The Freedom in Tango

The freedom in tango is not the freedom of the part in a lower sense, but the freedom of the whole in a higher sense (see Pluralism vs. Monism).

In America, many people understand freedom as follows: Each individual person is a sovereign being with certain unalienable rights granted by the Creator, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Since self-interest drives the individual, competition with others is seen as justified. American law promotes and protects competition. Education is designed to improve an individual’s chances of succeeding in competition. Economics utilizes competition to stimulate growth, disregarding that natural resources are shared by all and must be used prudently and wisely, the importance of cooperation among people, and the fair distribution of wealth. The American political system is built on partisanship, where politicians primarily engage in partisan struggles rather than serving the people, leaving numerous social issues—such as poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, gun proliferation, unaffordable healthcare, failing public education, and crumbling infrastructure—remaining unresolved for decades (see Philosophies that Separate Two Worlds).

This civilization, based on self-interest, competition, predatory development, and irrational consumption, is now facing a grave crisis. On one hand, there is unchecked greed; on the other, depleting natural resources. On one hand, there is an extravagant lifestyle and tremendous waste; on the other, a deteriorating environment. On one hand, there is a surge in GDP; on the other, increasing inequality. On one hand, there is the exorbitant wealth of a few; on the other, the struggles of many. Clearly, the theoretical foundation of our civilization has serious flaws. It fails to give adequate consideration to justice, fairness, coexistence, equality, cooperation, and sharing. It has created a small minority of winners and a vast majority of losers (see America Is in Big Trouble).

The Declaration of Independence states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

It seems to me that we need to take a long, hard look at these words. Do we truly understand their meaning? Should we reconsider the foundation upon which our society is built? It appears that the individualistic interpretation of the Constitution has neither brought, nor will it bring, the safety and happiness that most people desire.

When tango was introduced to America, few realized that it also brought a new perspective. Unlike individualism, tango does not view individuals as independent, self-interested, and autonomous beings. Instead, it sees them as interconnected, interrelated, and interdependent members of society, united by shared interests. Without other human beings, an individual alone is incomplete, no matter how significant they may seem from their own perspective. In tango, dancers can only perform well when they cooperate with one another; it is through this cooperation that each individual experiences the greatest joy. Success, therefore, is not the achievement of any single person alone but of the team as a whole. The relationship between individuals in tango is not one of competition, control, or power struggles, nor is it about taking advantage of one another. Instead, it is characterized by surrender, submission, collaboration, accommodation, and complementarity.

Resting in his arms, entrusting herself to him, feeling his masculine strength, sharing his emotions and feelings, enjoying his protection, following him freely without worry, moving in harmony with him, and letting her femininity and beauty shine to attract and satisfy him—these, for the woman, bring pleasure, security, and a realization of her value as a woman. Conversely, being with her, earning her trust, enjoying her obedience, affection, and seduction, feeling her feminine body moving in his arms, pampering her, protecting her, and showcasing her beauty—these, for the man, bring pleasure, comfort, and a realization of his value as a man. Tango restores men and women to their original state of destined fellowship, where the two sexes meet without calculation of gains and losses, without the exchange of money or power, without self-interest or worldly concerns. Instead, there is only the shared purpose of enjoying one another, a state where all Cinderellas and Tryballots share the same dignity and respect as the nobility.

The appeal of tango comes from its shared intimacy, connection, unity, and cooperation. Radical ideologies such as individualism, feminism, neoliberalism and power politics are antithetical to tango. What is regarded as virtuous in tango is love, fraternity, submission, kindness and collaboration. Although tango is not an economic activity, as an act of cooperation its joy is shared. This principle can be extended to other areas of life as well. What is not based on self-interest does not submit to the control of the invisible hand of capital and greed. We can logically infer that wealth, too, can be distributed fairly to allow all who have participated in its creation to share, rather than being hogged by a few. Just as the victory of a sports team results from the cooperation of its players, so the honor is given to all team members rather than just the one who scored. Shareholding, therefore, seems to be a better way of distributing wealth than minimum wages.

How we see ourselves determines how we organize our political, economic, social, and cultural lives. Jean-Jacques Rousseau said, "Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains." We have created our own chains, and it is up to us to unchain ourselves. Unfortunately, our civilization has not yet evolved to that stage, as evidenced once again by recent reports of torture and other injustices. To be a truly free people, we must first understand what freedom means. There is still a long way to go before we achieve the kind of freedom envisioned in our Constitution. I can only hope that tango may help accelerate this process (see Tango and Equality).