Free – Rights – Restrictions

When a person like me comes across the word “Free”, he credibly thinks about the freebies provided as a promotional scheme. This is because the luxurious life which we are living makes us think about things like free packet of potato chips offered to lure us. But this excessive hospitality comes with the inception of doubt. If you are reading this post on a computer screen you probably know how one has to avoid the unnecessary pop-ups and fraudulent offers while browsing Internet. Moreover, in today’s mischievous world it’s hard to trust anyone. Thus, such ads only make us think that something is definitely wrong.

Before civilization, all living beings were literally free until they were hunted down by a more powerful species. But this was the rule of nature and getting killed is mostly considered better than being imprisoned. It is only when humans became intelligent enough to start caging, that the word “Freedom” got defined. But then again there is a flip-flop; creatures like spiders have been entangling preys like mosquitoes since always.

The word “free” has different meanings for different people. If we consider the age, then during our lifecycle some of the meanings can be approximated as follows:

Child: To play around freely, wet the pants and eat anything he wants.

School kid: To study what he wants only when he wants.

Adolescent: To mate, drink and drive if he wants.

Couple: To avoid possessiveness.

Greybeard: To be opinionative.

Also, if we talk about perspectives, some of us may agree that our fundamental rights make us free. And some of us may think that the rules against name calling or defamation are not just. For instance, there have been cases when people were jailed for defaming a person or community. Also, there might be rules against bloggers who try to spread rumours. Thus rights bring along restrictions.

Today is the 65^th Independence Day of my country I say to myself “I am Free!” But then I backpedal and think “Am I really?” Such introspections have stumped me many times, and the reasons behind it are many. I came across a tweeter who was talking about the inabilities and failures of India and how one should not be allowed to say “Happy Independence Day”, unless he or she has done something to bring along positive changes. Such thoughts make me sad because even though the reality is ineluctable I sometimes like to live among illusions; while on the other hand it inspired me more.

This brings us to the related topic “Social networking”. We all come across a lot of sarcasm every day and try to impersonate without realizing the consequences. Now Internet is a field where law is probably not that developed, which can be either counted as a ‘positive’ coz it allows us to do anything, or as a ‘negative’ coz it allows activities like hacking to take place.

Among related news, after understanding the role of social networks during UK riots, blocking them is being considered by the government.

Also, there is probably going to be a new rule in India against the expression of disrespect for Mahatma Gandhi.

Such rules are very controversial and the ongoing arguments somehow demonstrate the dissimilar beliefs, all of them summing up the fact that the word “free” is not easygoing.

As for my country, Indians have recently been raising voice against corruption, which has eventually lead several innocent people into jails while the real culprits are enjoying outside. There are hundreds of other reasons that deprive us of freedom, may it be the freedom to speak or to help. For instance, one wouldn’t dare to stop at a site of accident coz he doesn’t want to get involved with the police. So he is FREE to walk away.

After watching some movies portraying the lives of inmates, I wonder how the rules can be justified.

Who is really innocent?

P.S.: Maybe only God can maintain the balance.