How far can a person go when there are no perceived consequences? In a world full of limits, it may seem unlikely that one could go about their day without any consequences, but with the surge of new uncharted platforms, this improbability slowly becomes a reality. This was perhaps best displayed by a not-so-recent purge on our school through the medium of an Instagram freedom wall.
While MGC New Life has seen several other freedom walls in the past, the most recent one has undeniably been the center of controversy and criticism—and for good reason. Past freedom walls generally had positive to neutral posts. When a new freedom wall popped up last January, most thought it would be similar, but it was not. Fittingly titled the “no limits” freedom wall, this new version instead flaunted spiteful opinions, inappropriate jokes, and direct attacks on multiple individuals. With this in mind, we must realize that having no limits is not the ideal we should strive for, especially when it leads us to do wrong.
Freedom walls serve as an avenue for students to freely say what’s on their minds by submitting anonymous messages, also known as tells, that will be posted for others to see. In theory, freedom walls have the power to show the more truthful sides of an otherwise closed setting. However, this was not the case with the “no limits” freedom wall, which was used as a means to insult and implicate many individuals in unseemly acts—including several teachers. Even though the main driving force behind these insults was most likely their teaching styles, the tells depicted these teachers as outright questionable people, essentially warping the truth. Employing this ad hominem tactic may seem cathartic to some, but it ultimately does no good to improve the situation.
In addition to the misuse of a freedom wall, the handle of the Instagram account that started this wall, @mgcnolimitsfreedomwall, and its anonymity incited a further spiral of hatred and negativity. This brings to question the atmosphere that the account holder set: the no-limits intent that paved the way for an uncensored and unfiltered environment. Compared to past freedom walls, where the handlers deliberately chose not to post inappropriate tells until their followers called for it, this freedom wall’s handler chose to stand by their intention, for better or worse. The handler inadvertently created an environment where all thoughts, no matter the severity, were welcomed. Spreading foul messages left and right, inciting anger in others, and causing harm to the subject of those taunts—this is what happens when a lack of control is exercised, revealing just how much power the illusion of having no restrictions has over our actions.
With the “no limits” freedom wall, there were indeed no limits or consequences set, allowing the proliferation of any conceivable opinion and the subsequent reveal of the true character of some New Lifers. However freeing it may feel to express one’s true thoughts, it can undoubtedly be cruel to those these thoughts are aimed at. While the intention of those who sent offensive tells was to hurt the insulted, the truth is it simply showed the character of the insulter.
If this freedom wall is any indication, there are little to no lines we would not cross when a perceived lack of limitations is imposed. Still, the lack of limits ultimately leads to the lack of consideration of the consequences of our actions. Limits exist for a reason, and this circumstance only further proves that they are a necessity in life. Without limits, thoughts and actions would roam free, setting no boundaries for what is right and wrong. Limits are necessary; they do not exist solely to exert dominance or authority but as a steady reminder that can instill discipline and allow for character growth. True freedom is not found in the lack of limitations but in knowing how to work with these limits to make the right choices.