The Declaration of Independence can also be seen as a declaration of self determination. That was a giant leap forward in the eighteenth century, when monarchies and the social structures that protected their interests determined the lives of the vast majority of people. Today, self determination can lead to chaos and the unraveling of our social structure. Many seem to desire that, without giving deep thought to what the replacement looks like. We could use a deep thinker like Thomas Jefferson to frame the 21 st century version of what our democracy should look like. It surely isn’t a society where anything goes and a person can do whatever they want. You know, the right wing’s version of freedom. And come to think of it, many on the left espouse the same, only it’s according to what they want. Self interest vs societal interest. It’s always been a tug of war.