is important to note I am not saying that young people should let go of all responsibility and make no effort to improve themselves. What I am saying is that young people need to be mindful of other people’s opinions and society’s expectations. It is literally just noise, and if you can block out the noise and focus on yourself, you will be so much happier, fulfilled and successful. I vehemently disagree with society’s rules and standards, and hope one day people don’t judge others for how they choose to live their lives. I truly believe if we collectively go about abolishing these outdated rules and standards society will be a much better place. People will be happier and live life on their own terms, which is all that matters at the end of the day.

Why We Should All Be Interested in Politics

I have been on a very interesting journey throughout the past year. My outlook on politics, economics and social issues definitely reflect that. I have gone from being extremely enthusiastic about these topics, to paying absolutely no attention to them, back to showing interest again. In this post I will explain why that was, what I’ve learnt from it and try to answer if it is actually worth it, following politics and current affairs.

I personally started following politics when I was 16 years old. It was something that really sparked a fire inside me. I loved learning about different political ideologies, the economy, social issues and much more. I would watch youtube videos, read articles, and listen to debates. All things that would make my brain race a hundred miles an hour for quite some time after. After a while it became all-consuming. I literally could not stop thinking about certain issues and things I had seen or read. My brain had no peace, it was working twenty-four seven with no time for rest. Fast-forward about a year and a half later, I had decided it was time to change my tune.

Come the start of 2021, I was met with a cross-roads. 2020 had been the absolute climax when it came to politics. Covid first emerged and New Zealand had an election, The United States had an election, not to mention a plephera of societal issues that popped up during the year such as the BLM movement after George Floyd was murdered. If I was being honest though, I was tired of it all, burnt out of following politics. It felt like it was too mentally draining and too time consuming to have to follow all the time. I had left school and was working full time, so I didn’t really see the need in stressing out about it. Why get myself vented up over political issues when I could just be chilling and watching Anime! There were other things I wasn’t happy about too. I wanted to work on myself, build my confidence and explore different things. I couldn’t do that if I was consumed by social issues and current affairs all the time. So I didn’t follow, hear or talk about politics for well over half a year.

That 6 month period was extremely peaceful. I found out ignorance really was bliss. I had time to focus on myself and was at ease with life. I figured out there were a lot of pros to being disconnected from news and politics. I didn’t get frustrated over things that were way out of my control, I wasn’t angry or resentful. In fact, I had come to the conclusion that politics didn’t play a role in our lives at all. I was certain the world would be a better place if people stopped participating in our democracy, if we didn’t pay attention to any social, economic or political issues. I was soon to be corrected however. As soon as the first case of Delta was detected in New Zealand’s community, the whole country was plunged into a strict lockdown. It was a very frustrating time, especially for the South Island who had zero covid cases. Being an essential worker, I still had my regular work routine throughout the week, but come the weekend everything was shut down. To use a bit of hyperbole, it was like living in a dystopian nightmare. This made one thing very clear to me, that politics does indeed play a very big role in the daily lives of ordinary citizens, whether we like to admit it or not.

I gradually started immersing myself in current affairs and politics again. This time, however, I was coming at it from a completely different angle. I was at ease with life and happy with who I was as a person and who I was becoming. I had actual real world experience having been working full time and had a sense of how political/economic/social decisions actually impacted people and workers on the front line. I went about it the right way, never getting angry or tense about any issue, just understanding both sides and making my own mind up with the information at hand. If the opportunity ever presented itself I would engage in political discussion, but I never went out of my way to bring it up in normal every day conversations. I came to the conclusion that being interested in politics, social issues and current affairs can actually be very fulfilling, if done properly. It nurtures your intellect and adds another interesting dimension to life. This is why I truly believe everyone would be interested in current political and societal issues.

I completely understand why so many people are disinterested in following such a polarising and blood boiling thing. Why so many people feel like their voice doesn’t matter. Yet it one hundred percent does. As I figured out, you go through life thinking politics and politicians won’t affect you, until they do. Unfortunately most people act after the fact, when it’s too late and decisions and policies certain politicians have made are near irreversible. New Zealand is one of the fortunate countries in the world that actually is a liberal democracy. We must appreciate how lucky we are to live in such a prosperous society that gives people from all walks of life a voice and a say, in how we run the country. Everyone’s voice is important, each of us have our own life experiences, our own beliefs and ways of being which all benefit our society for the better. It is important these people make their voices heard and contribute to the amazing societal structure that is liberal democracy. If people refuse to participate in democracy or choose ignorance over being informed, all the power goes into the hands of the politicians. We can’t have that. Liberal democracy is a structure made by the people, for the people. Politicians must listen to us, not the other way around. Democracy yields the best results when people are fully engaged and participate avidly. When people are oblivious to what is going on, politics becomes a breeding ground for tyrannical politicians to emerge.

Overall, I truly feel like it is better to be informed about current affairs and politics than to be ignorant. This is within reason, however, don’t be the one person who ruins a family gathering by bringing politics up. Being informed benefits not only your own life and psyche, but also your country and therefore the world. I am not saying necessarily you need to become a politician, I couldn’t think of anything worse! Just make sure you participate in our democracy and make the decisions that are best for yourself and your community. I have been down two extremes when it comes to this stuff and I can confidently say you will thank yourself for choosing to be informed on these issues.

