The following article, Freedom Isn’t Free and It’s Not for Freeloaders, was first published on The Black Sphere.
We’re talking about freedom on our holiest day to celebrate it—Independence Day.
The irony? Most Americans treat July 4th like it’s a national “Get Out of Responsibility Free” card. Hot dogs, fireworks, and TikToks of Leftists setting flags on fire. But when’s the last time we really unpacked what “independence” means?
The truth is, while freedom should be a birthright, it does come with a series of gut-check moments. Each precious moment comes wrapped in a shiny little box labeled responsibility. Let’s face it kiddos, life’s diapers aren’t going to change themselves.
The Toddler’s Bill of Rights: Crawling Toward Liberty
Remember the first time you stood up and toddled across the living room like a drunk penguin? That was your first brush with independence. Suddenly, you weren’t stuck wherever your parents left you. You could move. Explore. Wreak havoc. You were free!
But then came consequences. You fell. You hit your head. You learned corners hurt. Boom: responsibility.
Every milestone that followed—learning to read, tying your shoes, figuring out that oven mitts exist for a reason—was a tradeoff. You got a taste of freedom, and you paid for it with knowledge, failure, or bruises. That’s liberty in its rawest form: you do the thing, and you take the lumps.
License to Drive… Straight Into a Reality Check
Fast forward to sweet sixteen. A license in your hand and the open road ahead. You swore you’d be the next Vin Diesel, but then came insurance premiums. And gas prices. And oil changes. Suddenly “freedom” started looking suspiciously like a part-time job.
Then came 18. You were now legally an adult, which meant you could vote, sign contracts, and get sued like a real grown-up. This was the Big One—you had finally escaped the tyranny of your parents. But you also discovered rent, car payments, laundry, taxes, and that mysterious ability your fridge has to empty itself overnight.
Independence? Sure. But now you’re shelling out $12 for paper towels and hoping your credit score doesn’t look like a golfer’s handicap.
You either learn to carry your own weight, or you don’t. And let’s be honest: far too many don’t.
The Leeching Class: Dependents in Denial
How many people do you know who are technically adults but still freeload like it’s an Olympic sport? They’re “finding themselves,” which is code for “raiding their parents’ fridge in their 30s.” They want all the rights of freedom—no curfew, no nagging—but none of the responsibilities.
And it’s not just grown kids living in the basement playing Fortnite and arguing with strangers on Reddit about socialism. It’s also people who’ve institutionalized dependence—on the government.
We’ve created an entire system where responsibility is optional and dependency is incentivized. You don’t need a plan for your life—just fill out this form and wait for your next check. Our education system doesn’t teach self-reliance; it teaches grievance. It doesn’t prepare you for life—it prepares you to blame life.
We have students with $200,000 degrees in postmodern finger painting wondering why Amazon won’t pay them $90K a year to question capitalism from a yoga mat. And when reality doesn’t match the dream? They demand that someone else pay the bill.
Your Freedom Receipt: It’s Itemized
I recently watched my own son turn 18 and graduate. He looked at me like he’d just unlocked a new video game level: “Dad, I’m free now!”
Bless your heart.
Now begins the real education. Because freedom without responsibility isn’t freedom—it’s chaos. Ask anyone who’s been arrested on spring break.
He’s about to learn that every bit of freedom has a matching invoice. Want to live on your own? Pay rent. Want to eat what you want? Learn to cook. Want to say whatever you want online? Don’t be shocked if someone responds with equal ferocity.
Writer Robert Heinlein said it best:
“I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”
That’s the catch. You don’t get to outsource your freedom. Not to the government. Not to your parents. Not to your boss, your ex, or your college counselor who said majoring in Interpretive Dance was a good idea.
Responsibility is the tax you pay on liberty. The good news? The rate is 100%, but the return is purpose, dignity, and pride.
The Government’s New “Independence” Plan: Surrender
Here’s the kicker: while we’re trying to teach our kids to embrace freedom and its costs, our own government is running a clearance sale on personal accountability.
It’s creating more dependents, not fewer. Government programs that promote lifelong welfare dependency do the opposite of building independent citizens. They teach people that freedom is scary and someone else should be in charge of their outcomes.
If you don’t believe me, just look at what our schools are producing. Students who can list 50 microaggressions but can’t fill out a W-4. Kids who think “adulting” is a trauma and “work ethic” is a colonialist construct.
Fireworks Are Fun—But Can You Handle the Flame?
Freedom looks like fun until it catches fire. We celebrate Independence Day with explosions because, deep down, we know liberty is loud, messy, and requires constant vigilance.
So here’s a revolutionary idea: instead of outsourcing responsibility, let’s embrace it. Let’s teach our kids (and a few adults) that the real flex isn’t how loud you can shout “I’m free!” but how well you carry the weight of your own choices.
Because in the end, freedom ain’t free—but it shouldn’t be free of consequences either.
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