By Jacom Permenter—We in the so-called "United" States often lose sight of things. The sweet temptation of freedom caused our forefathers to thrust off the shackles of an overbearing state authority, but perhaps it is time to rethink things.
Sweet things, such as freedom, often come at a price. Indeed, just as sugar is sweet, it comes with it the price of fattening calories, tooth decay, and diabetes. It stands to reason, then, that too much sweet freedom comes with the price of the fattening responsibility to make choices, the tooth decay of hate speech, and the diabetes of religious bigotry. Indeed, just as our forefathers saw the authoritarianism of the monarchy as binding, isn't it true that we voluntarily bind ourselves with seat belts, and that we do so for protection? It seems, then, that some shackles may prevent our choices, and others are for our own safety. Why should we not, then, seek out to limit our own potential if it would offer us some safety?
Take the example of North Korea. We have been programmed to see the North Korean people as being held under the thumb of a power-hungry despot, who cares nothing for his own people's well-being. As evidence, we are told to look at their reeducation camps, where citizens who hold any disagreements with those in power are invited to rethink their views until they can come to the correct way of thinking. Sure, to us privileged Westerners who have been wallowing in our ability to speak against power without fear of retaliation, this may seem like a frightening phenomenon. However, isn't our freedom of speech just as scary?
Not two days ago, I was watching my 52" flat screen television, when someone said an opinion that I did not share. I was horrified. It all became clear to me in that moment that, by allowing the internet into my home, and letting just anybody express themselves, I was opening myself to full on intellectual assault. What is to stop anyone from sending me a message that causes me to question whether I'm right, or whether my world view is the only valid one?
It's terrifying, isn't it? If you are like me, you need to feel like you are right all of the time. In our society, though, that's simply not possible. If people are allowed to read diverse viewpoints and discuss which ones have merit, we are open to all sorts of scary ideas that are new and not what we already think. Just think, though. This is not the case in a place like North Korea. The people in charge have made clear what thoughts are acceptable, and so it is easy to know that you are on the correct side of things. And this is all I am saying.
Say what you will about North Korea, with its famines and censorship and executions. Those seem like a small price to pay to know that your country is unified. Unity is a concept that is quickly escaping us in the U.S., and so maybe we can learn a thing or two about what true unity is from our North Korean friends. How will we know if we don't give it a try? I say we cast off this "bill of rights," and let our betters instruct us in the correct worldview we should hold. If not now, when?
Comments