Why Extreme Polarisation is Crippling Society, and What We Can Do About It

If in recent times you have followed the news, listened to podcasts or observed any form of pop culture, you may be feeling extremely worried or confused about the current state of society. I share the same sentiments. It definitely feels as if the world is in turmoil. Day by day we are being sucked into a deeper and deeper hole. Full of hate, division, confusion, tyranny, greed, hopelessness and angst. When you are met with a problem in life, it is in your best interest to solve it before it becomes all-consuming. This is the current situation society faces today in the wake of an increasingly divided political climate and a global pandemic. The question is: How does society navigate through these treacherous waters?

Let us first address the chaotic political climate. In my opinion the problem of increasing division started with the sudden rise of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, in 2016. Donald Trump was the ultimate simplifier. Simplicity was his main appeal, as many average working class citizens could understand and relate to him. Where things got problematic was when Trump’s simplistic approach was utilised to popularise the ‘us vs them’ rhetoric. This is an extremely dangerous approach to take in politics. The proof is in the pudding. Go back to any time in history where this rhetoric was used and you see the absolute devastation it can cause. The Nazis, Maoist and the Soviot Union all have used this deadly (quite literally) rhetoric. Trump’s rhetoric slowly poisoned not only The United States, but countries all over the world throughout his 4 year reign.

It is human nature to combat hate with hate, no matter how many times we are told (and know) that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. So inevitably, once republicans started using this simplistic ‘Us versus Them’ rhetoric to spread hate towards the other side of the aisle, the democrats were quick to stoop down to the level of their counterparts and combat it with their own ‘Us vs Them’ rhetoric. This pattern unfortunately infiltrated every western democracy, including New Zealand. This tribalistic mentality goes against everything democracy is about. If I could make one sure bet about politics, it would be that not one person shares the EXACT same thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Politics is too diverse and complex to be viewed as a black and white thing. Nobody in a civilised democracy should be put in a box, and absolutely no one should be judged by the actions of a few outliers. The consequence of all this has been we are now seeing unnecessary hate and division, with no real logic or reasoning behind it. It is truly crippling society to the core.

Then comes the pandemic. In my opinion Covid has added fuel to fire, sparking a global societal crisis that I would argue is worse than the pandemic itself. In theory, the pandemic should have unified everyone, brought us closer together and unified populations across the globe. Unfortunately, the complete opposite has happened, and is getting worse by the day. Politicians on all sides of the political spectrum, all over the world are responsible for creating arguably one of the worst and most toxic political climates ever seen. From the Right demonising those who actually follow health and safety protocols, and popularising countless conspiracy theories; to the tyrants on the Left invoking vaccine mandates, which are arguably the biggest infringement of personal liberty in the history of western democracy. All are to blame for the shipwreck we have at this moment in time. Covid should have never been politicised, it has funnily enough probably resulted in the pandemic raging longer, while the pillars of western democracy have been crushed in the process. The scars on civilization from this turbulent period will last much longer, and have more consequences than the pandemic itself. There is one common denominator throughout all of these points however, one entity that has enlarged this hate and division like no other, The media.

The media is the main perpetrator of the issues currently facing society. Over the past 6 years the media has relentlessly been divisive, misled and hateful. Gone are the days where journalism was about reporting the truth, and only the truth. The golden era of media where issues were discussed and debated civilly using a wide range of viewpoints is sadly non-existent. Media has unfortunately turned into an avenue for political loyalists (Left and Right) to further their agenda, spread misinformation and demonise their ‘foes’. The best examples are the two biggest mainstream news sources in the US: Fox News and CNN. Both of these entities are guilty of furthering the political divide, especially throughout the covid pandemic. Fox News for example has been extremely dismissive of covid vaccines, despite the science showing their effectiveness. Instead turning the issue into a political problem, The vaccine was only for those ‘communists’ on the left. CNN on the other hand, has repeatedly demonised people on the right who are rightfully against vaccine mandates, labeling them ‘anti-vaxxers’, ‘conspriracy theorist’ and even ‘Nazis’. As you can see, both media outlets are fueling extreme polarisation, which is deeply harming society. The media purposely spreads negativity to get more viewers, as according to what psychologists call the negativity bias, things of a more negative nature have more impact on one’s psychological state. This is all well and good for maximising profit, but it is wreaking havoc across the political landscape and in turn society itself. So what must society do in order to get itself out of this mess?

The world is currently in a very dire situation. If we all collectively fail to play our part then chaos and doom will be inevitable. We must hope that we can carefully manage to manoeuvre ourselves out of our current debacle. It is in our best interest to slowly navigate through this pandemic (which is in decline) without giving up our freedoms that our society has been built on. We must listen to the science and follow accordingly, without discriminating anyone for their personal choices along the way. We must hold the media accountable for their actions. We must only support the sources of news which tell the truth and share a wide range of viewpoints without bias, not ones that further an agenda. We must all do our part as individuals, be kind to one another, show compassion, never discriminate against someone for any reason, constantly challenge your beliefs and sympathise with those who think oppositely to you. We must slowly take small steps to make society and the world a better place. We must unify now more than ever, before it’s too late.