How does one balance personal freedom with the obligations of society?

That sounds terrible. I bite people's heads off if they invade my personal space. I, too, value my independence HIGHLY. I can understand being in a region that doesn't support freedom. They're like "you should be more outgoing." But I so like to be alone and do what I please! People just run me down. Sometimes they're annoying and obnoxious. Honestly, if people don't like your freedom, then they can kiss your ***. They should not try to control you or make you do things you don't want to do. I hate it when people try to do that. Just avoid people like that. It's better.

True personal freedom comes when you can be apathetic about everything else. As they say, you are at your most free when you have nothing to lose.

I just live my life for me. What makes me comfortable, what makes me happy, what makes me at peace with self. I have six children eight grandchildren and a hubby I have loved dearly for 25 years. I know that as long as I am happy, they will find their own happiness too. As for the world outside, I am myself first, last and always. If someone cannot deal with this, this is their problem, not mine. :D

Simple: realize that you have no (necessary) obligations to "society"; that the only obligations that you can justifiably be held accountable for are those that you yourself make with other individuals.

I always try to have some "me-time" whenever possible. At least once a day and a whole day to myself at least once a week. People can call it whatever they want, doesn't matter because its "MY time".

Keep it simple & have a sense of humor.

I'm hearing that people here are missing your deepest thought and that is that perhaps you are misunderstood in the area in which you grew up. And you left that area because of that. And you fear that if you go back you will feel at home and yet people will remember you and they will recall the reason you left and they will re-instigate ALL of the old troubles, prejudices, and problems all over again and you will have NO control of that or the ability to stop them. Is that correct or am I missing the barn my both barrels? I too am in a similar boat. Certain people in power were doing evil things and I learned about them and suddenly had to leave, at their recommendation, or die, according to their suggestion and promise. Are we on the same page? Similar page? Wrong page totally? OMG I'm so far off I've fallen into the ocean and am drowning? Help! If I am right, the solution is to stay the hell out of there. They may not be so forgiving the second time. It may be more fatal. They may read your return as you snubbing them and denying their curse or promise as being ineffectual, at least in YOUR mind and that will scare THEM into doing something rash. OK ... I'm going to shut up now, in case I am miles off base and the rest of these people are right. Your imprimatur will be my guiding light and will grant me justification or not. I am at your mercy. You aren't from Central Calif from a coastal town with Sicilian overlords are you? If so, we may be from the same town ... OMG ... that would mean .... Shhhh ... we must NOT alert the others ... the sheeple will stampede ... I can only say this .... I AM Dartagnon

Give unto Cesar's what is his but give unto God what is his.

If obligation of society kinda ``steps`` on your personal freedom even though you are not going against the law or anyone`s well being then be `fake` funny answer eh ? see it this way, why do we have privacy ? and we do protect this privacy even though we have to lie right ? in the public no one will accept this answer, and yet this is what happening, this privacy of yours is the one that gives you the freedom to be yourself, but sometimes the outside world dont understand our privacy, it will allways want to shape us according to the world outside, but the hypocrisy of this is, they can have their privacy and people ``have`` to follow what they lay out. If your personal freedom is not going against nature,law or logic then I would say go and protect your personal freedom with your privacy, everyone does that. I know its a bitter thing to say it out like this but everyone is doing it, see around you. Its not a bad thing or good thing, its just nature Let the thumb down roll, he he he, who likes a direct answer anyway ?