Blog Post #3

 #4 Individual Self-fulfillment (or self-actualization) 

According to C. Edwin Barker, in his novel called “Human, liberty, and freedom of speech” Free speech enables individuals to express themselves and thereby create their own identity - and in the process perhaps, find kindred spirits. Freedom of speech thus becomes an aspect of human dignity, human agency, and autonomy. This general idea and description of self-actualization strongly relates to the fourth core value of freedom of expression.

 According to google self-actualization in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is “a realization of the fulfillment of one’s talents and potentialities especially as a drive need or present in everyone.” It is truly important that everyone is their own individual and unique self people should not conform to the norms of society because if everyone was the same then we would live in a rather boring world and there would not be much diversity. 

One of the very unique attributes about America as a country is that it is the single most diverse place on the planet because people from all over the world live there and create a better life for themselves and their own families. When people come from different parts of the world they are able to spread their ideas and cultural values upon separate areas within the nation. People in the country are able to enjoy and adopt these ideas so they can taste several different ways of life that are clearly different from their own. Large cities throughout America have unique cultural neighborhoods that offer people an authentic feeling so they can experience how other people live their life. Most other countries have their own way of doing things and everything is essentially unanimous because there is not much of a unique difference among cultures. 

Americans allow people to express themselves and be themselves to whatever appearance they want to as long as they are not creating any disturbances by breaking laws. The democratic system of government is imperative in the sense of how it allows people to be themselves and express themselves without facing any sort of punishment whatsoever. Other nations especially in the middle east, have strict governments and dictators that will either imprison or unfortunately murder people for being their own expressive selves. I feel very fortunate that I live in a society and country where I can be whoever I want and look whatever way I choose without being legally punished due to the freedom of speech.

 Another important area to consider when looking at free and individual expression within America is art. Many people are censored throughout their artwork depending on where they live in the world and it is not right that the government has such an influential decision on what a person worked very hard on and they consider their own masterpiece. 

As a result, I consider myself very fortunate to be an American citizen and that I have the fundamental and essential rights that I was granted. I can express myself on several aspects including my personal, religious, political, and beliefs without getting in any sort of trouble. I can look and dress in whatever way I want to without getting in trouble, and I can experience several cultures because of the idea of how people are allowed to express and spread their own ideas among each other.