H. L. Mencken had once said: “The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.” Mencken shows the conflicts between freedom and selfishness through what he said. In our modern society, people want to be free so they can pursue their dreams without intervention from others. However, success does not come without a “fight”; rewards do not come without competition. One’s desire for freedom can sometimes affect the freedom of others who compete with him for the limited opportunities. Mencken in his quote mentioned the average man should place “safety” over “freedom”. He does not mean that people should have their freedom completely removed in order to create a safe and fair society; a society like this is grim and dark, and is often …show more content…
Both philosophers of the past and of the modern times had often debated about the ideal society. Thomas Hobbes’ writings reflect his idea that wars constantly take place because humans are never satisfied with the things that they possess. His idea was based on his experience being a citizen of an absolute Empire in which the Monarch and his nobles indulged pleasures because he had absolute freedom and power. Compared to the governments in the past, the modern government is less corrupt and more democratic. The reasons for this is because freedom is much more evenly distributed among the population. Government itself is established on a separations of powers sentiment. The laws prevent one person from getting too much freedom and still provide people with certain rights that allow them to protect themselves. Modern philosophers had often praised how this check-and-balance system helps to draw a balance for power. The comparison between the modern society and the past clearly shows that an uncontrolled society produces chaos, whereas a controlled society limits people’s freedom, but people in general still live happy