Freedom

[Thomas_Merton]

Freedom from want or freedom from men?

[TokyoT]

For me Freedom is more literal. Breaking it down by the sylable, Freedom becomes

"Free Dum" Dum represents that dark guy/girl who was born somewhere near Cambodia or Laos and in order for him/her to get accepted into the Thai circle of friends, he/she accepted his/her mockery nickname from child hood---working just a bit harder in life than the other Chinese blooded Thais around.  All Dum's life, he/she grew up watching Television commercials about how beatuiful it was to be white and how creams and powders would make everything better.

No matter how much whitening cream Dum rubbed on his/her body,  or how much powder he/she covered his/her face in, he/she never got any whiter, his/her complexion was still the same--at the end of the day, the cream and powder washed away, and he/she was still the same old 'Dum'. Dum was always hurting inside not being able to realize the value and beauty in being different.

So in this sense, once you can put yourself in Dum's shoes and Free Dum---in whatever way it is possible to free Dum from suffering, then you have achieved Freedom

       

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think if we can hook ol’ Free Dum up with the doctors that worked their magic on Mr. Jackson then we can probably free Dum of his worries of having the stuff getting washed away.

Edited June 23, 2005 by TokyoT

[greenwanderer108]

For me Freedom is more literal. Breaking it down by the sylable, Freedom becomes

"Free Dum" Dum represents that dark guy/girl who was born somewhere near Cambodia or Laos and in order for him/her to get accepted into the Thai circle of friends, he/she accepted his/her mockery nickname from child hood---working just a bit harder in life than the other Chinese blooded Thais around.  All Dum's life, he/she grew up watching Television commercials about how beatuiful it was to be white and how creams and powders would make everything better.

No matter how much whitening cream Dum rubbed on his/her body,  or how much powder he/she covered his/her face in, he/she never got any whiter, his/her complexion was still the same--at the end of the day, the cream and powder washed away, and he/she was still the same old 'Dum'. Dum was always hurting inside not being able to realize the value and beauty in being different.

So in this sense, once you can put yourself in Dum's shoes and Free Dum---in whatever way it is possible to free Dum from suffering, then you have achieved Freedom

       

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think if we can hook ol’ Free Dum up with the doctors that worked their magic on Mr. Jackson then we can probably free Dum of his worries of having the stuff getting washed away.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why Michael Jackson isn't a representative of freedom. He had the same problem as Dum, only Michael was rich and believed money could free himself. Michael Jackson was much more cool as a black man singing beat it in a knife fight at a NYC subway. Just like the whitening creams and powders didn't free dum, neigher did all the expensive surgery and operations free Michael...No freedom there.

[TokyoT]

For me Freedom is more literal. Breaking it down by the sylable, Freedom becomes

"Free Dum" Dum ... ....you have achieved Freedom

       

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think if we can hook ol’ Free Dum up with the doctors that worked their magic on Mr. Jackson then we can probably free Dum of his worries of having the stuff getting washed away.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why Michael Jackson isn't a representative of freedom. He had the same problem as Dum, only Michael was rich and believed money could free himself. Michael Jackson was much more cool as a black man singing beat it in a knife fight at a NYC subway. Just like the whitening creams and powders didn't free dum, neigher did all the expensive surgery and operations free Michael...No freedom there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes but MJ fall from grace has given the rest of us freedom to hear some real music for a change.

[Tornado]

Freedom means watching TV after 12 midnight

[fw1]

According to Isiah Berlin there are two types of freedom:

1) Negative Fredom -the freedom to live your life unhindered and to sustain your basic and daily needs without political intervention or restriction.

2) Positive Freedom -the freedom to achieve your hopes and goals in life whether they are career orientated, emotional, financial or otherwise.

Think the Thai's have more of the former than the latter whereas we are used to the latter, hence our being in los.

[Jai Dee]

Freedom means watching TV after 12 midnight 

C'mon Torny... get off your soapbox!

This TV issue has really got to you hasn't it?

[thaibebop]

For me Freedom is more literal. Breaking it down by the sylable, Freedom becomes

"Free Dum" Dum ... ....you have achieved Freedom

       

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think if we can hook ol’ Free Dum up with the doctors that worked their magic on Mr. Jackson then we can probably free Dum of his worries of having the stuff getting washed away.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why Michael Jackson isn't a representative of freedom. He had the same problem as Dum, only Michael was rich and believed money could free himself. Michael Jackson was much more cool as a black man singing beat it in a knife fight at a NYC subway. Just like the whitening creams and powders didn't free dum, neigher did all the expensive surgery and operations free Michael...No freedom there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes but MJ fall from grace has given the rest of us freedom to hear some real music for a change.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thankfully ture, but the unfortunate children still have to feel the magic touch of MJ and his Jesus Juice. Billy Jean ain't his girl, he doesn't even like girls.

