Freedom or Autonomy.

Which way?

In my personal journey away from freedom maximalism, I came to realize that freedom is not the right thing to prioritize or aspire to.

Like happiness, it’s a state we all value, but it’s not a purposeful end in itself. Freedom, much like happiness, is a byproduct—you don’t achieve it by chasing it directly. And just as happiness is more meaningful when earned, so too is freedom (and idea that likely already resonate with many of you).

What you may not have considered, however, is that freedom, like happiness, is a value not a vitrue. Values differ from virtues in that the former are passive while the latter are active.

The former are things you experience when you act in accordance with the latter. You experience happiness through making progress, just as you experience freedom through making choices (whether that choice is to take ownership and responsibility, or to let go and surrender).

This understanding led me to a deeper realization: freedom itself is almost a passive state, while agency and responsibility are active forces. You may value freedom, but attaining it requires deliberate action—action that demands responsibility and ownership.

This is where autonomy comes into the picture. Autonomy is conceptually a blend of freedom and responsibility. It is the ability (and freedom) to choose, combined with the courage (and responsibility) to own the consequences of those choices.

Full essay (short 3min read) here: