The Most Important Thing I Ever Learned

The most important thing that I have ever learned was the concept of freedom; this one discovery has shaped my intellectual life ever since. The American concept of political and economic freedom has been the central theme of my thoughts and actions; the issues and items that cause the greatest stress for me are the ones that limit freedom in any way, shape or form.

Issues regarding taxes which restrict my economic freedom are on my mind often, as are the other fees and expenses of life which limit how much power and pleasure I can purchase, the choices I can make, and the future freedom of choices that I and my children will face.

There have been several periods of my life where I experienced intense inner struggle though outwardly my life carried on as usual; that internal struggle revolved around freedom. I joined the Marine Corps partly because of a patriotic notion of protecting liberty. However, a Marine does not get to enjoy half of the freedoms that he or she protects, and that was a constant source of turmoil while I served. When my alcoholism took a turn for the worst, what motivated me to save myself was the promise of freedom in sobriety. That notion of freedom keeps me sober today. What has lead me to seek treatment for depression and ADD has been their effects on my freedom. The increased freedom of employment prospects caused me to persevere through ten years of college, despite many setbacks and struggles.

I discovered freedom in fifth grade. I also discovered the arch-nemesis of freedom: injustice. I think both discoveries were made on the same day. In fifth grade, I was in Mrs. Davis’ class at Woodland Elementary School in Grayslake, Illinois. The Bears would almost go undefeated that year, and would win the Superbowl. I remember Mrs Davis reading to us, but I am not sure what books she read. I remember we attempted to write out the number 1 google (a 1 followed by 100 zeroes). That is all I remember from 1985, except that one defining moment when my life paradigm was formed.

We studied U.S. history that year. In the previous years, we had heard of Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin, and the Declaration of Independence to some extent. We especially learned to love the freedom fighters George Washington and Abraham Lincoln because they earned us a day of freedom from school each year. Somehow, whether by design or by accident, all the fundamental political concepts of the American Revolution were put together in such a way that year that I understood it for the first time: Some people were free and some people were oppressed, but as an American I received the birthright of freedom.

Later, I discussed this concept with my mother; probably on the same day that it sunk in. This moment is burned into my memory; I can see the car we were riding in and the landscape going by. Until this conversation, my understanding was more of a Libertarian or Anarchist view of freedom; unrestricted freedom. My mom burst my bubble by explaining that not only was there limits to freedom in general but as an eleven year-old in her house, I enjoyed few freedoms. There was a promise that, “one day, when you’re an adult” I would taste the freedoms that America had to offer. Until then, I would suffer the despotic regime of Mr. and Mrs. Slobodzian.

The idea that there was the possibility of total freedom in theory, and somewhat unrestricted freedom to adults, but little or no freedom for fifth-graders introduced me to the concept of political injustice. I am sure that, like most kids, I learned to say, “It’s not fair!” at a young age; my four year-old says it daily, though I have no idea where he learned it. Even so, I didn’t really have a concept of true injustice, the type that affects groups of people. I knew when something unjustly affected me, but after this enlightening conversation with my mother I began to see that there was societal injustice, oppression that affected large or small groups of people.

Since then, I have analyzed systems and made decisions based on freedom. I have thought extensively about freedom and injustice, from many angles and in many applications. For the rest of my life, the cause of freedom for myself, for my children, for my sphere of influence, and for the world at large, will guide my thoughts and actions.

Some people shape their value system around a religion or a philosophy, some shape their value system on concepts of struggle or contest. My value system is based on freedom vs. injustice. If I have an ethical decision to make, I try to seek these two poles to help decide the issue: which decision grants freedom and which decision creates or sustains injustice.