I know this is a commonly-held sentiment, but the more I think about it, the more I question this kind of valorization of freedom. In practice, in our society, freedom consists of--the choice to purchase commodities and sell your labor power. Is there some deeper, universal call for the realization of freedom? I have no idea. I do know that the primary social effect of this rhetoric of freedom is to justify existing social inequalities by implying that our social structures are simply the result of the free choices of individuals. To put it crudely: "Everyone is free to succeed in our society, so if you're poor, it's your own damn fault."
Miles