New Life #587 – Freedom Of Expression

New Life #587 – Freedom Of Expression
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

What responsibility is placed on a person who publicizes his personal opinions, what kind of responsibility is involved in the use of freedom of speech, and why should we understand where humanity is heading before using this freedom?

Summary

To the degree that a person expresses his opinions, he feels his existence. This is a natural impulse that is derived from the ego. As we develop and the ego grows, we demand more freedom of expression.

Looking deeper, it is worthwhile clarifying what freedom of expression is. Is it the freedom to say anything that comes to me? Freedom of expression also requires a person to be responsible because his words can have much influence in the world.

In the wisdom of Kabbalah, it is explained that even the thoughts of a person influence the world, so this requires even more responsibility.

Freedom of expression, as it is today, leads to social disorder and contempt of people toward each other. Even the media are controlled by particular interest groups and others, and everything is bought and sold with money.

To reach true freedom of expression, we must learn what the world is developing toward according to the law of nature. The summit of development will be when all parts of reality will be in absolute balance, connected as one.

On the way to this, we must go through all kinds of forms of opposition between each other, as it is said, “…as light excelleth darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:13).

The opinions that people express today are not really independent opinions. What is heard impresses one, and so on.

A child’s self-expression are to grab, take, and hit others. Then he or she expresses verbally. Yet it is not enough to allow a person to shout his opinions; he must be taught what the good state toward which we aspire is.

Nature determines where we are advancing to, not us. But like little children, it seems to us that we are free. Keeping our mouths shut is also not good. But in the meantime, when everyone shouts, we aren’t advancing toward the good. Without a general social educational process, we won’t advance toward the good.

We must know what the law of nature is demanding from us. The final state nature is moving us toward is for us to be as a single unit, “As one person with one heart.” When this general picture becomes clear, everyone will be able to express themselves optimally.

In summary, freedom of expression obligates us first to learn what kind of world we are in.
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From KabTV’s “New Life #587 – Freedom Of Expression,“ 6/21/15