I “ve received Fedex with two documents: instructions on how to pee in the cup and a letter of consent to sign that I agree to do this. As a consultant working for financial clients, I have to go through the drug test quite often ndash; this is my third time during the last 12 months. This made me thinking (again and again) about the freedom that exists in theory here in the USA, and most likely the situation is the same in other countries.

Let “s see. I have a freedom of not peeing in the cap, but, if I exercise this freedom, I won “t get this job. But I want this job to support my family and my current life style. This means that even though theoretically, I have a freedom of not peeing when I “m being told to do so, I “d better pee.

The situation is the same with all kind of background checks. Last year, I had to go through a criminal background check in the sate of Georgia (sure enough I “ve signed the paper that I agreed with this). I have no idea why this firm is particularly interested if I did not kill anyone in Georgia. I firmly believe that killing people is bad in any sate, city or country.

The USA citizens are not required to have passports, which is praised by many non-Americans as a great sign of true freedom. Is it, really? Yes, you do not have to have a passport if you are not planning to cross the border for business, travel or any other reason. In many cases though you need a state photo id, like driver license. Just try to get it ndash; there is a point system of other documents you have to provide proofs that you are who you say you are. You need to present documents that worth six points, for example, American passport (worth only 3 points), a utility bill (1 point), a credit card (1 point) etc.

So having a freedom of not having any id does not exist in the real world.

You have a freedom to say what you really think to you boss. You may lose your bonus, but who cares, if you want to be free hellip;

Americans are ready to trade their freedom easily for something more tangible. They like borrowing money. Most of the people who live in “their ” houses do not own them – up to a 100% of the money for the house were “given ” by the bank. And because of this, people will put up with all BS around them, will be polite and smiley , but not free…

I know of only one group of people who are really free in the USA: homeless. They do not have anything to lose, most of them have chosen this way of life voluntarily, and they can say anything to anyone, without thinking twice.

People in the USA are free to live anywhere they like. Some time ago I “ve been driving in Manhattan with a friend, and she said, “I “d love to live in Manhattan, but it “s so expensive! rdquo; Sure enough, we saw a homeless person sitting on a sidewalk. I said, “Look, people who really want to live in Manhattan, do not try to find any excuses ndash; they just live here rdquo;.

Blogging hellip;Is blogging is really free? When I blog, I try not to engage any brakes, but is it possible? Where is the line between using my freedom of blogging and offending someone? Typically, I blog about whatever comes to my mind or whatever I see now. This is my attempt to exercise my freedom. Unfortunately, I have to admit that once in a while I re-read my old blogs and either delete or modify them to make them more appropriate according to the current common understanding of what appropriate is.

What did I write all this? I have no idea. I have a freedom of writing it, and you have a freedom of not reading it.