Posted by Mike on June 13, 2002 at 20:41:48:
In Reply to: Freedom? posted by Dolores on June 13, 2002 at 10:36:20:
What do you mean by "free"?
The freedom you seem to be talking about is economic freedom and relates to the purchase of consumer goods.
I think there is more to "freedom" than consumer choice. In some countries, either through poverty or government control even those freedoms are completely denied (after all the Taliban banned music). In China you have consumer "freedom" (if you can afford it you can buy most western consumer goods) but a repressive government that denies political freedom.
Political "freedom" is a different concept to consumer freedom. The right to free speech, freedom of religion and association are more fundamental and important freedoms than which boy-bands CD to buy.
Perhaps the most fundamental "freedom" is freedom to think, which is one of Orwell's central messages.
In Australia the government (my home) is trying to pass anti-terrorist laws with such sweeping powers that they could - if they wanted to - arrest anyone on the "suspicion" of terrorist affiliations. It's not such a long way off "thought crime" from there.