On Freedom by Cass R. Sunstein

On Freedom by Cass R. Sunstein

is a little but powerful book published by Princeton University Press.

What is freedom and how, this important human condition is lived today? What make us happy, who, which conditions can "steal" freedom?

It's a complicated matter this one because freedom an individual is intersected with the ones of other people. There is lack of freedom sometimes living with a partner; in an abusive job, in the wrong environment, in the family, also with extreme decisions, sometimes. Wherever an individual lives can experiences lack of freedom.

At the same time a person can make wrong choices, defining in this way his future and his freedom.

As explains mr.Sunstein, the biggest cages for people are addictions: drugs, sex, alcohol, everything in grade to limit the individual freedom because used compulsively and excessivily; these ones are real illness that can be interrupted only with external help and strong personal desire of the addicted one.

Addictions are real cages and individuals, although would want to "move on" from that bad habit can't escape them because of the brain's depedance caused by these addictions.

They don't control anymore the substances that they are assuming: it's that substances, drugs, alcohol, controlling their body, their mind, and mainly, their brain and the new exigencies of the brain; more alcohol, more drug.

This situation causes strong repercussions in the existence of these people. Freedom becomes inexistent. Families and personal relationship devastated.

Freedom means also choices. The author writes: "...The richer you are the less responsibility you need to take for your own life because everything is taken care for you. ...The poorer you are the more you have to be responsibile for everything about your life."

This problem is enourmous. There are countries where a lack of happiness means mental-illness, other countries where it is unemployment that presents this condition.

Sometimes people need directions, because there are obstacles, situations that are blocked, for various different reasons but answers are never simple.

What makes people free and happy can be common situations: the possibility of choosing the school for their children, the place where to live in; these values can change becoming more profound when we speak of abstract situations and values like love, peace; imagine a complicated familiar situation: it becomes more difficult to sort out a situation of lack of freedom like that one. Freedom presents in fact a lot of other sentiments correlated to it: happiness, joy, possibility of becoming who realistically the person is.

But...The society is free?

Are we free in a daily base, while we choose little or big things and  when we take a decision?

Most people try to manipulate our existences. At dfferent levels and using our ignorance, goodness or behavioral biases. This condition put people in weakness; they don't choose what realistically want, they don't follow their own interests. Manipulation, writes the author is a cousin of coercion. Same happens largely in policy; but manipulators as adds the author are real thieves.

Sure: freedom is also connected with our values but at the same time our possibilities. In the book the example a man who believes in green economy, pays attention for environment and its necessities is constricted to buying coal because less expensive.

The author mentions quotes from books by beloved John Stuart Mills and the book by Byatt: Possession.

If you can read all the authors mentioned by Sunstein, please do that. They are all exceptionals.

In the case of Possesion, this one is a complicated love-story, started when Roland, the protagonist, finds interesting material for a research meeting along his way Maud and at home the skepticism of his partner, because it was an age that he didn't bring with his work food on the table.

It's a trip in the past, in Victorian Age. Fascinating.

Why reading On Freedom by Cass R.Sunstein? Because each of us must learn the intricate, sometimes more or less visible wires in grade to let us be more or less free.

The book doesn't offer answers, if you search for them, but clear written words, for yes, trying to sort out some problems, thanks to specific example taken by daily life.

Because freedom is not abstract; freedom is real, but in this historical moment and general confusion it is better to clarify again what it is, why it is so important for people and how to try to reach it, removing all the possible obstacles in the existence of people (pacifically, I recommend!) causing lack of freedom. Like addictions.

I thank Princeton University Press for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori