Fountainhead - Freedom and Compulsion

There is this discussion that is there in Fountainhead , that I really liked and wanted to share it with all of you here. Who are the main protagonists here and what is the context of this discussion is irrelevant.
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"The basic trouble with the modern world, " said Ellsworth Toohey, "is the intellectual fallacy that freedom and compulsion are opposites. To solve the gigantic problems crushing the world today, we must clarify our mental confusion. We must acquire a philosophical perspective. In essence, freedom and compulsion are one. Let me give you a simple illustration. Traffic lights restrain your freedom to cross a street whenever you wish. But this restraint gives you the freedom from being run over by a truck. If you were assigned to a job and prohibited from leaving it, it would restrain the freedom of your career . But it would give you the freedom from the fear of unemployment. Whenever a new compulsion is imposed upon us, e automatically gain a new freedom. The two are inseparable. Only by accepting total compulsion can we achieve total freedom. "

"That's right," said Mitchell Layton ,"People make too damn much fuss about freedom. What I mean is its a vague, over - abused word. I'm not even sure its' such a God-Damn blessing. I think people would be much happier in a regulated society that had a definite pattern and a unified form like a folk dance. You know how beautiful a folk dance is . And rhythmic too. That's because it took generations to work.it on and they don't let just any chance fool come along to change it. That's what we need. Pattern, I mean, and rhythm. Also beauty".

"What I mean is, what makes people unhappy is not too little choice, but too much. Having to decide, always to decide, torn every which way all of the time. Now in a society of pattern, a man could feel safe. Nobody would come to him all the time pestering him to do something. Nobody would have to do anything. What I mean is , of course, except working for the common good."

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Freedom and Compulsion - havent we all been at the impact of this. I remember , when I had just joined Wipro, Wipro had this regular progression path ( i.e. once in 2 years, you progress to the next role, based on the performance evaluation ). And then , one fine day, the management abandoned the regular progression and announced that the next role is there for anybody and everybody to go and take it. Your next role is not based on experience , but on your ability and go getter attitude. I remember the amount of politics this generated. People seemed to have cut throat competition with each other. There were no rules - so people tried all the tools at hand, to get that elusive promotion. Employees started becoming more closed - and the distrust in the environment just seemed to grow. Where earlier , promotions were a matter of celebration and fun, now, promotions were hidden - and only the manager and the concerned employee would be told about it.

In any society or organization, we are bound by certain rules. There are religious books , and our culture itself guides people on the ways to live our lives. In an organization it is defined by the dos and donts that any organization defines. Do these rules ( defined as compulsion by Ayn Rand ) bind us- yes , they do! But with this compulsion , comes the freedom to excel , realize our self and grow - given that there is only a certain premise in which to grow. There is a sensibility in the environment we are.

Does that mean that we continue to follow meaningless , insensible rules defined by "culture" - not really. Does that mean that the 'so called rules' have not been misused? They have been ! There have been times when a few influential in the society have misused the rules! Does it mean that rules cannot be questioned ? Not really .

The golden rule to remember is -At the end of it all, follow your heart, with courage and freedom - keeping in mind the general benefit of your self and the society. After all the compulsions are put in place with the sole intention of the general good in mind. Coming back to the terms Ayn Rand uses, Freedom, exercised without taking in to consideration the social benefit might as well be termed as 'Recklessness'.