The conversation of freedom has no discernable beginning, it seemingly always was and possibly always will be. People are never truly happy when someone or something is ruling over them, whether it was African American slaves, people being ruled by their societies, or people under the rule of their government. The main premise of freedom is unchanged, it is by definition the opportunity given for the exercise of one’s rights, powers, desires, or the like. Even though freedom has stayed fundamentally the same, its application has changed over time. The freedom for slaves is the first thing to come to mind of many when thinking about freedom. Frederick Douglass’s life as a slave is a good example of what people imagine when they think of slavery. He is born into slavery, he has a master that is aggressive and abusive, and in the end he is eventually freed. For Douglass the concept of freedom is to be freed from his masters and be able to make his own life decisions. Likewise, Harriet Jacobs is also a slave, but her abuse is more verbal…show more content… To choose independence would mean to throw off society and live as one likes without peer pressures. Without this there will always be conflict between disagreeing parties. An individual’s responsibility to society depends on the views of the society, and if the society goes against one’s fundamental beliefs. Individuals have the responsibility to better their society and not completely ostracize themselves, but they also do not need to be completely submerged in the society. Trying to be a part of a society you disagree with can lead to friction between members of the society and end up being detrimental to the society as a whole. Freedom will always be the end goal for most people, but what that freedom entails changes from generation to
