What is more important to you Security or Liberty?
Liberty or Security
Because of the innate nature of humanity, I think that liberty and security does not exist, therefore, there is no greater importance than the other. When we think of liberty, we immediately assume that liberty is the freedom to express one' feelings or emotions, but are we able to do that without being ridiculed? I am not one to completely criticize democracy or any other government institution, but in any case, there is no liberty in society. We are all forced to become something that we may not want to be, but are forced to because that is the only way to survive. Most people's viewpoints are not theirs but the product of everything that they have seen outside of them, and if they have been exposed to the media or any sort of ideas, then they become subjugated to what they may not believe in. Only people that have the ability to differentiate themselves from society can truly be liberated. But since that is impossible, unless one can return to complete nature, liberty will not exist. In nature (not artificial nature- ie. parks), there is liberty. This idea comes from Thoreau's Walden; that liberty is where mankind has not obstructed anything, therefore making it pure.
In terms of security, the simplest argument is that we are never secure unless we are completely isolated from any person. This does not go for just physical security, but mental security. We really can never be safe from being brainwashed by something that may not be true (1984). If people have the freedom to express themselves, wouldn't people eventually be acting upon another person's freedom? I probably sound like I am criticizing democracy, but I am really not criticizing anything. We are all part of a 'flawed society' that really can not become perfect and therefore we can not live with it. Nonetheless, if I had to choose, I would prefer true liberty over security because being able to do what you want to do without anyone forcing you to do something different (pressure of society) is much better for life. If we were all liberated, we would just try and form another government for social order, so again, neither do exist. Only in a perfect world, where virtuous and righteous morals are with everyone could we actually have liberty and never need security.
