Thomas Freer0:00 So, what does freedom actually mean today?0:03 When we talk about freedom, most people think of political liberty, the right to vote, freedom of speech, or choose your own path.0:12 But in today's world, freedom has become a little bit more complicated.0:17 Not just about being free from government control like it was in the past.0:22 It's also about being free to live a meaningful and secure life.0:27 We live in a time now where we can say almost anything online, but we're also constantly being tracked by our phones, the data being released from them, and the algorithms that we barely understand.0:40 So are we really free if our choices are shaped by these systems that we don't control?0:46 Digital life has blurred the line between freedoms and influence.0:52 Between our personal expression and our surveillance surveillance, honestly.0:58 Economic freedom is another huge piece of the puzzle.1:02 For many people, the rising cost of living, student debt, and job insecurity, as well as the housing crisis really limits their real ability to choose.1:15 It's hard to talk about freedom when people feel extremely trapped by financial pressures.1:21 In that sense, freedom isn't just political, it's economic and social too.1:27 There's also the question of collective freedom, such as how individual choices are able to affect others.1:35 The pandemic showed that one's one person's freedom to ignore rules can endanger everyone else's.1:42 So balancing personal rights with the public good has become one of our biggest challenges these days.1:50 So what does freedom mean today?1:53 Maybe it's less about doing whatever we want and more about ensuring everyone has the ability to do what they want or to choose their own path.2:04 I think true freedom means having education, security, and equality that let people participate fully in society, and that honestly isn't everyone today.2:17 So freedom today is not just about resisting control, but it's about responsibility and access.2:24 It's not just a static right that we inherit.2:27 It's something you have to keep defining and defending as time goes on.
Wesley Joyce0:00 This is very interesting food for thought, Thomas, and the word freedom has definitely um changed its meaning probably most radically within the past 200 years.0:09 Um there's been so many people were so poor for so long where food was, you know, the only reason people weren't free.0:17 Probably over 65, if I had I have no idea.0:21 The vast majority of humans that have existed were probably bound to the areas they were raised just by food, whether they farm there, you know, whether it was too risky to move somewhere else and try and gather food.0:32 Um but for the longest time, you know, freedom didn't really exist.0:38 It was kind of just survival almost.0:40 And especially like these peasants and um some of these feudal communities, you know, like they didn't really know freedom as we know it now.0:50 It would be a completely different definition.0:52 I think another interesting thing, you know, this is obviously very far into the future, but um we're seeing AI emerge now and there is gonna come a day where machines are doing pretty much everything.1:02 Um they're only gonna get exponentially smarter from here.1:06 This is a topic that's been, you know, floated and debated about, but um I've heard a lot of people speak on universal basic income and you know, everybody has what they need and they get the money to do what they want, and then they just have free time and they have complete freedom to do absolutely whatever they want.1:25 Um so I guess we're really talking freedom of time here.1:28 Um But yeah, what is that look like?1:33 You know, how do how do we regulate that?1:35 What do what do people do all day?1:36 What is life look like?1:38 Um does the does the human mind start to lose meaning?1:42 Um I don't know.1:45 Freedom is uh is a term that's unique to our time.1:50 It's unique to our age, and it'll continue to change meanings probably just as fast as it has in the last 200 years um into the future.
Vansh Patel0:00 Thomas, I think you brought up an excellent point on how the definition of freedom has changed in the past uh 50 years and I think when it comes down to it, you're right, the economic struggles people face uh today really changes how we view freedom as a whole in our nation.0:22 I think the US was founded on a cop capitalistic background to support uh most people's financial endeavors and their dreams, and I think our freedom was established to not only have the right of expression that we do, but the right to pursue anything you may want to.0:47 And I think although it has changed, I think there's another perspective we have to look at this.0:54 I think as a person who has traveled to third world countries, you look at some of the living situations these people are in, and regardless of wage, they don't have certain freedoms that American citizens possess.1:10 Uh women in a lot of Middle Eastern countries don't have freedom at all to do almost anything.1:17 And I think when you look back at it, we have one of the few countries that even on a minimum salary, you have the ability to do incredible things.1:31 I mean, public access, uh insurance, just things like that.1:36 I think this nation offers such great benefits that regardless of how economic struggles uh are pushing people out of a lot of opportunities and just socially, I think we we offer so many benefits uh related to freedom that you can't really justify uh saying our freedom is becoming limited just because of how you compare it to some of these other nations.2:06 So I think you brought up an excellent point, and I just wanted to add how my first hand experiences of witnessing some of these other countries kind of justifies uh just the amount of freedom we have truly as a country and how it's a blessing to be living here.
Casey Comerford0:00 Thomas, that's an interesting point you bring up about how freedom is kind of evolved and what and what that all entails in today's world, especially in a more techno technology-based society.0:10 Um and I would say this.0:12 Obviously, I think in America we do have freedom, you know, all that we're promised, like you said, freedom of speech, freedom of press, all that stuff.0:18 But I think the word freedom can sometimes be misconceptualized and to thinking like that there's never ever going to be any sort of um, you know, regulation on you or any pushback.0:29 But in reality, that's not true.0:31 Like if you look at American society, you know, we do have those regulations in place, law enforcement, and I wouldn't say that takes away our freedom.0:38 And so it's interesting, like you mentioned being tracked on your phone, stuff like that, and I would say, is that a violation of freedom, or is that just an extension of, say, law enforcement?0:48 I mean, it's hard to say now, um, because we haven't seen the full effects of what that'll do in the future when it comes to you know, you know, calling back to what someone may have said in the past and all that kind of stuff.0:58 Um I think freedom is still there.1:02 People are just being exposed to new kinds of regulation, new kinds of laws, and they're thinking that the free they've lost their freedom, but I would 100% disagree with that.1:11 Um I would say to keep freedom, you have to have a society that is built off of standards, regulations, um, you know, to keep everyone in check.1:20 And some people would say, well, you're breaking you're getting into you know higher powers, governments having control over over the citizens.1:27 Um but just because you have some sort of government structure doesn't mean you're you're losing your freedom.1:33 Um and and I would I would argue as long as you just follow the basic rules um in place, um, you do have that freedom to choose your own path, too, choose what you want to do with your life, you know, what work do you want to do, you could start a business if you want, you could have kids if you want.1:47 Um, and where other places around the world, those decisions aren't necessarily yours to make.1:52 Um, and just because you know, a government may have a little say over, you know, you have to do this, you have to stick to this rule, that's not an infringement on freedom.2:00 That's just in place to maintain your freedom.2:02 Um it's a tricky concept, but that's kind of my thoughts on it.