Freedom is so often applied in
the political and economic domains in terms of external freedom, such as in
speech or action—things that a state can regulate, a boss can forbid, and a
religious cleric can excoriate—that internal freedom is often
overlooked. We live in a collectivist world of states, businesses,
universities, and religious organizations so it is easy to overlook interior
freedom. In viewing ourselves in terms of groups, we are subject to the
artificial constraints of group-think. Individualism is often conflated with
lawlessness and licentiousness. Rather than tread over the tired individualism
versus collectivism dichotomy, however, the interior of the mind, and in
particular the sort of freedom that is possible therein, can be distinguished
and yet related to exterior freedom that tends to be characterized by the
constraints presented by political, economic, cultural, and religious systems
in which we live. I contend that expanding interior freedom can expand
political freedom in a way that strengthens democracy rather than results in anarchy.
The full essay is at "Freedom."