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The Past, Present and Future of Freedom
Last week I kicked off a month-long series of discussions with members of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. Our topic is “Live Free and Thrive,” a twist on the state’s strident “live free or die” motto and an exploration of the meaning of freedom in these times. After this first 90-minute call, the conversation has already generated powerful insights with relevance for all of us and for this moment in human history.
The series came about as a follow-on to my keynote speech at NHBSR’s annual conference. The association’s director had proposed a series of ongoing discussions to explore themes from my book, The Age of Thrivability. And so I gave some thought to what, in particular, might be interesting, relevant and important to explore with that group. What immediately came to mind was an exploration of freedom. The intensifying polarization in the US seems to boil down to how we understand the relationship between freedom and social responsibility. And my sense is that this must be addressed if we are to hold the union intact.
To my surprise and delight, the director and her colleagues agreed to this topic, even with the potential sensitivity and controversy it carries.
Then, in the weeks before the series began, George Floyd’s murder sparked nationwide and global protests that brought the question of freedom…
