Freedom vs. Survival

#1
Freedom and Survival can sometimes go hand and hand. The United States in general allows people the freedom to do what they want to do and does not have any constant major security threats. However, there are times when one must choose between freedom and survival, and for me, the choice is clear. It is just plain dumb to choose to fight for freedom rather than guarantee yourself survival. Risking your life for a cause is very brave, but when you can just as easily surrender and be guaranteed life, fighting is just a waste.
Death is the biggest fear of the majority of the people in the world, mostly because of the uncertainty death brings. Depending on what a person’s beliefs are, he/she might believe that there is life beyond death and that God will grant them eternal life. But no matter what happens when one dies, it is never a good thing for the family and friends who are left behind. To even think about willingly giving up your life no matter what the reason is shows a lack of respect for your loved ones. What if you lose? What if your death does not affect the course of things and your family still loses their freedom? They could even be killed because of what you did. Death also puts a big stopper in your helpfulness to the community. It is very difficult to help others with their problems if you are dead. Living creates the opportunity to do more good for the world and gives people the chance to try to improve their situation and the situations of others around them without the loss of life. No matter what the afterlife may bring, your death does not help the people still living and can really hurt those you love.
However, I do realize that there is an upside to risking lives for freedom. Take for example the American Revolution. If George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and co. had decided to take abuse from the British so they would ensure their survival, we would not be the country we are today. Martin Luther King Jr. lost his life while creating social change to make sure that “All men are created equal” really meant what it said. But If General Washington had decided to look at the position he was in, considered the probability of success, and made a rational decision; he would have laughed at himself for even thinking of leading an army in a revolution against Britain. In most cases of freedom versus survival, the odds are so overwhelmingly against you that fighting is just silly, but that slim chance of success drives individuals to fight. The American made an incredibly high risk move that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone, and it happened to work out for the best.
As I have said, the risk of fighting for freedom almost always outweighs the reward. Being cautious doesn’t always create an Oscar winning movie, but it also will never create an obituary. And as the old saying goes, if you give up and run away, at least you live another day.