On November 3, Dr. Peter Lawler of Berry College delivered a lecture to Christendom students and faculty in St. Kilian’s Cafe entitled, “The Future of Our Liberty is Confusing.”
Lawler, a Dana Professor in Government at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, spoke about the relationship between liberty and security, and how the integration of these two aspects of our lives will shape the future of American society and politics.
He emphasized the increasing influence of the libertarian perspective on personal autonomy and safety in today’s society.
“If you were to describe America now, in terms of a tendency, it would be in the direction of libertarian securitarianism,” said Lawler.
He also noted the irony of this new trend, saying, “You can’t be that libertarian, if you’re obsessed with security. So we really have these two contradictory things going on. We’re very libertarian and we’re very securitarian.”
Lawler went on to speak about effects of technology, and Americans’ obsession with safety and security on liberty. He discussed the pros and cons of modern society’s concept of equality, and addressed the role of family life in preserving liberty.
“The confusing thing about our liberty is that it aims at the core of relational life,” Lawler said. “And it’s hard to know how this can be stopped. So the good news is, things are better when it comes to technology… Things are ambiguously better when it comes to justice. But those progresses are at the expense of relational life.”
The talk was hosted by Christendom’s Cincinnatus League, a student group funded by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute that aids students in the application of philosophy to contemporary education, culture and politics.
You can download this lecture at Christendom on iTunes U.
