What is Freedom?

For me, in its most basic definition, freedom is the ability to do whatever you want, wherever you want, and however you want, as long as it doesn’t affect anybody else’s freedom. By this definition, freedom affects numerous parts of your life. What clothes you wear, what religious faith you’re a part of, what you say, what systems you use (for calendars, temperature, etc.), and what things you do. For example, because I am free, or at least I think I am, I can play whatever sports I want and read whatever books I want. I am allowed to drive a car when I become older, and I can even engage in harmful activities legally, like drinking or smoking. Also, I have numerous rights like the right to live, the right of freedom of speech, the right to liberty, and the right to own property. I also have the right to not be taxed unfairly, and the right to send complaints to my government. 

These examples are one reason I think I’m free. Another way for me to check whether I’m free or not is to compare myself to some people who have been unfairly treated and are famous for being non-free people. For example, the Cambodian people in Pol Pat’s reign were forced to work as farmers, were killed for being educated, were killed for speaking out against him, etc. Jews in Hitler’s time were killed just for practicing the Jew faith. So were people who chose to be gay, or people who were physically disabled, people who practiced the Catholic faith, and people who roamed the countryside as gypsies, mentally ill people, deaf, dumb, or blind people, and political enemies. Lastly, Americans during the American Revolution were taxed unfairly, didn’t have the right to complain to their government, and were not allowed to explore the country. Now when I think of Thailand, Thai citizens can choose whatever job they want, they are not killed for any unfair reason like being educated, gay, disabled, or Jewish, etc. but are only killed if they commit a serious or repeated crime. They are not taxed unfairly, can send letters or complain to the Thai government, and are allowed to freely roam this country. Also, Thai citizens have the right to vote for whatever political party or representative they want to, and are not prosecuted for it. For these reasons, I think Thailand is a very free country, and I am a free person.