Beginning an article with a dictionary definition is somewhat of a tired trope, nevertheless here I will examine a syllable as opposed to the whole word. The second syllable of ‘freedom’ ‘dom,’ refers to a noun describing a state or condition. Throughout history though, the suffix -dom’s attachment to other nouns has meant freedom’s course has rarely ran smooth. Nouns denoting a class of people, such as officialdom, or that indicate a rank: earldom, or domain: kingdom/Christendom. All of the above have conspired to curtail the processes of freedom in their time, working in concert or separately, prompts the question: is freedom ‘free?’

The state or condition of being free has conditions on itself and one could argue that freedom is something earned. Libertarians will insist on the bare minimum (or non-existent) state intervention, whereas socialists will champion a large state and the never the twain shall meet! When I say freedom is earned that is not implying that individuals must strive for it but moreover that freedom is something we continously strive to achieve against forces conniving to reduce liberty to a bare minimum. This ranges from religious/ideological suppression to the modern plans to reduce net neutrality, the old adage says: “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”

Since the 80s ushered in the eras of Thatcherism and Reganomics, an upshoot in the decline of living standards, combined with the hegemony of corporations have managed to overrun the world with global brands. Times Square, Piccadilly Circus to Tokyo see corporate logos sprayed across screens in lurid abandon and in opposition to the logos of Carl Jung overrides reason with naked lust, married to the theological logos: “the word of God,” enthralling us all. Combine this with Globalism and what have we got? A patchwork quilt of former independent nations, blanketed by global, pan-continental trading deals/blocs — the EU, TPP/TTIP, just to name a few — smothering Earth in a near-imitation map, akin to that of Borges’ “On Exactitude in Science:”

As the story [above] goes, the facade of perfection and idealism cracks, rots like everything else to become a relic and it is what Globalist forces attempt with individual identities. Our right to expression was earned off the blood and hardships of countless people to achieve the liberty to express ourselves and being at the mercy of global forces will regress those gains, as we are all capital to a corporate/global cabal.