Debate of the last moment:

Are we are entering an age when ideas should be free?

This has been brought to my mind whilst doing this website. I wanted a way to store my ideas without using paper so that I can access them where ever I go. My Web site seemed like the best place but then I started to get a bit protective, What if somebody stole my ideas like that person stole Bob Monk house's joke book? As I thought it through I came to think that throughout history it may have been this protectiveness of good ideas that has caused wars, inequality, early deaths, famines, and a whole range of other nasty things. Maybe it is wrong to think that anybody owns intellectual rights and ideas should be free?

 

Thanks for your comment Michael. I was watching a programe on Tibet the other night and the people on film were fearful because they were expressing their views and would face imprisonment for it. Obviously we are lucky not to live in such a place of fear but I wonder if the voices of our young people are instead dampened down by platitudes and a lack of communication tools suited to their age and ability. I find that their is often a reluctance to express views and ideas in case they are deemed wrong or others don't agree. This isn't just true of younger people, we all have some of that fear I think. I can't dismiss forums and chat rooms out of hand because whilst I know it is only words and they can mislead you about the person you are talking to it sometimes creates a degree of clarity of thought to have to commit your brain waves to written word. All that "is the author dead?" debate was one I came across at college. Should we consider the author when reading a book? Maybe it would be interesting to apply the same to internet dealings. Harder I think though as the author is so current.

Regards, Beth

Debate of the moment:

What do community groups get out of being involved with an artist on a community Arts project?

 

 

Generally yes. The problems arise when I say that my idea is the only right idea. Science should look at the facts which are currently though to be true, and seek to either prove
them true or partly true.
 Just as no religion can claim to have all the truth, one individual cannot claim that he
is always right, and others are wrong.

Each of us is unique, and each of us will have different ideas. Wouldn't it be boring if everybody thought the same

Each of us only has a part of the truth. If we can come together, knowing that we have been wrong in the past, so we could be wrong today. So we need to learn to listen to what
another person is trying to say.

The most amazing thing we all do in life, is to learn to speak. Young children learn by following our example, and by smiling encouragement. If we keep rubbishing their efforts
to speak {and stick them in front of the T.V.!!!]  they will not have the confidence to try and communicate, and communicating is perhaps the most important life skill.

The problem with debating forums, is that the ideas which are put over most forcefully
win.  If we can learn to try and listen to what the other person has to say, then we may
be wiser.

Sadly one of the limitations of a web-site is that one cannot see or hear the person
communicating, so we only get the words., not the all important body language.

Just a start    Michael.