Our caged in lives.

[Zacrates]

I was doing some thinking, and after that i did some more thinking, this is when it occurred to me:

We are not really allowed to live our lives, I don't mean this literally, but if you think about it, you cant really do what you want because the government doesn't let you. If you think about it, people in the past could be free, and do what they want. I am not necessarily saying that this is bad, I am just realizing that our lives are somewhat controlled.

[richrf]

Originally Posted by Zacrates

I was doing some thinking, and after that i did some more thinking, this is when it occurred to me:

We are not really allowed to live our lives, I don't mean this literally, but if you think about it, you cant really do what you want because the government doesn't let you. If you think about it, people in the past could be free, and do what they want. I am not necessarily saying that this is bad, I am just realizing that our lives are somewhat controlled.

Hi there,

Yes, I agree. The way I think of it is that we all live withing constraints. In fact, everything in the universe has some constraints. Living, for me, is learning to navigate through these constraints.

Why might some want to learn to sail? To learn to navigate? To meet new challenges out in the ocean or lake? I think, to explore new challenges and to learn how to navigate through, around, and away from these challenges. For them it is amusing.

Similarly, I think of life. We explore and seek new challenges, and learn how to navigate. Some challenges will be overwhelming and we may capsize, and we learn. Some are easier and we may be able to go right through it or around it, as we become better navigators. Explorations are the way we learn. Why? For our amusement.

At least that is the way I look at life. How about you?

Rich

[pinkpanda]

Of course we live our lives within the constraints of society, our lives are built upon these restraints. If we all were allowed to live our lives the way we say fit, well most of use wouldn't live at all because many people would live their lives by denying us freedom and our way of life. In this situation, the constraint act as an intermediary allowing us to live to a certain extent while it protects us from other individuals more visceral urges.

[Zacrates]

Hi there,

Yes, I agree. The way I think of it is that we all live withing constraints. In fact, everything in the universe has some constraints. Living, for me, is learning to navigate through these constraints.

Why might some want to learn to sail? To learn to navigate? To meet new challenges out in the ocean or lake? I think, to explore new challenges and to learn how to navigate through, around, and away from these challenges. For them it is amusing.

Similarly, I think of life. We explore and seek new challenges, and learn how to navigate. Some challenges will be overwhelming and we may capsize, and we learn. Some are easier and we may be able to go right through it or around it, as we become better navigators. Explorations are the way we learn. Why? For our amusement.

At least that is the way I look at life. How about you?

Rich __________________

Well put , I agree with you, although there are negative ways to look at it too, but the positive ones make it seem better

[richrf]

Originally Posted by pinkpanda

Of course we live our lives within the constraints of society, our lives are built upon these restraints. If we all were allowed to live our lives the way we say fit, well most of use wouldn't live at all because many people would live their lives by denying us freedom and our way of life. In this situation, the constraint act as an intermediary allowing us to live to a certain extent while it protects us from other individuals more visceral urges.

Hi,

Yes, we are surrounded by all kinds of constraints. People, weather, food, water, etc. It's fun to learn how to live within these constraints. Sort of a puzzle like game.

Rich

[jgweed]

Our situation imposes physical limits on our absolute freedom, and society through mores or laws yet again restrains our range of action to either a mild or to a strong degree. Hobbes seems right to the point when he characterised a life of complete freedom as being "nasty, poor, brutish, and short."

[GoshisDead]

Zac:
Every group of humans has its own law enforcement system, The laws and how they are recorded may vary, but they are always there. We are social creatures. An 'egalitarian society' will castigate, exile, or kill people who break their law/norm/standards. Clubs will just ostracize you etc... Thus i think freedom as defined partially above is either impossible or a flawed definition of freedom. Doing what you want when you want requires you to be either omnipotent or totally alone.

Maybe a better defenition of freedom, and i really think how we define it functionally (the way we live it), is "freedom from" or another term for it human rights. We are free from imposition of institutions that hamper our ability to be safe and secure on our lives. If in fact the institution of the government that inhibits your desire to kill kittens, rape pillage plunder, whatever (in other words impeding on other's rights of safety and security) then maybe in fact you aren't free.

[Zacrates]

You have a good point, I am going to create a sort-of sub thread of this one so we can discuss and come to a conclusion about what our definition of freedom should be.

[Baal]

If your life is caged in, why not observe it like a spectator at a zoo?... I'm a bit serious here as well, in a certain sense.

[pinkpanda]

and similar to a cage in a zoo, do the bars keeps us in or keep others out?