Do we want to be free?

Larisa Pautova, sociologist at the Public Opinion Foundation

“Speaking of freedom, we seem to speak different languages, we mean different things. Freedom for some is momentary satisfaction, freedom for others is something lofty, philosophical… For the first group, freedom is “send the nanny to walk with the child and watch TV herself”, for the second, freedom is responsibility, everything that is connected with the process over Pussy Riot and the Khodorkovsky case.

Our sense of freedom is influenced by many circumstances: material problems, restrictions related to work and family. In the answers of those who consider themselves not free, it often sounds: “because the wife is nearby”, “because all the time you have to pay for something, follow the rules”, “because I live in a rented apartment” … Choosing freedom or stability, they vote for stability: 73% would prefer confidence in the future, predictability, constancy.

As a result of our research, we identified four groups of Russians. 23% always feel not free. As a rule, these people are not self-confident, do not feel satisfied with life, happy, who have found themselves and their life purpose. They rely more on the external environment than on themselves. 46% feel always free (although, given the inconsistency of their answers, I would reduce this number by 10-15%). In the second group, older people are more common. They motivate their position by not having to go to work; the only thing holding them back is lack of money or poor health. Young people feel free sometimes or periodically. Because of studies, work, small children… There is a group of people who believe that it is impossible to feel free all the time: 11% think about it often, 15% rarely.”

Tatyana Vorozheikina, sociologist at the Levada Center

“For me, the symbol of freedom is Natalya Gorbanevskaya, who on August 25, 1968 came to Red Square with the slogan “For your and our freedom.” She was an absolutely free person – in any circumstances she acted as she considered proper. Her act is evidence of the superiority of a person’s inner freedom over external circumstances. Gorbanevskaya’s example points to the connection between freedom and morality and responsibility. Nadezhda Mandelstam writes about the same: “Freedom is based on moral law. Self-will is the result of the play of passions. Svoboda says: “So it is necessary, so I can.” Self-will says: “I want – so I can.” Osip Mandelstam in 1922, returning from Georgia to Moscow, said: “Everyone had a new note: people dreamed of an iron order in order to rest and digest the experience of devastation. The thirst for strong power seized all layers of our country. There is contempt and hatred for all forms of democracy.” We observe approximately the same sentiments in society today. According to our study “What freedoms are important to you personally?”, the first place (56% in 2011) is taken by the answer “Sufficient protection from the state in case of illness, job loss and poverty”. In second place is “The ability to buy what you want” (53%). On the third – “Equal chances in life and work” (5 2%), the fourth – “Freedom to express one’s opinion”, the fifth – “The opportunity to live where you want.” The thirteenth position is “Freedom from state control and state interference in personal life.” Political freedoms – “Freedom to choose between political parties” (18%) and “Freedom to take part in rallies and demonstrations” (13%). Society is giving up freedom in favor of stability. People prefer order to freedom.”

Dmitry Leontiev, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Moscow State University. M. V. Lomonosov, head of the laboratory at the Higher School of Economics.

“The main point that most people put into answers about freedom and non-freedom is the extent to which they have to do what they do not want to do and be able to do what they want. That is why people in retirement feel more free. And that is why women often feel not free – they have to do what they don’t want to do more than men, they are more attached to the compulsions of life.

Freedom is not directly related to moral categories. Psychologist Rollo May analyzed this issue and showed that there are no guarantees that a more developed and free person will do good and will not do evil. If we try to create a person who is guaranteed to do only good, then he will not be free. As you know, with the help of lobotomy, electroshock therapy, they tried to fight evil for a long time. This method is to bring to the point of absurdity the idea of ​​forming a good person, an attempt to eliminate what deprives him of control. However, having lost the opportunity to do evil, he ceases to do good and can do nothing at all of his own choice, becomes a controlled puppet. It turns out that for everything in life, including freedom, you have to pay something. In paradise, Adam and Eve were absolutely serene and happy, but they did not know good and evil. By eating apples from the tree of knowledge, they knew good and evil. They lost their happiness, but they became responsible for their own lives.”