Freedom Quote Responses

“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.”

This quote by former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt expresses how freedom is a power that requires something in return, responsibility. Every human knows this requirement but many choose to not accept the power or ignore the requirement. These people are the ones who fear responsibility to choose the right actions. It is here that the true need for understanding of this prospect needs to be made. If this power is given without responsibility, then it is exactly as Eleanor said; A truly frightening prospect.

"Power is a freedom, one that usually comes with the responsibility of leadership."

Emily Ma said this in her article on freedom with responsibility. Emily struck an interesting idea, one that I was built on in my last response. It's the idea that when one is put into a position involving leadership of some kind, whether it be personal or on a grander scale, they are given the freedom to mold their own path. This freedom allows them to do what they so choose, but they must be the leader and choose the correct choices for themselves and others. It is this idea that freedom with responsibility comes from. 

Freedom with Responsibility

What does freedom with responsibility mean to me? It means being able to use your mom's credit card without her worrying about your spending. It means being able to leave campus and coming back before your class starts. It's being given the ability to do what you want and not taking advantage of it (in a bad way). Every person strives for freedom, one of John Locke's natural rights was Liberty, where everyone wants to be as free as possible. "With great power comes great responsibility." It's a saying that gets a chuckle out of everyone, but it holds a lot of value in this topic. If we have too much of either we lose the thin balance that freedom with responsibility is based on. So, if you asked me, I'd say freedom with responsibility means having the ability to do what you want and the conscience to do what's right.