We all believe we are all free. All of us believe that we, as individuals and as a society, are free. But are we truly free?
We believe that we are free because we can always express our opinions to anyone, study the courses of our liking in the schools and colleges we prefer, join the jobs we choose, and select the doctors and hospitals that we believe are best for us.
We all believe that we have freedom because we can own the lands, homes, and possessions we desire, travel whenever and wherever we want, run any kind of business we feel will suit us, and live in any way we want.
But what is the practical reality?
Yes, we have the right to free speech; we can discuss our lives at home, at work, with our families, and in our relationships; we can talk about movies, sports, automobiles, and electronic gadgets; but can we question the government administration and the political system we live in? Can we criticize wealthy men and powerful businesses and corporations?
We have the freedom to study any course we desire in any institution of our choice; but aren’t all our schools and colleges controlled and regulated by the educational departments and university boards that are approved and commanded by the governments?
We have the freedom to choose the hospitals and doctors that we feel are best for us, but isn’t the government’s medical department controlling and dominating all the medical institutions? And isn’t the government prioritizing English medicine? If so, do we have the freedom to refuse English medicine?
We are free to choose our field of work and where we work. We can work in any position, from wage jobs to firms that pay lakhs and crores, but because money is a necessity for us to live, shouldn’t we all work in some form or another? Will we be able to live if we don’t have any money? Will we be able to do something if we don’t have money?
We are free to purchase any property, house, or any other possessions; however, don’t we have to pay taxes to the government to do so? Even after our purchases, don’t we have to pay tax on a regular basis? Don’t we need to get approval before building anything? Don’t we have to pay taxes regularly even after we finish the building? Even if pay all our taxes regularly, can’t the government take our land at any point? If so, are our lands and houses truly ours?
We are free to travel wherever we want, but don’t we have to pay taxes for purchasing automobiles? Don’t we have to pay for things like vehicle registration, driving license, car insurance, and so on? Don’t we even have to pay tolls to go on highways built on our lands with our tax money?
We are free to start our own business activities, yet doesn’t every business need authorizations? Don’t we have to pay for the permissions? Don’t our business incomes require taxations? Even after paying our income taxes, don’t we have to pay taxes on everything we buy and everything we do?
We are free to live however we like, but aren’t we all forced to live under the control of a government? Aren’t we all forced to abide to the laws and the regulations of the governments? Don’t we all have to pay our taxes regularly? Isn’t it mandatory to pay for all the services and certificates of the government? Do any of us have to option to skip paying any of these taxes? If everything is mandatory, where is our freedom?
Is it possible for any of us to stand up and take action to change any of this? As we don’t have the freedom to work for a change, is there any freedom to protest against any of the institutions? Isn’t it necessary to obtain prior permission before we protest? Even if a permission to protest is requested, isn’t there a possibility for the permission request to be refused? If it can be refused, where is our freedom?
If we are not interested in changing others or in making protests for the people, do we at least have the freedom to stay away from the authority and the social system as an individual, as groups or as communities?
Let us now ask the same question we asked at the beginning. Are we really free?
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