"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains" a valid notion?

Question: "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains" a valid notion!?

a quote from Sartre, your opinions on its value please!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Absolutely!. I’d say that tragically, all those chains come from other people: our society first and foremost!. And I don’t mean in the sense of having rules and laws (that’s a good thing)!. I mean psychological chains, and those are the worst kind!. They are stronger than steal and practically invisible!.

As if it weren't already hard enough to undo all the conditionings given to us by society (and its damn near impossible), most people are completely oblivious to them, and are usually quite happy to keep it that way!. If being a prisoner is easy, and being free is hard (and even scary at times) the average Joe will forego his sunsets and songbirds, and just take his place behind bars!. He feels comfortable there!. he's used to it!. and most of his friends are there!.

Fight Club puts it best:

"I see all this potential!. And I see it squandered!. an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables!. Slaves with white collars!.
Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy **** we don't need!.
We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires and movie-gods and rock-stars, but we won’t!.
We are the middle children of history, no purpose or place!. We have no great war, no great depression!. Our great war is a spiritual war!. Our great depression is our lives!.”

The problem, is that it goes way deeper than that!. Its not just that we’re all raised on TV, and that “Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy **** we don't need!.” (lol that’s the best line)!. Our unsophisticated shallow materialism is just the tip of the iceberg!.

We are literally slaves in our own entire conception of reality, from the way we think, to the actions we take, our entire character!. We are raised that way!. We are raised by our parents to be Christians, or Hindus, or Buddhists; to be Liberals, or to be Conservatives; to act this way or that!.

You gotta be willing to think for yourself!. but its dangerous, its isolating, and its so scary!. "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you!." Everybody thinks they think for themselves…!.!. Never!.!. Not once… Not even a single time!.!.!.if when you ask someone if they think for themselves, will they EVER tell you "no"!. It doesn’t happen!. It never happens!.

And yet, you get hardcore fundamentalist Christians, who can’t name 3 of the 10 commandments, know nothing about Jesus, and don’t even practice what he taught (turn the other cheek, don’t judge people, give to those who ask of you) out on the street corners preaching hatred, telling people their life choices are evil and they are going to hell!.
– Its total hypocrisy –
We have million dollar rappers wearing diamond-studded crosses, thanking god in their acceptance speeches, promoting gang violence over song lyrics, and teaching children that is all okay!.
– Not picking on Christians, I love them very much –
All of this comes from our social conditionings, and the lack of effort and courage to change ourselves… not each other, we can’t even change ourselves, how could we even think of trying to change others!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Man is not born free!. He is born with a baggage full of two differing genes seeking to reconcile within!. Unless bound be love, a labour fought fruitlessly and a cross one bears until one is able to detach oneself without injury or harm to any parties!.

Man was created free, in the image of a creator who upon gazing upon his reflection, fell in love and brought to life his likeness!. It multiplies and strayed away in many forms and hues, and battle to unite and become one!. Until this unification to one mind and one spirit and accord transpires God and his creation remain in struggle!.

His task is to shed what is earthly matter and nourish what is spirit!. Submission to Gods will is a release from earthly attachment and salvation!. A reconciliation with prevalent peace and love in the world!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

It is a valid notion!. From the day man is born he is chained like a prisoner unable to get away from death, caught on Earth and in it's environment, formed mentally by others and his environment through the knowledge he acquires!. He is free in the sense that he can set himself free at all times by killing himself!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the freedom of man is unquestionable man is the measure of all things!.

I dislike the existentialist perspective because it ignores the connection of one man to another, sartre added to those chains he composed a metaphysics bereft of inherent value: by doing so his legacy is more chains!. Individualisation can be beautiful in its originality but terrible in it's depravity - there has to be a connection to make it valid, otherwise one mans pure freedom will be at the expense of another swathe of men in chains!. Our recent financial meltdown is a prime example of the places this continuing legacy combined with the wealth disparity, if unchecked, takes us to!.

However the fact that i dislike Sartre makes his statement no less valid - he sees the dark reality ( a strength of the existentialsits when there actually is one despite the fact they always took it too far)

you have to effing care and have a reason to care that can never expire, so that you never lay chains - bring me a sartre and i'll show that sad sack a trick or two about the intrinsic quality of life

there is an enemy - he saw it but he was a moaner with no real gumption or reason to set about the task he knew was at hand unknowingly in his absence of a connection perpetuating that lack of gumption and worsening the problem!.

This enemy is a lumbering giant of social patterns which are unchecked and beholden only to themselves, they usurp our own power giving it to themselves to lend themselves unfair stability and strength where none is required because with a little care they can be more inclusive without being abusive!. things will be changing now, it has only recently occured to many sharp minds that the fabric of our society reaches a critical point if rules get to create themselves!. all social patterns can only be directly from our best whihc we are definitely worth - They cannot be allowed to self perpetuate and embed!. constant vigilence and regualtion is required to make those patterns work for us and we have been decadently asleep in our luxury homes with our disposable incomes for long enough to make it a difficult journey!. Luckily we progess far faster when in strife - times of war, ugly as they are, bring great advance simply because we focus - and we just got in a war with our own society - the intellectual structures required to modify it an organisational level are being created by our leaders now and if they screw it up we'll know and they won't be our leaders for long!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It is in fact true, if you are talking about the physical realm!.

There are restrictions imposed upon us in ever facet of the physical life, that even reach so far as the mind (in terms of "moral" and conscientious restrictions)!.

Though it is only through that mental realm where we can truly remove the chains that bind us and be free both mentally and physically!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Wow, Sartre and Forrest Gump!. Aren't you cultured!?

You are an absolute riot!. Is that intentional or are you merely suffering from delusions of grandeur!? I believe someone of high intelligence would have a general idea about grammar and wouldn't need to resort to using the word 'knob'!. Bless you!Www@QuestionHome@Com

yep when we are born we are very selfish all about me kind of things!. no one expects us to do a thing and therefore we can do anything we wish!. not that we are able to do much of anything but sleep, eat, poop, and cry!. but as soon as you are a few months old people start expecting you to do things!. you are expected to learn to speak and do other tasks that seem minor to people over the age of 5!. but at the time they are great accomplishments!. as we get older we become responsible for ourselves and eventually other people!. we have obligations and things people expect us to do!. these are the chains!. sometimes they are welcome and we gladly put them on our shoulders and they comfort us!. but other times they just bog us down and are unwanted!. funny thing is that true freedom comes with more responsibility than people think!. imagine that you could do anything you wanted when you wanted!. but also other people could to!. it would be a bit chaotic and you would have a responsibility to do no harm and that is how laws and government are started!. it is just too much responsibility for one person if there are a lot of people around!. and there are a lot of people on this earth that is getting smaller every day!. if you want to have freedom all you have to do is do what you want!. have no constrictions on doing anything within reason!. but hey the only thing really standing in your way is laws and few people don't get caught!. many people every year break laws for different reasons!. a few even do it because the laws are wrong!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

The chains of family,
the chains of work
the chains of society, marriage, mistress, dog!.

Valid!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

No, Sarte was a great but sometimes confusing writer and sometimes he was simply confused!. This statement is an example, I think, of both conditions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There is the physical chains and the far worse personally inflicted chains keeping a free mind locked away!. I feel Sartre was addressing that, well 'tis only my view!Www@QuestionHome@Com

You have to experience chains before you can fully appreciate freedom!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

for chains substitute ~tax~bills ~mortgage~commitments to others,Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm retired and doing what I like everyday, so it don't apply to me anymore !Www@QuestionHome@Com

Only in chains if into s and mWww@QuestionHome@Com