Freedom: How We Can Be More Than Sheeple (Get a Book Deal News Article)
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My thoughts this past weekend were of soldiers coming home, oddly enough. I got on a kick after seeing televised on C-Span Gary Sinise speaking at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where he was announcing the formation of a foundation to help service people and their families. People always want to know his political ambitions, because he's conservative--but independent--and this time was no exception. He laughed and said, "I'm an actor." Then continued, "I am a citizen of the United States. I can do what I want. I can vote for who I want." I thought that was cool. Sometimes we are free and we don't act like it because of fear of criticism. Good for him for stepping forward and doing something he believes in just because he can.
Then I started thinking about the good films I'd seen about soldiers and war. The Messenger, The Hurt Locker, Good Morning Vietnam, Saving Private Ryan, M*A*S*H, and Born on the Fourth of July. I put a couple of funny ones on my list because we need to laugh in the face of pain. Sinise developed a calling after playing a wounded Vietnam veteran in Forrest Gump. Those are worth watching if you haven't yet.
Not too many projects have crossed my desk to date that cover this new terrain of people coming home. I hope writers write good, strong books about the experiences of these hundred thousand or so people. Our country certainly has been at war long enough. When will it end? I am praying for peace. I think we need to read voices that help us to process and integrate our feelings about these troubles we've faced.
Next I looked up the dictionary definition of "Freedom." It's extensive. I'm going to share it here, because it is something worth thinking about as a writer. Freedom of expression is almost the highest value in our culture (although Americans are so often trying to silence one another, especially those who disagree with us). But there is also the freedom of worship, or the freedom not to worship. And freedom to live where and with whom we please. Economic freedom. Self-determination. There are so many ways to be free. (Source of definitions: Dictionary.com)
1. The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.
2. Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3. The power to determine action without restraint.
4. Political or national independence.
5. Personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery.
6. Exemption from the presence of anything specified (usually followed by the preposition "from"): freedom from fear.
7. The absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.
8. Ease or facility of movement or action.
9. Frankness of manner or speech.
10. General exemption or immunity: freedom from taxation.
11. The absence of ceremony or reserve.
12. A liberty taken.
13. A particular immunity or privilege enjoyed, as by a city or corporation: freedom to levy taxes.
14. Civil liberty, as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government.
15. The right to enjoy all the privileges or special rights of citizenship, membership, etc., in a community or the like.
16. The right to frequent, enjoy, or use at will: to have the freedom of a friend's library.
17. Philosophy. The power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination. (Compare necessity ( def. 7.))
When you think about the subjects you write on, reflect on whether or not you permit yourself to exercise your freedom. Do you constrain yourself? Silence yourself? Tell your truth? Contribute to the liberties of our society or of consciousness? Or do you oppose yourself and others? Where is your investment? I think it's an interesting question we need to ask ourselves if we want to be more than Sheeple.
Before my montage experience ended, I finally shed a few tears due to my frustration with a world where we are not all living our creative best and so much money is put into fighting back and fighting forward and all that non-peaceful, conflicted mental anguish that we trouble ourselves with--and must do, it seems, at times, just to stand up for ourselves and to be authentic in the pursuit of our happiness and livelihood. I enjoyed the holiday, though I didn't go to see fireworks. I visited friends and family and dreamed dreams aloud about my future goals. And my vacation in August!
On my freedom list this weekend, I can say without hesitation that I experienced all freedoms except numbers 10 and 13. Not entirely without pushback from one quarter or another, but nevertheless fifteen items were fully accomplished. How fortunate.
Have a wonderful week!
My thoughts this past weekend were of soldiers coming home, oddly enough. I got on a kick after seeing televised on C-Span Gary Sinise speaking at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where he was announcing the formation of a foundation to help service people and their families. People always want to know his political ambitions, because he's conservative--but independent--and this time was no exception. He laughed and said, "I'm an actor." Then continued, "I am a citizen of the United States. I can do what I want. I can vote for who I want." I thought that was cool. Sometimes we are free and we don't act like it because of fear of criticism. Good for him for stepping forward and doing something he believes in just because he can.
Then I started thinking about the good films I'd seen about soldiers and war. The Messenger, The Hurt Locker, Good Morning Vietnam, Saving Private Ryan, M*A*S*H, and Born on the Fourth of July. I put a couple of funny ones on my list because we need to laugh in the face of pain. Sinise developed a calling after playing a wounded Vietnam veteran in Forrest Gump. Those are worth watching if you haven't yet.
Not too many projects have crossed my desk to date that cover this new terrain of people coming home. I hope writers write good, strong books about the experiences of these hundred thousand or so people. Our country certainly has been at war long enough. When will it end? I am praying for peace. I think we need to read voices that help us to process and integrate our feelings about these troubles we've faced.
Next I looked up the dictionary definition of "Freedom." It's extensive. I'm going to share it here, because it is something worth thinking about as a writer. Freedom of expression is almost the highest value in our culture (although Americans are so often trying to silence one another, especially those who disagree with us). But there is also the freedom of worship, or the freedom not to worship. And freedom to live where and with whom we please. Economic freedom. Self-determination. There are so many ways to be free. (Source of definitions: Dictionary.com)
1. The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.
2. Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3. The power to determine action without restraint.
4. Political or national independence.
5. Personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery.
6. Exemption from the presence of anything specified (usually followed by the preposition "from"): freedom from fear.
7. The absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.
8. Ease or facility of movement or action.
9. Frankness of manner or speech.
10. General exemption or immunity: freedom from taxation.
11. The absence of ceremony or reserve.
12. A liberty taken.
13. A particular immunity or privilege enjoyed, as by a city or corporation: freedom to levy taxes.
14. Civil liberty, as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government.
15. The right to enjoy all the privileges or special rights of citizenship, membership, etc., in a community or the like.
16. The right to frequent, enjoy, or use at will: to have the freedom of a friend's library.
17. Philosophy. The power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination. (Compare necessity ( def. 7.))
When you think about the subjects you write on, reflect on whether or not you permit yourself to exercise your freedom. Do you constrain yourself? Silence yourself? Tell your truth? Contribute to the liberties of our society or of consciousness? Or do you oppose yourself and others? Where is your investment? I think it's an interesting question we need to ask ourselves if we want to be more than Sheeple.
Before my montage experience ended, I finally shed a few tears due to my frustration with a world where we are not all living our creative best and so much money is put into fighting back and fighting forward and all that non-peaceful, conflicted mental anguish that we trouble ourselves with--and must do, it seems, at times, just to stand up for ourselves and to be authentic in the pursuit of our happiness and livelihood. I enjoyed the holiday, though I didn't go to see fireworks. I visited friends and family and dreamed dreams aloud about my future goals. And my vacation in August!
On my freedom list this weekend, I can say without hesitation that I experienced all freedoms except numbers 10 and 13. Not entirely without pushback from one quarter or another, but nevertheless fifteen items were fully accomplished. How fortunate.
Have a wonderful week!
Labels: books, free speech, freedom, freedom of press, writers
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