Existential freedom does exist, despite all the freedom that is taken from us. It exists as long as we don't take freedom as all-encompassing. Freedom is not absolute, it exists in a context in which choices are made. The choice of one excludes a freedom from the other. But we all live to become free, whatever that freedom is. It's different for everyone.

On the one hand there is the freedom of progression, on the other that of deconstruction (a freedom that cancels itself so as not to abolish the freedom of the other). There is also the pragmatic, contextual freedom. You can't want to do and say everything at all times.

All of this is undeniably existential freedom because humanity is an aspiration. Freedom is within our reach when we believe in it, even if we are never satisfied. We cannot say that there is no freedom within that dissatisfaction. It's not black and white, but what we make of it.

by Thierry Limpens