The true question to be begged though is ‘What is freedom’? Mills would express and make the distinction that freedom is not doing whatever you want when you want but rather doing whatever you want within the defined social norms and guidelines. Freedom is “pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the

It needs to be understood that limitations are not restrictions however. It is possible for the concept of freedom to be maintained and exercised within limitations. The only limitation of freedom is that of protecting other’s freedom. Once one person has intruded on another’s freedom that individual no longer can make claims of being free because such intrusions are ‘restrictions’ of their freedom and comforts of freedom.

Opinions are free to be delivered assuming they do not, once again, harm society. “Opinions lose their immunity, when the circumstances in which they are expressed are such as to constitute their expression a positive instigation to some mischievous act…” The freedom to express an opinion and the freedom to act on an opinion must be distinguished. There will always be strong opinions that in some way will step on another’s toes and some of these such opinions will need to be heard. This still yet, does not constitute a response in which will harm another individual of society.

In the provided definition of freedom found in Mill’s work, On Liberty, the comment is made that people should have the freedom to do stupid things. People should have the freedom to do things that will harm themselves if that be as they wish. However, such luxurious freedoms are not to impede on other people’s lives in a consequentially harmful way. Harm and destructive influence is then defined by society and what is socially accepted in society.

Within Mill’s concept of freedom is the idea that opinions and thoughts should be free to be expressed for such things, within the boundaries supplied by society, could potentially benefit society in the grand scheme (“But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race” ); this being the idea believing that people ultimately as a whole would make the right decision and chose appropriately. Mills believes that the more opinions the better. Still yet, Mills argues that freedom of thought should never be prohibited . But, even with this belief there are still boundaries.

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