[opothai]

freedom is something we all aspire to

but alas is only a dream

wow i think i've had too many beers i'm getting soppy

[Thomas_Merton]

Some thoughts on the subject of Freedom:

"The root of all well-ordered social action is a sentiment of justice, which at once insists on personal freedom and is solicitous for the like freedom of others; and there at present exists but a very inadequate amount of this sentiment." (Herbert Spencer.)

The principal difficulty is that freedom is a concept, not a percept; we cannot point to freedom or stick out our hand and feel it.

"By liberty then we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; this is, if we choose to remain at rest, we may; if we choose to move, we also may." (David Hume)

"The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." (John Stuart Mill)

Freedom is a relative concept and can only be possessed by the individual: it cannot be possessed like a parcel of land, in common, by a group of people. An individual, a particular individual, either has freedom, or not.

"It is not the union of all liberties - liberty of conscience, of education, of association, of the press, of travel, of labour, of trade? In short, is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so?" (Frédéric Bastiat)

Liberty is a state of being, where an individual is sovereign and answerable only to himself; where each is free to put at stake: his own life, his own well-being, his own time and his own property; where each, at all times, lives and acts as he wants within society at his own cost or to his own benefit, as the case may be; subject only and always to the restriction that an individual cannot proceed to act if that act clashes with or is in violation of the liberty of another.

[sonnyJ]

Some thoughts on the subject of Freedom:

"The root of all well-ordered social action is a sentiment of justice, which at once insists on personal freedom and is solicitous for the like freedom of others; and there at present exists but a very inadequate amount of this sentiment." (Herbert Spencer.)

The principal difficulty is that freedom is a concept, not a percept; we cannot point to freedom or stick out our hand and feel it.

"By liberty then we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; this is, if we choose to remain at rest, we may; if we choose to move, we also may." (David Hume)

"The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." (John Stuart Mill)

Freedom is a relative concept and can only be possessed by the individual: it cannot be possessed like a parcel of land, in common, by a group of people. An individual, a particular individual, either has freedom, or not.

"It is not the union of all liberties - liberty of conscience, of education, of association, of the press, of travel, of labour, of trade? In short, is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so?" (Frédéric Bastiat)

Liberty is a state of being, where an individual is sovereign and answerable only to himself; where each is free to put at stake: his own life, his own well-being, his own time and his own property; where each, at all times, lives and acts as he wants within society at his own cost or to his own benefit, as the case may be; subject only and always to the restriction that an individual cannot proceed to act if that act clashes with or is in violation of the liberty of another.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well said.

Action, non-action, but there's also unaction. Like Buddha would say.

[BambinA]

Freedom is the greatest gift anybody/thing can give to you.

But actually nobody can give it.

We can give the credit to many beings, but freedom can't be classified.

It comes from within.

What does freedom mean to you?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

for me , freedom is chill out, forget this world..do everything that i wanna do ..dont care anybody (ok ..i dont mean about nirvana..haha)

bambi bah

[thaibebop]

Some thoughts on the subject of Freedom:

"The root of all well-ordered social action is a sentiment of justice, which at once insists on personal freedom and is solicitous for the like freedom of others; and there at present exists but a very inadequate amount of this sentiment." (Herbert Spencer.)

The principal difficulty is that freedom is a concept, not a percept; we cannot point to freedom or stick out our hand and feel it.

"By liberty then we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; this is, if we choose to remain at rest, we may; if we choose to move, we also may." (David Hume)

"The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." (John Stuart Mill)

Freedom is a relative concept and can only be possessed by the individual: it cannot be possessed like a parcel of land, in common, by a group of people. An individual, a particular individual, either has freedom, or not.

"It is not the union of all liberties - liberty of conscience, of education, of association, of the press, of travel, of labour, of trade? In short, is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so?" (Frédéric Bastiat)

Liberty is a state of being, where an individual is sovereign and answerable only to himself; where each is free to put at stake: his own life, his own well-being, his own time and his own property; where each, at all times, lives and acts as he wants within society at his own cost or to his own benefit, as the case may be; subject only and always to the restriction that an individual cannot proceed to act if that act clashes with or is in violation of the liberty of another.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here Here!

[Boon Mee]

Freedom means watching TV after 12 midnight 

Off Topic:

Ain't you tired of those Dukes of Hazzard and Hee Haw reruns yet, Gent?

[meadish_sweetball]

My freedom starts where your freedom ends.

For those who truly believe human beings are equal, the freedom to exploit others is not a freedom worth fighting for.

