Freedom

? ? ? ? asked:


What is the difference between “freedom from…” and “freedom to…”?

As in: “We were given freedom from oppression” and “They weren’t bestowed with the freedom to express themselves.”

I think I came across this while reading “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood. It’s a novel about life in a false-utopian dictatorship-like society. Actually, more like a totalitarian society. It’s about how every person in society has a role such as “the handmaid”, “the wife”, “the Marthas”, “the Commander”, “the Econowives” etc. The main character, Offred eventually learns of the dystopia in the society she lives in and secretly plans a revolution. It’s a pretty good book really.

Colby