Freedom

Liberté

a right overlooked by many
airy, lightweight, lifted
constitution, lack of restraint, statue of liberty
cost, rights, fight
democracy, happiness
essential,human right
fighters
flag, school
happiness, democracy
jail, flag
liberty, imperfect
liberty, thought
necessary, controlled
necessary, unbiased
slavery
speech, vote, love

air, puissance, intégrité
bouger,personnalité
devise de la France, libertés, censure
Dieu, Bonheur
droit, inaliénable
essentielle, vitale
faire ce qu'on veut, ne pas abolir celle des autres
fraternité, égalité
important, multiple
indépendance, être libre
libre,arbitre
sexe
utopie
vent, nuit,bouger
vert, soleil
voler, faire ce qu'on veut

Discussion

les fancais ont souvent attribué des mots qui etaient très variés pour la liberté, alors qu'on voit ça plus comme un droit chez vous...

Je me demandais sinon, en parlant de liberté...Le fait que vous ayez votre majorité à 21 ans, est ce que c'est un moment où hop vous vous sentiez plus libre?

It is interesting that the French notion of freedom is so much more vaired than that of Americans...the words chosen by the Americans seem to be much more patriotic or politically oriented, while the French have many words associated with nature like: air, sexe, utopie, vent, nuit, soleil, vert.

In response to your question, I am not yet 21 but I am sure that when I turn 21 I will have a greater feeling of "freedom." It is interesting how various degrees of freedom are linked so closely with age in the United States.

I think turning 21 is a milestone many teenagers can't wait to reach. It just seems that here in America so much is restricted for teenagers until they are of a certain age. We all remember what it was like after every birthday it was : "I can't wait until I'm (fill in age) !!!" As you got a little older, you earned a little more freedom. I remember being 13 and happy to finally be able to see that PG-13 movie without my parents, then it was turning 16 and being thrilled to finally get my driver's license, and then I couldn't wait to turn 18 (legally an adult) and my parents trusted me to do alot more on my own. And now I'm waiting for 21; For most American teens turning 21 means being really accepted as an adult in society. I feel like its a time to be more socially responsible and aware of current issues. But there are the perks of being 21 like the legal drinking age; you can finally get the glass of wine at dinner in a restaurant, or a tropical drink on a cruise without feeling childish. But it'll take another 2 years before I'm there. Until then I'll enjoy being and acting my age ; )

How do age-restrictive laws play a role in your lives? How do you feel they limit your freedom to do certain things?

A vrai dire même si la vente d'alcool par est interdite aux mineurs, ce n'est pas vraiment controlé en France. dans les supermarchés par exemple, je vois mal la caissière demander la carte d'identité à quelqu'un de 17 ans (biensur si c'est un jeune de 13 ans...ça pose probleme). En fait je dirais que 18 ans, c'est juste une étape où on on a son bac, où on peut passer son permis et voter mais rien ne change, et on ne se sent pas forcément plus libre...

C'est vrai que ces lois sont tellement peut respectées que je ne suis pas très au courant!!! Le seul endroit ou on m'a demandé ma carte d'indentité (une fois) c'était pour aller en boîte, alors que j'avais plus de 18 ans. Les autres fois j'étais pas majeure et on me l'a pas demandée! Et puis quand j'avais 14 ou 15 ans, j'achetais des cigarettes ou je buvais de l'alcool dans des bars et on ne me demandais jamais mon âge...

Donc c'est vrai que la majortié pour moi, c'était un peu la liberté "officielle", mais je n'ai pas ressenti de réel changement...

Moi non plus!! C'est clair que pour l'alcool et le reste, l'âge n'a jamais été une barrière pour moi, j'ai d'ailleurs commencé très jeune mais bon c'est pas plus mal vu que ça m'a aussi permis de me calmer avant mes 20 ans. Pour vous dre, l'âge et les libertés sont si peu liées que lorsque j'avais 17 ans, je me suis promise d'aller dans un casino à la minute même ou j'attendrais18ans. Aujourd'hui je vais sur mes 22 ans et je n'y suis toujours pas allée!!!!

It is interesting... Clearly, age is not such a big deal in France. The strictest age limit in the U.S., I think, is the ban on alcohol until age 21. There have been many cases made in the past for lowering it (it used to be lower in a lot of states--Elizabeth Dole, as Transportation Secretary under Reagan in the '80s, forced all the states to raise it to 21 by threatening to revoke their federal highway funds if they didn't).

However, one argument--"the French do it (i.e. drink at a younger age)"--I cannot accept. There are too many fundamental differences. The two primary ones are 1) Americans' infatuation with the horseless carriage (that's a witty term for a car, for you francophones)--we do so much more driving than Europeans, greatly increasing the risk of alcohol-related accidents, and 2) the French (most Europeans, really) are raised learning to imbibe in moderation. They don't spend 20-some years bottling up this excitement of oh-boy-I-can-go-out-and-get-wasted now.

It's like with Prohibition here in the 1920s... people certainly didn't stop drinking alcohol, they just went underground to speakeasys and the like. Teenagers do exactly what they're told not to; they sneak out of their parents' houses and go get drunk somewhere else.

Drinking isn't such a big deal in France, since French kids usually don't experience this crazy novelty of drunkenness all at once, no? That would help explain why coming-of-age isn't quite so exciting there. What do you think?