What does freedom mean to you?
My AP Government teacher defined freedom as such: I have the ability to extend my fist as far and wide in any direction or manner I so choose as long as it does not intersect with the tip of your nose.
That always made enough sense to me. I know many seem to think freedom is doing whatever you want, but the intersections of noses dictate that there is a responsibility inherent to freedom. There are seemingly contradictory limits to the unlimited. But that’s all freedom in a civic sense anyway, and I’m sick and tired of bitching about our corporate sponsored government.
Freedom…? Freedom is taking that big deep breath and speaking your fucking mind consequences be damned. No, I don’t feel like getting into extreme cases and arguing about shit people should or shouldn’t say. No, I’m talking somebody shit on your shoe and you tell them how you feel about it. I’m talking another human being enters your radius and you don’t wonder what filter or mask needs to be applied to evoke the proper reaction. I’m talking the freedom to ramble on about shit that goes on in your head or do shit you want to do regardless of what people think about it.
Freedom is living your life your way. Freedom is another word for authenticity. Freedom is being so with yourself, so cool with being yourself, somebody could spit on your face and you could say baby I was a little hot now go fuck your self and not give another damn.
Freedom is taking every fucking mistake – from the time you said you’d take French kiss dressing in front of your whole family. Or the time you had to inform another human that yes someone stole and crashed your car, yes, you are on acid, and no this is not an April fools joke. Or the times you keep going psycho about an ex and making an ass of yourself. Whatever it is, taking it all and chucking it in the fuck it bucket of forgiveness – another word for freedom. Pull an Elsa, let that shit go. Imagine yourself as Andy Dufresne and let yourself outta that mile long tunnel of shit and just breathe and allow yourself to be a fucked up whatever else human. Whoever however you are.
Freedom is laughing at yourself and taking as little seriously as possible. Freedom is trusting completely that whatever comes our way will go our way, regardless of how our brain wants to get us worked up about it.
Freedom is not giving a fuck. Freedom is taking all those spare fucks you no longer give away on dumb shut and putting it to the thing that makes all that shit fade away, makes hours melt, makes life bearable. Freedom is getting out of your own fucking way so you can share whatever shit you keep locked up tight in the illusion that you’re not as amazing as you are. Freedom is when you put all the fucks in that thing, gift, art, whatever until it makes you free from all this other dumb shit our corporate sponsored overlords keep trying to blind us to.
Freedom is a mindset. Mandela never felt freer than when he was in prison. either that or I fell for a bullshit quote.
That’s the best kind of freedom – just free from your own fucking mind’s bullshit. Most of it isn’t even real anyway.
Therefore, to my former teacher, I’d contend Freedom is the ability to swing my fist as far and wide in any direction or manner I so choose, so long as it intersects no noses and I give not one single fuck what those noses think while I do it, as long as I do it my way.
Mah Butt Itches 
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