[chelseafan]

Or are we being controlled by the media? Or is freedom an illusion?

[alis-volatpropriis]

We are never truly free.
Higher authority and the media place constraints on our freedom.
Us westerners arguably do have more freedom in comparison to other countries, but complete freedom would mean no brain washing, no threats of punishment for those that do not conforms to societies values etc..

[ugk4life]

correction: controlled by the Murdochs

[08rbut]

Yes, we are truly free, we have a free will and a conscience, this isn't the media.

[chelseafan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9AlMu2ygpU&hd=1

[bwriggers]

Firstly you really have to define exactly what freedom really is, freedom to choose? or perhaps freedom from responsibility for those choices? Nobody is ever really truly free, as we are ,if not controlled, then certainly influenced by external factors, like peer pressure, the media and system of law, perhaps the only real freedom we have is to choose what things to be influenced by...

[earthisearthis]

(Original post by bwriggers)
Firstly you really have to define exactly what freedom really is...

This. Are the laws of physics a limitation on your freedom? Gravity is fairly oppressive imo.

[Dand218]

If you want to go to the deepest level then you should ask are we truly free from ourselves?
I mean our bodies are machine with impulses that need fulfilling. You need to eat, sleep, drink water and your body makes you do this.
Above a physical level everybody wants to procreated at a biological level hence why we want to have sex, have the best body and so on.
At a societal level though you can argue that we'll never be truly free.
but I like the vein of this thread and will follow and comment with great interest.

[kingkongjaffa]

we are never truly free because we have basic needs that need to be fulfilled like social connection and hunger, therefore we are bound to our needs and can't just decide to stop breathing or eating, if we were free to make any choice we want then we are free. But there exists no state where we could do that I guess.

[RowingGoose]

Has Lupe Fiasco got you thinking? lol.

I feel free as I need to be - I can go pretty much where I want, say what I want (as long as it's "I want to blow up England"), I can get many jobs, have a holiday etc. I don't listen to the media too much - I don't think it controls me but controls Goverment which I have chosen not to be bothered with because it's so changable and doesn't think about the future and the children.

"Will somebody PLEASE think of the children"

[chelseafan]

Its crazy how much influence the media has on us though. They can say anything and it becomes common knowledge.

[cmorga1]

You could argue that we are not completley free because if we commit a crime we will be locked away against our will although obviously this has to be enforced...

[sitbywolf]

Too much freedom destroys freedom

[chelseafan]

What if we can breathe in space, they just don't want us to escape?

[Sternumator]

The government stops us being completely free, the media doesn't.

[drummer]

In terms of Society:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYJzXkcJgEU

Fantastic watch

[The Socktor]

(Original post by ugk4life)
correction: controlled by the Murdochs

*Bows down*

[The Socktor]

(Original post by Sternumator)
The government stops us being completely free, the media doesn't.

They both do. The government enforces authoritarianism, the media encourages it.

[Wawasan]

Nope, not by any stretch of the imagination. We cannot do whatever we want without facing consequences in the laws of nature and society. People try to take advantage of other's freedom. Having said that, freedom is a gift that, if used considerably, can empower us all.

[Sternumator]

(Original post by The Socktor)
They both do. The government enforces authoritarianism, the media encourages it.

The media doesn't stop you from doing anything so it doesn't restrict freedom.