Greeting from the Mid-West, USA

[prescience]

Hello everyone,

Upon recommendation by a friend and after a quick browse of your main page and a reading your central philosophy, I decided to register and join the discourse.

Closed fist-open heart makes perfect sense to me within the context of freedom. While many of us may be willing and ready to close our fists and fight, and while many of us are willing and ready to open our hearts and love; I wonder how many of us have the freedom to change their mind and thus are truly free.

[King_Kai]

hi! :)

(Sorry, I don't know what else to say :lol: )

[prescience]

hi! :D

Hello King_Kai :)

what do you like most about the44 community?

[King_Kai]

uh... probably that this is the most intelligent "asian" forum out there, and heavily modded too. The thing I hate about modelminority.com is that people can say whatever racist/sexist thing they want without consequences

[prescience]

uh... probably that this is the most intelligent "asian" forum out there, and heavily modded too...

A friend told me the same thing along the lines that 44 would be more civil compared to other sites.

I'm surprised you haven't given comment to my spin/take on 44s central philosophy in this thread...anyway

if you have any questions (personal, professional, coversational) of me feel free to ask.

[King_Kai]

I'm surprised you haven't given comment to my spin/take on 44s central philosophy in this thread...anyway

That's cause I'm probably the youngest and dumbest poster on this site :oops: :lol:

I'm surprised there aren't more replies to this thread. I was hoping some of the more intellectual 44s would respond


if you have any questions (personal, professional, coversational) of me feel free to ask.

oh sure, but I got none now

[howstrange]

I'm no sure what you mean by "freedom to change their mind". "Freedom" and "change" in what context exactly?

[prescience]

I'm no sure what you mean by "freedom to change their mind". "Freedom" and "change" in what context exactly?

Hello howstrange :)

freedom = relative absence of external (societial) regulations and internal (fear, guilt, pride, shame) inhibitions

change of mind = change of opinion and/or entire worldview

The context is for the individual

As I now think further, thanks to you, the question(s) could be how much freedom do we really have? and do we, as individuals have the will power to change our minds in the face of public regulations, private actors (firms) and cultural constraints?

I submit "true" or final freedom is demonstrated at the point of decision where ones external freedom and personal will intercept. Let's say you are an atheist and the case for Christianity is so convincing that you can only reject it on self-conscious irrational grounds, but never-the-less you reject Christianity. I submit that in the example the atheist is not free, but is instead a prisoner to some external regulation or internal inhibition.

Or let's say you are a christian and you are put in prison, by the Democratic Party :) for re-education to change your mind. However, the case for Christianity is rationally irrefutable so the Democrats resort physical torture. In this example, the Christian is demonstating true or final freedom by sheer force of will in the face physical violation (by those darn Democrats :)).

[Dialectic]

Whassup prescience, welcome to the 44s, glad you're aboard!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. When you have a moment, please check out this thread for a guide to our forum's structure and themes.

http://www.thefighting44s.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=2673

We look forward to hearing more from you! (though your examples of irrefutability are somewhat dubious :P )

[prescience]

Whassup prescience, welcome to the 44s, glad you're aboard!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. When you have a moment, please check out this thread for a guide to our forum's structure and themes.

http://www.thefighting44s.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=2673

We look forward to hearing more from you! (though your examples of irrefutability are somewhat dubious :P )

Ok, i think I get it.

[howstrange]

thanks for elaborating on what you meant.

freedom = relative absence of external (societial) regulations and internal (fear, guilt, pride, shame) inhibitions

change of mind = change of opinion and/or entire worldview

The context is for the individual

Then i don't think many are free. Actually, since we are social creature who's survival has always depended on cultural and societal regulation, whether it be Religion or government, I would say that we can and will never be free. However, the ability to have a change of mind is always possible and happens all the time, yet not often as much as it should.
I guess having an open mind to change and freedom are not mutually exclusive.

[Altaira]

Hi Prescience, welcome :)

Enjoy your stay in Hotel Suite 44.