Non Serviam
Welcome to Myself, Unfettered, a site dedicated to the exploration of individual freedom, and what that means to, well, different individuals. Each month, we'll be highlighting a different aspect of freedom, though not restricting ourselves to that aspect alone. This first month, December 2007, is dedicated to the power of "No".
According to Milton, it was the Devil who uttered the phrase, "I will not serve.", stating it is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven. Certainly, it is a common tool used by various authority figures, this association between rebellion and evil. When the powers we respect convince us disobedience is akin to heresy, they trap us into a form of slavery just as real as if we were chained and whipped.
When viewed logically, non serviam isn't a refusal to work with others, but a refusal to have de facto obligations to do what we're told just because someone with more power or influence tells us to do it.
Yet, we submit all the time. Our employers ask more from us than they're ethically or legally entitled to ask, and we give in, because we fear the loss of our paychecks. Our churches exert power over us, threatening us with God's damnation if we don't live according to the wishes of a select few who claim a higher understanding of God's word. Our governments shackle us, invade our privacy, and lead us to believe the power of the people is derived from the government, not the other way around.
Of course, subservience isn't just a matter of saying "I will", and freedom isn't as simple as saying "I won't". As individuals, we strive to follow our own dreams, but as members of society, of families and as employees, we do have obligations and responsibilities.The idea of non serviam isn't just a matter of doing whatever we want, whenever we want to do it. It's about weighing liberty with responsibility.
Where do my rights end and my obligations begin? That is the question Myself, Unfettered will attempt to tackle this month. As always, your participation is extremely welcome