Author Talk: On Freedom by Timothy Snyder

                                                      

On April 4, 2025, I attended an author session at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario. It was moderated by Nahlah Ayed, host of the Ideas program of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  It was a question-and-answer session. Ms. Ayed posed the questions to the author who answered them as per the following description of the topic: 

Freedom is the great American commitment, but Snyder argues that we have lost sight of what it means, leading us into crisis. Too many of us view freedom as the absence of state power: We think we’re free if we can do and say as we please, and protect ourselves from government overreach. But true freedom isn’t so much freedom from freedom to—the freedom to thrive, to take risks for futures we choose by working together. Freedom is the value that makes all other values possible.

On Freedom takes us on a thrilling intellectual journey. Drawing on the work of philosophers and political dissidents, conversations with contemporary thinkers, and his own experiences coming of age in a time of American exceptionalism, Snyder identifies the practices and attitudes—the habits of mind—that will allow us to design a government in which we and future generations can flourish. We come to appreciate the importance of traditions (championed by the right) but also the role of institutions (the purview of the left). Intimate yet ambitious, this book helps forge a new consensus rooted in a politics of abundance, generosity, and grace.

Personal Commentary: The author provided many insights into the whole concept of freedom--its meaning, use and practice with illustrative examples.