What is freedom as a human experience? Is the desire for freedom something inherent in human nature? Is it an identical experience regardless of what kind of culture a person lives in, or is it something different according to the degree of individualism reached in a particular society? Is freedom only the absence of external pressure or is it also the presence of something–and if so, of what? What are the social and economic factors in society that make for the striving for freedom? Can freedom become a burden, too heavy for man to bear, something he tries to escape from? Why then is it that freedom is for many a cherished goal and for others a threat? .Erich Fromm
About This Quote
The quote above is a very substantial, yet very brief essay on the nature of freedom. It is a clear, simple and direct exegesis of this concept. The author of the essay, Albert Camus, wrote ‘The Rebel’ in 1942. It was published in 1947.
In short, the essay is about giving life to our desire for freedom. What are the conditions under which freedom becomes an experience that “is good for man?” The essay discusses all these questions.
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