While one may in fact have a freedom in one's own mind, the ultimate freedom lies in the society one lives in. Some social systems can lead to a state that limits ones freedom and may punish any actions that differ from the established norm enforced by the state or organized groups. While we may argue on the limitations on the state or organized groups, our history consists of the power of the state to control the individual and in most cases the individual not only loses his "rights" but his life. This as true today in much of the world, Muslim, Christian, Communist,and Jew killing each other, as it was in the more organized early 1940's. Then the titles were more defined, NAZI, Communist, AXIS, etc. In the last century we killed around 200 to 250 million people. This brings up the second question, how is such a state of mind and the power to enforce that state come about. Why and how were the once rich countries in their area go to total chaos? Libya, Venezuela, Syria, Iraq, were all caught up in the external conflicts of some external organization and destroyed in the following conflict. There have been other state changes brought about or that may be in progress of international factors. Some of these changes are occurring in the United States. One can not argue that New York City, State of California, etc do not differ in many of their policies impacting on the individual than do the State of Texas. Thus one's right to own and bear arms varies from one area to another. Having been in the USAF in Colorado for a couple years in the 1950's and viewing that state today, a very severe change has occurred, In that period I bought a 9 mm Swedish surplus pistol through the mail, stored it in the squadron armory and took it out weekends in a car to go target shooting. I was 19 at the time. It has reached the point that we no longer argue that changes have occurred, but how did it happen and how can these changes be limited and perhaps even reversed. The situations that cause change are external to the individual, mass media, educational system, internet, social networks and such. They all mold and create the viewpoints we have that control our actions. But who controls them, how is that control transmitted to the people, and what is the message it delivers? In my mind the left hates Musk more than Trump. He has in fact been one of the greatest social reformers in this century. He bought X, a very major factor in the internet, and transformed it from a left wing dominated viewpoint to some thing with at least some independence. His actions in the early days of the Trump second term in DODGE cost them untold billions in propaganda funds. Defunding public radio and television has had an impact here. The limits in funding the nonprofits and international aid have had an even greater effect on the whole world. This brings up the old paradox, how can one both have freedoms in a free society and control the forces that are trying to destroy that freedom? One individual saw that happening in the 1900 to 1930's in the world and saw the loss of freedom that was occurring, Karl Popper brought up the paradox "If a society is endlessly tolerant (even of those who would destroy it) its openness becomes the weapon that ends it, However, if it fights back by becoming intolerant in its defense, it destroys itself from the inside." https://uxdesign.cc/the-paradox-of-tolerance-518c42ec62be Popper and most of those studying the organization of thought did in the age before computers. I have read papers that state Hitler could not have achieved his power without the widespread use of radio and the large number of people listening. I am writing down my thoughts on a post in the internet. It may or may not be viewed or it may or not be removed by the moderators. It may also be removed by some individual or AI bot as non correct thought. It also may be viewable in some areas of the world and not others and there is a slight chance that upon review by some other country, it could not only be reviewed, but I could be subject to sanctions under their legal system. In my research on this topic I used the internet as my source. This in turn lead me to use a search system, Google and Duck Duck Go. These systems in turn used an AI to use key words to search a knowledge base on the internet. At this point, as an American, I still trust those sources and the presentation of the articles I need. You have to know enough to ask for Karl Popper' The old educational system furnished the information base that as a 88 year old retired person with time on my hands and with the help of the internet and Raspberry Pi, can go in and research the question for my own use, At this point I can share this information and perhaps someone will read it and it will help them establish a viewpoint of the world we live in. If not, like a bottle with a message cast into the sea, I am not out anything but some time spent on a computer, which I have more time than needed and which I enjoy. It is also a very feeble attempt by an old man to keep the lights on in a world that I have lead a very good life in. But in the end, the very existence of this message and similar variation from the vast mass media depends on who makes up the rules on the internet as to storage and the results given by the AI. It will always answer the questions based on its learning base and the math that defines how it learns. While not meant to be a training manual, the book gives one man's view of what the world might look like in his future in 1984. Here is the present viewpoint of Google's AI on the suppression of history in book 1984. In George Orwell’s 1984, the Party destroys history to maintain absolute power by creating an "endless present" where they are always right. Through constant revision of documents at the Ministry of Truth, the rewriting of books, and the use of "memory holes" to incinerate evidence, the past is systematically erased and altered to match the current political narrative. Key Aspects of Historical Destruction in 1984: The Ministry of Truth (Minitrue): Winston Smith’s job involves altering historical records to match the Party's current, ever-changing stance, ensuring that no document contradicts Big Brother. Memory Holes: Documents, records, and photographs that are outdated or contradictory are sent down chutes to incinerators known as "memory holes". Constant Re-writing: Books, newspapers, and films are continuously updated to ensure the past aligns with the present, making it impossible to prove the Party was ever wrong. Changing Alliances: History is actively rewritten regarding wartime alliances, such as when Oceania suddenly changes from fighting Eurasia to fighting Eastasia, making the previous, contrary history disappear. Newspeak: The systematic limitation of language designed to make "thoughtcrime" impossible, limiting the ability to conceptualize rebellion or remember a different past. "Who controls the past controls the future": This Party slogan highlights the necessity of destroying history to ensure the population has no reference point for comparison or dissent. While that is the result today, the AI only does what it is designed to do. And in fact in this day of AI fakes, it is nearly impossible to prove that this post wasn't generated by AI. ..
@duane Interesting... I especially like Karl Popper's quote "If a society is endlessly tolerant (even of those who would destroy it) its openness becomes the weapon that ends it, However, if it fights back by becoming intolerant in its defense, it destroys itself from the inside." However, I am not sure I agree with it. It's a bit too general and doesn't take into account mankind's ability to strive to adapt and fine the solution. I mean, it seems to be logical but are we human ever totally logical? No...but in most cases, not all, we should try to be. Currently, our 'endlessly tolerant' policies have brought us to the state of our demise. I believe that is a correct statement even though I admit it is fairly broad. We are too tolerant of damn near everything: transsexuals dancing for kindergarteners or in women's bathrooms, hordes of people cross into our country as they wish, elected officials who are known communists, a government that forces untested vaccines on its populous, on and on and on...until we are not and the pendulum swings back to common sense and, unfortunately towards more and more intolerance. For example, for many years Blacks were segregated, equal but separate, basically disenfranchised. We were intolerant of them. The pendulum swung to the point pass common sense and logic according to science, and man and God's law...and then swung back with laws to correct our intolerance like numerous discrimination laws (Civil Rights Act 1964, etc.) but some laws went too far, like race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions or Equal Employment Opportunity laws enforcing employee workforce be based on percentage of race/gender instead of merit. The pendulum again swung too far, pass common sense and fairness causing more problems than solutions. Now, it again is on its corrective swing, since 2023 USSC ruling that race cannot be used as entrance criteria for university admittance. Nazi Germany is another good example; Jewish intolerance went too far, and now Germany's Muslim tolerance has gone too far. Neither were logical. Will it "destroys itself from the inside"? It will if not corrected in time and I think that is the real answer. Time. Does it have the time to correct itself and find the solution point matching common sense and fairness bordering between 'too tolerant' and 'too intolerant' if not then Karl Popper's quote is correct.
