Freedom’s borderline

Freedom to manipulate = fear + disasters: The Internet's invention springs up questions about its borderline of freedom. When individuals are free to stage-manage whatever they want in the frontier-less Internet, we live every moment in fear of what could hit us. Through agents like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Orkut and all TV channel websites, life is becoming as vulnerable as it is exciting. The Internet's power to cause destruction is immeasurable. A single American made an abhorrent video maligning a religion. The moment he uploaded it on YouTube, American consulates were attacked, one after another, in several countries, an innocent American ambassador and diplomats killed, as were protesters. It has sent fear ripping through everyone on what will happen next. The liberty of expression of art and science can never be questioned, but did the filmmaker reckon the death of innocent people when uploading his film on YouTube?

Learnings from a dangerous weapon invention prevents its future usage: Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended World War II, where an estimated 72 million people died, 61 million among Allied powers, 11 million on the Axis side. To bring global peace, the Allies were bereft of choice against Japanese refusal to surrender, but simultaneously the atom bomb showcased how mankind can be destroyed. The atom bomb today defines the borderline of all wars. Countries develop nuke power to avoid being attacked and gain superpower status. But they are controlled by international bodies not to abuse its usage for harming people.

Two sides of freedom: Freedom has both a negative and positive side. According to 20th century German philosopher Erich Fromm, the positive "freedom to" and negative "freedom from" have evolved with human beings, distinguishing them from other species. British socio-political theorist Sir Isaiah Berlin proposes in the last century a frontier between areas of private life and public authority. He said, "The liberty of some must depend on the restraint of others." Indeed, what right do inconsiderate individuals have to disturb peace in the world? You'd answer "no right" but who's going to control them and how? Let's look at how unlimited freedom leads to excesses that are irreversible.

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