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comment by halinc
halinc  ·  3659 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Emerging European Dream v. The American Dream

I found this paragraph and its explanation particularly insightful:

"When an American says “freedom”, what we have in mind is autonomy and mobility. That’s why we love the “auto-mobile”. We stole the German internal combustion engine because we were ready for it and you weren’t. We created the first car culture in the world. You created the Autobahn, but we had the cars. So, “autonomy” and “mobility”. Our parents teach us when we’re very little, you need to be self-sufficient. The government is not going to take care of you, your neighbors may show some charity, but don’t depend on them. You are on your own, you’re responsible for your life, you’re going to learn to swim or sink, and never blame someone else for your life, your life is your destiny, you’re in charge, take control of your life. Be an island, be self-sufficient, be independent, be autonomous, be mobile, be the cowboy on the horse – now, the kid in the car. No continental parent teaches you this. They teach you that “freedom” is the quality of your relationships, your access to communities. To the extent that you have access, you have community, you have quality of relationships, you can blossom, you can flourish, you have opportunity, you have choices."

I've heard these differing ideas of freedom succinctly described as 'freedom from. X' vs. 'freedom to. Y.' It's a useful way to think about it.