SS1010 Australian People: An Introduction to the Social Sciences

Freedom
By Joanne Walmsley
As a part of the current generation of youth living in a first world,
developed and privileged society I am experiencing a highpoint of
freedom. However, the nature of this freedom is questionable, for we are
only free within the constraints of certain structures. This essay will
address the debate surrounding the nature of freedom possessed by
individuals and the forces restraining or permitting the choices available. I
am privileged to be enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in languages,
and I accredit my social class, cultural background and location of
residence as both advantages and limitations in the outcome of my choices.
Initially, my familys social class associated with my parents occupations
and income, there was an expectation of high performance and results in
all aspects of my life. This social construct was an immense force on the
choices I made throughout my academic career and guided my options into
a tertiary level of study as this was the expectation placed upon me from
my close family and friends within the same social class.
In addition as a descendant from both a well-educated Philippine family
and a European-descent Australian family, there was an immensely
different cultural shift which I was able to experience due to my
background. Growing up in both the Australian society and the Philippine
Society, I was often surrounded by people being confused by the cultural
differences of people from different countries. This sparked the beginning
of my desire to develop and work towards international relations, allowing
people to understand each others differences and allow different cultures
to experience new things from each other.
The cultural diversity I experienced growing up ultimately influenced my
choice of degree and career pathways into university. It was because of my
background which lead to an interest in international affairs and
linguistics. A degree in languages would accomplish the solid start in the
development of my aim of international work and travel, which was of
strong importance due to my multicultural family.

Finally due to the convenient location of my residence being close to a

university, I was able to remain with my financially and mentally
supportive family and enter tertiary studies without fear of financial
insecurity and the challenges of living on my own. As a young person
studying and working part-time, a relatively low income would have
become an extensive restriction on where I would be able to live, therefore
limiting my options of locations to study. As argued in Sociology in
Todays World (Furze, et al., 2015), I was able to recognise the extent to
which we are able to shape our own lives and the extent to which our lives
are shaped by things beyond our influence. Through this understanding of
how the financial world worked, my choices of where I would choose to
study were limited and therefore affected my freedom.
Essentially, through an analysis of my own experiences in the endeavours
of pursuing education, my cultural background and surroundings have
become an empowering force in the development of my freedom and
choices, however my location and connections to family acted as a
hindrance in the expansion of that freedom, both equally influencing my
choices and ultimate outcome.
References
Furze, B., Savy, P., James, S., Petray, T., Brym, R. J., & Lie, J. (2015).
Sociology in Today's World (3rd ed.). South Melboure, Australia: Cengage
Learning.