[easyhumous]

Freedom: Having enough force to repel your enemies and enough wit to set up a doctrine of natural rights; which one shall only be able to maintain if force is used to ensure that justice. Money was one answer to freedom, and money is simply a metaphor for life and energy. life and energy to keep one's enemies at bay, but the fact is we still have wilderness in america; only in alaska basically, and one could quite conceivably escape the metropolis and be one's own man once again....kill polar bears, use seal skin to swim in arctic oceans and kill bears....... : The fur would be very warm. We also have stones, who doesn't have stones? Stone houses last a long time, Steve has an Uncle out in New Braunfels whom had built a stone house of 3,000 square feet that will probably last a 1,000 years- since it was used with re-inforced steel and foam, and in addition, his uncle was an architect and had thorough knowledge of everything necessary.

there is a story of man named William Slater i think. he had a photographic memory and built the first cotton mill in Pawtucketvill, Rhode Island, and so naturally he retired a millionaire. Money was an answer to freedom, but knowledge and understanding do destroy ignorance- which is the root of evil, ignorance. :

[mpdkorat]

Freedom is the greatest gift anybody/thing can give to you.

But actually nobody can give it.

We can give the credit to many beings, but freedom can't be classified.

It comes from within.

What does freedom mean to you?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After careful thought over several days I have decided that freedom is being allowed to go to The Mall and drink beer with the Asahi girl. Unfortunately my wife has a different view. Hence I have NO freedom.

[moebius]

Some thoughts on the subject of Freedom:

"The root of all well-ordered social action is a sentiment of justice, which at once insists on personal freedom and is solicitous for the like freedom of others; and there at present exists but a very inadequate amount of this sentiment." (Herbert Spencer.)

The principal difficulty is that freedom is a concept, not a percept; we cannot point to freedom or stick out our hand and feel it.

"By liberty then we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; this is, if we choose to remain at rest, we may; if we choose to move, we also may." (David Hume)

"The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." (John Stuart Mill)

Freedom is a relative concept and can only be possessed by the individual: it cannot be possessed like a parcel of land, in common, by a group of people. An individual, a particular individual, either has freedom, or not.

"It is not the union of all liberties - liberty of conscience, of education, of association, of the press, of travel, of labour, of trade? In short, is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so?" (Frédéric Bastiat)

Liberty is a state of being, where an individual is sovereign and answerable only to himself; where each is free to put at stake: his own life, his own well-being, his own time and his own property; where each, at all times, lives and acts as he wants within society at his own cost or to his own benefit, as the case may be; subject only and always to the restriction that an individual cannot proceed to act if that act clashes with or is in violation of the liberty of another.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To add a few:

Of physical freedom: To taste freedom one has to have been deprived of it.

On being free: To live a life of freedom is to know nothing else. True freedom is ignorance.

[moebius]

Well said.

Action, non-action, but there's also unaction. Like Buddha would say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Um...I think you are getting into Jean Paul Sartre here. Inaction in itself is an action, etc., etc.,...

Emmanuel Kant might have added: Freedom is a will both to itself and to the freedom of others.

Both in their thinking may have enjoyed the company of Budha, but I would suggest neither would have chosen the Budha's life as an example of freedom for themselves.

Times change and freedoms change with the times.

[thaibebop]

My freedom starts where your freedom ends.

For those who truly believe human beings are equal, the freedom to exploit others is not a freedom worth fighting for.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Speak well you do, Master Jedi.

[Old Croc]

Freedom means the ability to decide to no longer read any more of this largely plagerised w##k.

[Thomas_Merton]

Freedom means the ability to decide to no longer read any more of this largely plagerised w##k.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is plagiarism a restriction on freedom or the opposite?

[CrossBones]

Freedom is living in Thailand, only having to work 5 hours per week. Being able to live a very comfortable lifestyle. The freedom to get up do what you want, no boss, no nagging WT, no kids, not having to lift a bloody finger.

Being able to go out when you want, do what you want, ###### who you want.

[moebius]

To attribute is not to plagiarize.

So...

Freedom persists where free will exists.

[Thomas_Merton]

Some more thoughts on freedom:

"Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end." (Lord Acton).

"It seems to me that this is theoretically right, for whatever the question under discussion - whether religious, philosophical, political, or economic; whether it concerns prosperity, morality, equality, right, justice, progress, responsibility, cooperation, property, labour, trade, capital, wages, taxes, population, finance, or government - at whatever point on the scientific horizon I begin my researches, I invariably reach this one conclusion: The solution to the problems of human relationships is to be found in liberty. ... all hope rests upon the free and voluntary actions of persons within the limits of right ..." (Bastiat.)

"He must have a master; but the master may be Nature or may be a fellow man. When he is under the impersonal coercion of Nature, we say that he is free; and when he is under the personal coercion of some one above him, we call him, according to the degree of his dependence, a slave, a serf, or a vassal." (Spencer.)