Of the difference between ‘liberty’ and ‘liberties’

 

 

IN THE dictionary, the difference between ‘liberty’ and ‘liberties’ may be stated that one is singular and the other is its plural expression. In social and cultural terms, the two words express altogether different meanings -- which unfortunately many among us just do not bother to think about. But as the nation celebrated Independence Day just two days ago, it is critical that we understood the difference in clear terms. The dictionary states that ‘liberty’ means ‘the freedom to go where you want, do what you want etc etc ...’. Human Rights activists would say, in effect, ‘we must defend our civil liberties at all costs’, suggesting that there are many faces of freedom or liberty and all of those are important to human existence. So the need to defend our ‘civil liberties’. But then, there also is another cultural context to the word ‘liberties’.

 

This has little to do with the plural form of ‘liberty’. This has much to do with the licentious behaviour of somebody. If somebody is defying common sense, not respecting the space of others and stepping on their toes (physically or metaphorically), hurting other people’s dignity, indulging in criminal actions, showing scant respect to law, then such a person is often described in cultural terms as taking too many liberties. Bringing to the fore this distinction between the meanings of the two similar-looking words has become necessary now because many among us are taking too many liberties in the name of defending -- or enjoying -- their liberty. We often see such people in good numbers around us -- in public places, on roads, in schools and colleges, and even in homes.

 

These people often tend to step on other people’s toes and ignore their feelings by indulging in brazen conduct unmindful of the ill-effects their behaviour is having on the surroundings. In our language tutorial class in the college, the Professor asked us students to write a piece each (of about 300 words) about a woman who walked right in the middle of the road at a traffic rush hour. When a gentleman accosted her and requested her to move to one side and then resume her walk, the woman refused, insisting that she was the free citizen of a free country and was enjoying her citizen’s liberty to do whatever she pleased. Our Professor expected us to write our opinion on whether that woman’s stance was correct or not. Let alone what we wrote in our respective pieces, the story of that women offers an eye-opening social metaphor. For, if somebody is walking right in the middle of a flowing road in traffic rush-hour, then he/she is only offending the community and other people’s right to have a risk-free usage of the road. In the light of the difference between ‘liberty’ and ‘liberties’, we must say that the woman walking in the middle of the street is abusing the idea of ‘liberty’ and is taking too many liberties. Today, in our society, we find countless incarnations of that woman walking in the middle of the busy road defying logic and ignoring other people’s inconvenience.

 

As we exercise our right as free citizens of a free country (society), we must also keep in mind that the ‘liberty’ we have as a matter of right cannot be abused by taking too many ‘liberties’ and marauding the system that is operating socially smoothly and legally correctly. Yet, as we must admit with much sadness, there are many, many people among us who often take too many liberties with the system and still expect to be allowed to continue in that manner. In a civil society, such a conduct is considered uncouth, to say the least. This social problem needs to be tackled collectively by all of us. And the effort must begin right at home when the child is growing up. Teaching him/her the difference between ‘liberty’ and ‘liberties’ is essential from the point of view of grooming the little one to become a good citizen later on. Even if we start making such an effort seriously, we will at least start responding to one of the callings of freedom or liberty.