Tuesday, April 21, 2009

True Freedom

I've heard rabbis who say that true freedom is when you are no longer slaves to your desires. I find this definition of freedom to be absurd since the way capitalism works is that having desires is EXACTLY what's supposed to be your motivation to improve your life.

It is not true freedom to be in a community that intrudes on what one eats how one dresses and how one spends his weekend.

I value my personal autonomy, and the ultimate irony of Passover is that it celebrates a kind of "freedom" which in reality is aesceticism and blind faith.

21 comments:

Ari said...

"I find this definition of freedom to be absurd since the way capitalism works is that having desires is EXACTLY what's supposed to be your motivation to improve your life."

So you're saying that true freedom is derived from capitalism?

I just don't really get how it is that you would define "true freedom"?

SJ said...

Pay attention more in English class. The Talmud's runon sentences obviously aren't helping you.

Ari said...

Dude, I'm not trying to pick a fight.

Presumably you want to have a blog to discuss ideas on your mind. . . . so discuss . . . if you have no interest in maintaining a dialogue I see no reason to continue reading your thoughts . . .

Let me know. Thanks!

SJ said...

Dude, presumably, I have a blog to discuss ideas with people who can read. -.-

Anonymous said...

Ari is right. People have been happy in other forms of economy besides capitalism. We in America dont live in a true capitalist society (any limitation on the economy, which we have millions) so we wont be truely happy until there is a FULL capitalist society?

SJ said...

Anonymous you are going off topic. Though I am a capitalist, I never said capitalism is a direct cause of happiness, and this particular thread is about the issue of freedom, not happiness.

Ari said...

"Anonymous you are going off topic. Though I am a capitalist, I never said capitalism is a direct cause of happiness"

It's not really off-topic . . . you suggested that the definition of "true freedom" can not be as that Rabbi presented b/c it doesn't jive with capitalism . . . However, you have not offered a "better" definition for true freedom, nor have you explained why the laws of capitalism should dictate anything about freedom.

You insult my reading comprehension yet you fail to make a coherent point in your post.

SJ said...

Ari the relationship between capitalism and freedom is a very very veeeeeeerrrrryyyyyy basic concept I'm not gonna bother goin over with it with you like you're a lil kid and as for

>> However, you have not offered a "better" definition for true freedom

look up the word autonomy.

Ari said...

"the relationship between capitalism and freedom is a very very veeeeeeerrrrryyyyyy basic concept"

I think you have a very, very basic concept of capitalism if you believe it's about being a slave to your desires . . .

The more you make me read your post, the less sense it makes:

1) True freedom can not possibly mean being free of physical desires b/c that contradicts capitalism . . .

2) Capitalism = having desires that motivate you to improve your life . . .

3) The idea that Passover celebrates ascetism & blind faith is ironic . . .

SJ said...

Ari your reading comprehension is being all incoherent again.

Me said...

SJ = argument

Comment = shows why SJ's argument is wrong

SJ = "you are incoherent"

Lesson? If you prove SJ wrong he cant understand bc of his ego or bc he is stupid

Anonymous said...

SJ, are you claiming that your argument is unfalsifiable? Doesn't sound very scientific to me.

Considering that there is no proof that free will even exists, I suspect the concept of freedom is a lot more nuanced than you make it out to be.

SJ said...

Great, a religious dude trying to act smart and co... co ... co -heeer-ent.

Not really. Anonymous where you go wrong is that either you are able to do what you able to do what you want without being penalized by the community for exercising your rights in a democratic society, or you are not.

So cut the (philosophy) crap.

Basically just because rabbis made sure that the existence of free will is minimal in orthodox judaism, don't mean that free will don't exist any where else in full. XD

Ari said...

"Great, a religious dude trying to act smart and co... co ... co -heeer-ent."

It's cute how that's basically how I feel about you . . .

A kid who just "realized" there is no god and is trying his best to sound intellectual about it.

With time I imagine you will be a much better conversationalist but until then your arrogance comes off as childish . . .

SJ said...

Infinite = without endpoints.

Take a piece of graph paper and create an object without endpoints and I myself will take down this site and go back to synagogue.

Frank said...

I just drew a circle, an object without endpoints. You never said i had to remain within the lines. you merely said "Take a piece of graph paper and create an object without endpoints"

I followed your challenge now live up to your word.


So i will see you at minyan tonight?

SJ said...

>> I just drew a circle, an object without endpoints. You never said i had to remain within the lines.

uum Frank, read some basic stuff on euclidean geometry and get back to me.


>> "Take a piece of graph paper and create an object without endpoints"

ever hear of the circumference?

Ari said...

yeah mine was going to be a never-ending line all the way through the piece of graph paper . . .


Euclidean geometry, eh?

frank said...

see now your are just making excuses, how typical. You lose get over it

SJ said...

great, 2 morons -.-

Anonymous said...

you are a total scumbag for your comments on kvetcher. I hope G-d isnt nearly as harsh on you when you die (hopefully tomorrow)