> So, how do I convince someone that they must care about their
freedoms?
> 

I think it's difficult to make the case that free software helps to
preserve our personal freedom. Free software really only benefits those
who have the knowledge to make use of the access to source code. Much
like the hood on a car only benefits those who know how to fix the
engine. An option is only beneficial insofar as an individual is able to
exercise it. If I have no idea how to read source code or how to tailor
it to my needs, the freedom has no effect on me. I like free software
because I love to tinker, not because I am not enslaved to Microsoft.

Stallman's arguments are sophistry, dependent upon a world view that
extends only to the end of the make file. It seems to bother Stallman
more that people choose to use proprietary software even though it is
still a choice.

The true threat to my freedom is my dependence upon another's generosity
for my employment and thus my livelihood. Or illegal wire tapping. Or
gerrymandering.

bg