Contrary to popular opinion I am coming to believe freedom means being able to choose the right thing, even when it's hard. Anybody can be a slave to their desires, lusts, wants, etc...being able to not let those things control you, not letting your mind be enslaved to your momentary hopes? That is freedom, living beyond the cage you live in. Freedom is not being what you are told you have to be, and choosing to be what you want to be beyond the whims of culture...beyond the whims of emotion or hormones... To often screens with glowing letters and pictures tells us that life with no restraints or boundaries is the ideal. The satisfaction of an invincible body and redos of video games ought to be the norm, ought to be real life...and if it's not easy..it's probably not worth striving for. ...It's not popular to follow the crowd or tradition. Being different is cool. Sometimes the hardest things in our American culture is to...not be an independent being...