Of Dolphins, Turtles and Freedom

States enter into treaties with each other on certain conditions which aim to address a myriad of concerns such as human and intellectual property rights, carbon dioxide emission, protection of turtles and dolphins, etc. Trade is often held in ransom to compel another country to enact a desired policy. Some may cry encroachment to sovereignty but that is the way in which international relations works. A certain state may bother with what another state does to its turtles and the latter should be able to adapt. Why? They may do it to merely impose their values on us but in the spirit of pacta sunt servanda, we can deduce that it's because turtles are migrating animals and their extinction can place the balance of ecology at stake.

The same analogy can be used for internet regulation. Individuals may claim that they are entitled to freedom of expression and regulating the internet would violate that right. What must be understood however is the fact that freedom does not merely mean "freedom to" but also "freedom from". It's not just the freedom to do whatever is desired but also the freedom from undesirable things that threaten the quality of life. In the same way that a state's sovereignty is realized thru its treaty-making capability and with it the act of entering into concessions, an individual's freedom is realized not thru total absence of restraint but thru agreeing to participate in making sure that freedom is enjoyed by all. It is in our best interests to give up a certain part of our individual freedoms in order to fully realize freedom of the community, of which we are a part.