The Views of Freedom Held by Malcolm X and Anna Quindlen
1. Introduction
In this essay, I will compare and contrast the views of freedom held by Malcolm X and Anna Quindlen. I will discuss how they differ and what they have in common. In addition, I will argue that freedom is not an absolute concept, but is instead relative to the individual.
2. Malcolm X’s view of freedom
Malcolm X was an African American leader who fought for the rights of black people in the United States. He believed that black people were not truly free in America, as they were discriminated against and oppressed. He also believed that white people were not truly free, as they were ignorant of the plight of black people and complicit in their oppression.
Malcolm X believed that freedom could only be achieved through knowledge. He compared freedom to a horse: “The horse that felt the whip today may feel it again tomorrow, but the horse that knows why it feels the whip will never feel it again.” He argued that black people needed to gain knowledge of their history and condition in order to be free. White people, on the other hand, needed to gain knowledge of the suffering of black people in order to end their complicity in oppression.
3. Anna Quindlen’s view of freedom
Anna Quindlen is an American journalist and author. In her book “A Short Guide to a Happy Life”, she discusses her views on freedom and happiness.
Quindlen argues that freedom is not an absolute concept. She likens it to a horse: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” She argues that we all have a choice as to how we will limit our freedom. We can choose to make commitments to our families, friends, and communities, or we can choose to live a life focused solely on our own happiness.
Quindlen also argues that respect is important for happiness. She argues that we should respect ourselves, our families, our friends, our communities, and our jobs. She believes that if we do not respect these things, we will not be happy.
4. Comparison of the two views
There are several similarities between the views of freedom held by Malcolm X and Anna Quindlen. Both believe that freedom is relative to the individual. Both also believe that respect is important for happiness. In addition, both use horses as an analogy for freedom.
There are also several differences between the two views. Malcolm X believes that white people are complicit in the oppression of black people, while Quindlen does not mention this issue. Malcolm X also believes that knowledge is necessary for freedom, while Quindlen does not mention this issue specifically. Finally, Malcolm X focuses on social commitment as a way to limit one’s freedom, while Quindlen focuses on employment as a way to limit one’s freedom.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that freedom is not an absolute concept, but is instead relative to the individual. I also believe that we all have a choice as to how we will limit our freedom. We can choose to make commitments to our families, friends, and communities, or we can choose to live a life focused solely on our own happiness.