On liberty
On libertyJ.S.Mill-On Liberty summary
The main theme of on liberty was the individual.Everything
else, society, education,government and so forth had their
basis in the individuals rights to his own liberty. Noone,
no member of society, government, even God, if he appeared
before an individual, could inforce his will upon him. That
is not to say that you couldnt change someones mind through
discussions, but instead, that noone had a right to force his
views upon another. Your happiness is yours(individual) to
enjoy without any infringements. Conversations between
individuals or groups of individuals is essential in
developing the notion of liberty. Mill claims that you should
feel free to convey your views openly without forcing them
onto others. After all, a man who learns from noone but
himself has a fool for a teacher. There is however an
exception to this rule. That is, if an individual in
any way harms or comes onto anothers rights to liberty, or
causes a social threat, hence he or she is subjected to
forced inclinations by other members of society. For example,
walking around nude on the streets of Cairo might be youre cup
of tea, alas, in Cairo they prefer coffee. In other words, if
you offend other individuals, you are in fact infringing on
their rights as free citizens who poses a sovereign mind.
However if you choose to remain nude while in the comfort of
your hotel room in Cairo, then there is no reason why you
shouldnt.
According to Mill, education is a fundamental
requirement for being an individual as well. But once again,
there should be no forceful applications towards what is being
taught. Man is after all, a rational being and has the
capabilities to reason things through. Education serves more
as a guide then as a factual basis for each individual. No
two individuals can have the exact same experiences in life.
Therefore, it is up to the individuals themselves to conclude
what they perceive to be their own ideas of happiness. An
individual who follows traditions and customs soleley because
they are inherrent in society, is nothing more than an animal.
The very fact that you can reason said mill, means that you
have the option of disregarding all customs and traditions
if you feel they are not beneficial towards your happiness.
That is not to say that you shouldnt follow customs and
traditions, merely that...
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