The Unexpected Reason Why Freedom From Limitation Doesn’t Give You More Freedom

There’s a trend in modern philosophical thinking that says ultimate freedom lies in the absence of limits.

The very presence of limits, or so the philosophy goes, is what hinders humanity.

Sam Harris alludes to this extensively in his book Free Will. While his work tries to argue that free will doesn’t exist, the idea of removing all limitations is the basis of his proposals. Look for his favorite phrase, “Where is the freedom in that?”

If only we could only remove any and all fetters, constraints, hindrances, especially the ones inside of us, then at last we would really and truly be free.

Unfortunately, this isn’t so.

It’s quite romantic, sure. But like all fairy-tale endings, it’s not true.

What’s true is the reverse.

Choice Overload

When people are given infinite choices, or at least more choices than they can imagine, they don’t do well. They start to develop a kind of overload. Psychologist Barry Schwartz, in his Ted talk “The paradox of choice”, calls this choice paralysis.

Ultimate freedom to choose anything, to do anything tends to make us less likely to choose and then to be more unhappy with whatever decision we do make.

This trend leads to less action, more stagnation and only ourselves to blame.

This sounds quite the opposite of “more freedom” than our erstwhile modern philosophy promises.

But why?

It seems to make so much sense. How can increased choice of freedom result in us taking fewer choices and being more unhappy? We can find a hint in human nature.

We are limited creatures. There’s no denying this.

We’re limited in just about every way: physical, emotional, moral, intellectual, spiritual, imaginative, on and on.

Simply put, we are not geared to operate in a limitless arena. When presented with what amounts to the complete removal of limits (more choices than we can comprehend), we can’t process it.

We start to shut down instead, shrinking the arena, looking to bring limits back into the story so we can function again.

Like every creature on earth, every form of life with which we are familiar, we’re designed to work within boundaries rather than without.

We simply do not possess infinite energy to engage nor capacity to process.

Limits don’t retard our growth, but stimulate it

While we are limited, our human nature possesses many interesting features.

One of them is that we only respond and adapt when put under pressure.

Our physical bodies behave this way. Our muscles grow after we stress them. Our immune systems get stronger after we expose them to dirty things (like toddlers tasting bugs for the first time).

Our brains and nervous systems grow more and better connections only after we stress them with stimuli, ideas, and cognitive challenge.

Our character is the same. Present people with a life challenge and sooner later they will rise to it. Some vigorously tackle it, like searching for a new job when circumstances wipe out the old one.

Others lapse into a demoralized procrastination and only write the college paper the night before it’s due. But at some point, our pressure response does kick in.

Limitation as positive pressure

Limits are a kind of pressure. They help to create the situation which stimulates growth. They may seem to hinder us, but only when you look at them from the pre-growth perspective. Viewed from that narrow angle, they appear to shackle our freedom.

But step back and look at things from a wider perspective. From the horizon of time and growth, limits are a gift, for they are the stimulus to every kind of human growth; physical, moral, and spiritual.

You can not directly cause your own growth, but you can arrange favorable conditions to stimulate it.

The real path to more freedom

The wish to remove any and all limits, to rip out the rule book and insert your own cheat codes is understandable. God, we all want more of something, and NOW, right?

But in this game of life, it just doesn’t work.

Real freedom — to move and live and have your life on your own terms — is achieved through acquiring skill.

That takes blood, sweat, and tears. And in this effort, limits are your friend.

Embrace your limits! Let them put positive pressure on you to become better, smarter, stronger, calmer, more at peace.

It is hard work, no question. But you are creatively up to the task, my friends.

You can do it.

Life is but a day’s work — do it well. The act is ours; the consequences God’s. — The Urantia Book 48:7.13 (556.13)