The historian Timothy Snyder digs deeply into understanding this essential state of being in his latest book “On Freedom.” Snyder, who grew up in Centerville, will be in our area sharing his thoughts about what freedom can be; how to know it, and what we have to do to sustain it.
We must realize what freedom really means. Snyder makes it clear freedom is something we experience together. His book is scholarly yet accessible. The author explains freedom comes in two forms, negative and positive. He notes the differences between them. According to him most of us are experiencing negative freedom and that is a problem. Transitioning to positive freedom is crucial.
He believes freedom is something we must have from the moment of birth and good government is key. Over the last four decades our government has been increasingly demonized by some, they say it is too big, that it needs to be cut back. Snyder believes the opposite, that the government must provide things that all citizens need to prosper throughout their lifetimes.
For fifty years scientists have been predicting climate change. It is happening rapidly and must be addressed without further delay. There are viable solutions we should pursue immediately. Snyder tells us what those solutions are. There’s a message of hope here. After all, what kind of freedom will we have if we continue on our current fossil fueled path? It is one thing to be obstinate, quite another to be dead.
He asserts racism undergirds incarceration rates, gerrymandering, and even the locations of new prisons. He is outspoken about Ukraine. He condemns Russia’s ongoing efforts to brutalize and consume that sovereign nation.
Over the last four decades, as the rich have seen their taxation rates decline, most of the new wealth being generated in this country has gone mostly into the pockets of our select group of American oligarchs. Snyder believes billionaires must start paying their fair share to support our government and in doing so, our freedom.
While this is not a political book there are some powerful statements in it about our current political landscape. Snyder examines the outcome of the last presidential election and how Donald Trump still insists that he won it. Trump denigrated the validity of votes cast in major urban areas.
The author’s opinion on why those votes were being challenged? “Racism was the foundation of Donald Trump’s big lie and coup attempt. Neither made sense without the implicit understanding that Black people were not really people and that Black votes were not really votes.”
Professor Snyder has over half a million followers on X (formerly Twitter) but he’s no fan of social media and the zombification and intellectual enslavement that can come from gazing at our devices for so many hours. What manner of freedom is that? This is a thought provoking book.
HOW TO GO
What: A book talk and signing with Timothy Snyder for “On Freedom”
When: 7-8 p.m. Friday, oct. 18
Where: The Murphy Theatre, 50 West Main St., Wilmington
Tickets: themurphytheatre.org; 937-383-3643
More details: All proceeds will benefit Wilmington’s sister city Merefa, Ukraine.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
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