Freedom itself can be defined as the state of being free, absence of coercion in choice of action, the quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous and unrestricted use. Freedom like authority is not absolute but rather, these are two balancing forces that are necessary like heat and cold. However where there is freedom, there is also restriction. There is always my statement, "You can do what you want, just DO NOT break the rules." to people who think I believe that despotism (the polar opposite of a wrong view of democracy) works.
Allow me to give a picture of freedom of doing what you want but there are rules. I am free to do business as long as I do it within perimeters. I can open up a store anywhere I want as long as the places are for business. I have no freedom to evict an existing business just so I can set my business there. If I were in a restaurant, I have the freedom to order anything but as long as it's within reason and availability. If I were in Army Navy, I can order anything on its menu as long as its available and two, I still have the duty to line up like everybody does.
However the Failipino view of democracy is different from that of the enlightened Pinoy/Filipino. While enlightened Filipinos/Pinoys are proud of the fact that they follow rules, they love peace and order, they believe in a balance of freedom and restrictions, the Failipino is an opposite to that view. For the Failipino view of freedom, it's a do what I want, it's a free country, I can do what I want and not to mention, "I will kill myself I had to follow rules." type of outlook in life. It just reminded me of why a certain Murican wanted to transfer to the Philippines because he wants a place where freedom for him is not restricted at all. It also reminded me of how somebody told me, "If you like being strict with the rules, join the Communists!" type of talk.
Let us think for a second to how a dysfunctional sense of freedom is not really freedom at all but rather stupidity. Let's think for a second on who in the right mind would consider living in the slums of Tondo to be paradise? Whenever I think of the slum areas with their practices of just throwing their waste (including human waste) anywhere they please, they litter, do vandalism, etc. I wouldn't want to live there. Even if my car isn't a BMW (I'm a Toyota driver) but I definitely don't want it vandalized. I wouldn't want to conduct business with a lot of workers who don't do their jobs and to be robbed while doing business. At night, I would have to keep an eye for everything and I couldn't sleep worrying a criminal could enter my house. For one, I have lost my freedom because people just do whatever they want.
You can choose to break the rules but they will always carry consequences. Even if the consequences are not now, they can manifest later. Let's take the simplest of rules like the sidewalk rules. When I got my traffic violation ticket for a reckless turn, it was a reminder that I could have freaking killed someone with what I did (fortunately I haven't). Jaywalking may get you ran over by any running vehicle. Crossing an area while the train is running can turn you into ground meat. Throwing garbage here and there will sooner or later clog the drains and on the meantime, invite pests and other related diseases. Drug dealing will deliver every drug related disaster like crime and symptoms related to drug abuse. Alcoholism creates a chaotic society. Working in a chemistry laboratory without the proper equipment will only result to the person getting scarred (and chemistry as my science teacher says IS the riskiest branch of science). There are others I can mention. As said, rules just do not exist without a purpose. When America was founded by George Washington, it was an America that did not believe in the Murican style of democracy.
There is the statement, "Outside the law there is no freedom." and that is true. Why are rules set? It's to set society in order. Why are rules against murder and stealing written? It's to keep society safe. Okay too much rules is not good but we do need rules. If there are rules, there will be a basis for order. If somebody vandalized my property, I can file charges. If a thief entered my house, I would have the ground to call the cops to have the person locked up. All these rules may seem burdensome but they don't have to be a burden if you love law and order. Law and order are not repressive unless overly emphasized or executed in a dictatorial way. Democracy is all about a balance of freedom and restriction, not absolute freedom as Failipinos want to define it.
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