How do the concepts of "freedom" and "discipline" relate to each other?

Question

Full disclosure:

This question was prompted by another person in my contacts. Since I am interested in knowing specifically what this person will answer, that answer will have a bit of an advantage. If that doesn't deter you, I welcome answers from anyone of course.

Answer 1

What is “freedom?” A popular song said that “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”1   “Attachment” was a much discussed topic in the 60's and this song defines freedom as a lack of attachment.  A dictionary definition of freedom often will define “freedom” as something without a constraint or limitation.2  At times you may hear the redundancy of someone speaking about “complete freedom.” The implication is that they can go completely wild in their creative choices.  Freedom on a national or political level is often called “liberty.”  Freedom then is lack of attachment and  without a constraint or limitation.  It is similar to liberty and may be useful for creative thinking.

We speak of “things” giving us freedom.  Household appliances are a common example, but by extension we can speak about anything that supplies additional energy to our efforts.(3&4)   These things that give us freedom are doing routine tasks or are making the tasks we must perform more efficient.

While bad habits will hold us back, useful habits free our concentration for non routine tasks, creative tasks.  A good habit then is something like our appliances or extra energy that gives us more freedom.  It is said that one way to develop good habits is to follow a routine until it “becomes a habit.”  Ã¢Â€ÂœFollowing that routine is a discipline.”

Discipline has a dictionary definition as a noun referring to a course of study(see 6), as a verb meaning, to punish, and the term, “self discipline.”5 Self discipline, described as “correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement.”  Self discipline may also be described in certain circumstances as restraint.  

When I exercise my freedom without restraint I can lose my freedom not by the imposition of control from some external agency but because freedom is built upon a foundation of discipline.  Some animals habits are rather neat and others are more casual. Some will do their business in the same spot by nature (like cats) and others like birds have no such discipline. Confine a bird and don’t clean out the area and you could kill it. A similar situation happens with us. Individually the freedom we enjoy comes at the expense of maintaining some order.   If we don’t take out the garbage, it will mound up even to the point of restricting our movements.  Therefore there is a constant tension between freedom and discipline.  We need enough discipline to gain freedom and we must limit our freedom with discipline to keep what we have.

In Plato’s Republic he sought to describe a “perfect” individual by comparing it to the “perfect” society. Regardless of the accuracy, I believe the comparison (the method) is informative. A general rule for our society is that our freedom is limited by the freedoms of others. My “right” to cough is or should be limited by another’s right to limit their exposure to my germs. Socially exercising restraint is to allow someone else a freedom. It might be thought of as a social market in that you hope to receive similar treatment. (A quid pro quo: this for that)  Socially and as a state the freedoms we have must also come at the expense of maintaining some order. The madman exercising a freedom to kill with his AK-47 would come at the loss of someone else losing the right to life or liberty let alone the pursuit of happiness taken from them.

For both the individual and for an individual within society, freedom has a cost. Part of that cost is maintaining a limit against which unrestrained freedom would limit freedom. Laws help to define that limit.  Ã¢Â€ÂœUnder anarchy, there is no freedom.”7

1 “Me and Bobby Mcgee” various artists  

2http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionar...

3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyman_Ricko...

4http://energybulletin.net/node/23151

5http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionar...

6John Dewey and discipline http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/eps/PES-Yearbook/...

7http://radicalacademy.com/adlerfreedomth...

http://improvehuman.wordpress.com/2006/0...

inner and outer freedom, discipline grants freedom http://www.idealsoulutions.com/viewartic...

http://simplycharlottemason.com/2007/06/...

http://www.apple-juice.co.uk/pages/limit...

Answer 2

Freedom without discipline is license.

Licentious comes from the word license.

Answer 3

The more freedom we have, the greater the need for SELF- discipline.

Answer 4

It depends upon to what arenas or aspects you are relating freedom and discipline.  In certain circumstances they wouldn't relate at all.