Q&A: Freedom as a Value
Freedom as a Value
Question
Hello!
(I’m sending this again; maybe you didn’t see the question.)
Did you watch the last episode of the series “Kingdoms Below”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7hxmZEx8W0
At 30:05 (and also earlier, at 28:54), the speaker argues for the desirability of the Haredi model, since even though there is no freedom there, there is happiness.
That claim grated on me, because as I understood from your remarks in the past, freedom is a moral value, and not merely a mechanism for satisfying needs.
Could you sharpen the point, or refer me to a place where you expanded on it (or correct me if I’m mistaken)?
On another matter, I’m trying to purchase the trilogy through the website and can’t manage to (maybe because of the filtering?). I get this message:
I keep trying again and again and can’t succeed; it says: unexpected token in JESON at position.
Is there another way to make the purchase, say in cash or by bank transfer?
Answer
What is there to expand on? You described it correctly. See the series of columns on freedom and liberty (126 onward).
As for purchasing the trilogy, call my wife Dafna at 052-3322444 and she’ll help you.
Discussion on Answer
Happiness is not a value but a need.
Maybe it’s worth considering priorities among values. If happiness is also a value, which value is preferable: happiness or freedom?
Erich Fromm argued in his book Escape from Freedom that a person (and really the direction of modern society as well) flees from the freedom imposed on him, and therefore seeks with all his might to get rid of that burden in order to attain happiness.
To achieve that escape from freedom, he looks for dictators, strong religious figures, and institutions that will control him and not let him think and take responsibility for his life.
The question is: is freedom preferable to happiness?