Independence day often gets steeped in historical messaging; it’s considered the birthday of the United States by some and a celebration of the egalitarian ideals that underpinned the Revolutionary War — frequently summed up in the term “freedom”—that gave rise to the modern society we know today. It’s intriguing to see the different ways people talk about it, especially as a marketing professional, but it’s also striking just how vague many of the slogans and phrases can sometimes feel.
The Revolutionary War was fought for many diverse reasons, as is always the case when talking about a major movement. People join the fight when it aligns with their values, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone agrees with what’s to be done when the fighting ends. The Founders had to hold multiple meetings over the course of years to refine the system of government they wanted instead of a monarchy, and only managed to settle on something workable after more than a decade. The reasons for the delay have been talked about extensively by historians, but one potential interpretation is the definition of “freedom” that the Founders had in mind for their new nation.
When we talk about freedom today, we assume it means liberty to do what we want; marketing campaigns lean into this messaging, using the idea of “freedom” as an escape from the oppression, expectation, and duty to others, which brings with it a sense of euphoria. Being free from the demands of others must be a joyful state for so many when it feels practically impossible to manage all the demands on time and attention that most people face daily. Yet, when offered freedom of this kind, we don’t always start writing the book, building the business, or reading more, because it’s no longer clear why it’s important to do something now versus sometime in the distant future that spans before you. The result is that wellbeing and motivation to do the things we love can drop sharply if left in such a state too long.
In contrast to this demand-free state of freedom, there’s another option that often gets talked about, but yields infinitely more benefits: freedom from a specific difficulty. This type of freedom doesn’t strip away the expectations of others, because it’s seen as a collective effort to push towards the goal of eradicating a societal ill. However, it does mean that you’re better able to focus your efforts on the meaningful work of improving your community because there are fewer resources spent on things like paying for food, shelter, clothing, and medicine. That was the idea behind policies like the minimum wage and Social Security, because both ensured that the community would pool resources to help take care of its own.
In the modern world, “independence” is often held up as an ideal that feels increasingly unattainable if the goal is freedom from reliance on others. Increasingly, communities are having to deal with complex issues that are impossible for any one person to change on their own, and that’s making it even more important for people to collaborate when creating solutions. That requires an understanding of how dependencies are formed, which are considered productive, and which might not be worth the effort it takes to maintain them in the long run.
“Freedom” may still get overused in marketing campaigns and speeches, but perhaps it’s worth considering that it’s far more freeing to be known as someone who takes the time to invest in their community than someone who can be relied on by no one.
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A Feel Good Place
When Businesses Have the Chance to Make a Memory
A few years back, my wife and I visited Jim Thorpe for her birthday because we heard it was a great place for a couple to get away for a weekend. Described by some as the Switzerland of Pennsylvania, the town has an interesting history based on the nearby coal mines that are no longer as active and the sports player Jim Thorpe himself. But one of the reasons why it sticks out in my memory, aside from celebrating her, is the way that Big Creek Winery introduced us to the world of wine tasting.
The tasting room itself was fairly straightforward, but when one of the owners and descendants of the founder was there to answer questions and make recommendations, it changed the way we were able to experience things.
Something Read
SIREN QUEEN BY NGHI VO
Luli Wei has known she was meant to be a movie star since she was a child. Yet, as a Chinese American in pre-code Hollywood, Luli knows she has an uphill battle if she wants to get more than typecast pieces. There’s dark power housed in the studios that can help Luli realize her dream, but it may cost her far more than she realizes.
For Casual Readers: The book provides a lighter read than most that deal with issues of racial and sexual identity, and manages the exploration within a fantasy framework that many would likely find entertaining.
For Writers: Vo provides a strong technical example of how to manage complex issues of race and LGBTQ+ themes without necessarily making it the primary focus of the narrative, which could be instructive for writers looking to deal in such issues.
What Comes Next
Enjoyed this issue? There will be a bit of a delay between this and the next one as summertime is filled with lots of good things, but that make it hard to write.
Here’s what you can expect from the next newsletter slated to go out 7/27:
A reflection on why it can be challenging to write fiction
An article about how a couple of bakeries banded together to build community...adding to their brands in the process.
A review of a book that was actually written to spite the author’s mother, but has quite a bit of humor to it that surprised me.
As always, while this project may be a space where I share some of the things I have been thinking of, I also want to make sure it delivers value for you. So if you have feedback on what you would like to see, let me know and your recommendation may make it into the next issue.
