# Negative Freedom By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-08-28 There are two types of freedom. Positive freedom allows one to do something. This is the freedom _to_ (fill in the blank). Negative freedom allows one to avoid something. It is the freedom _from_ (fill in the blank). In a highly diverse society, it is difficult to imagine the variety of things one might want the freedom to do. The realm of positive freedom is nearly infinite. It is easier, but by no means easy, to define negative freedoms. As an example, one might posit that people want to be free from harassment, unreasonable expectations, and mindless [[bureaucracy]]. One might argue that before one can envision the types of unique positive freedoms one desires it is imperative to provide a foundation of negative freedoms. If one wants the positive freedom _to_ think, it might first require the negative freedom _from_ interruption. Such a dynamic holds implications for management. This is especially the case when work is being enacted in a professional and [[creative]] space. In such an [[environment]], management might serve an important administrative purpose. But much of what employees are seeking once context and direction have been adequately established is freedom _from_ management. This freedom isn’t being sought because people don’t like the manager on a personal level, or because they don’t like authority (though this might be the case). More generally, and instinctively, people are seeking positive freedom _to_ self-actualize which first requires the negative freedom _from_ being coercively managed. Management is so engrained in our perspective that it is difficult to manage the execution of work without this function. In some cases, it is certainly organizationally beneficial to have a manager in place. If one wants a workforce to take the initiative, be creative, be critical, think, explore, to generate novel solutions to complex problems, it might be beneficial to focus on all the negative freedoms required as a precondition for these positive outcomes. #### Related Items [[Freedom]] [[Management]] [[Authority]] [[Agency]] [[Self-Actualization]]