The absolute terror of total freedom
It can be disappointing, even disorientating, when you start to learn that ‘freedom’ doesn’t really mean freedom, at least not absolutely. These days, whenever I feel too happy, I scroll through the comments sections on social media posts about the COVID-19 vaccine. The uncertainty, fear, vitriol, stubbornness, entitlement, moral superiority and stupidity on display is enough to ruin even the best day. It is a pity that we have become so bad at debating, because this could have been an opportunity to have an interesting discussion about what it means to have rights and freedoms in a democratic society such as ours. One of the most uncomfortable ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every person on earth is the way in which some of our freedoms, which we perhaps previously…