memebag Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Will you choose free will? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Will you choose free will?yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memebag Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 yesNo you won't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 No you won't.That would be a choice, exemplifying free will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memebag Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 That would be a choice, exemplifying free will.Not if you don't have free will, which you don't. And if you had free will to start with, you couldn't very well choose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Not if you don't have free will, which you don't. And if you had free will to start with, you couldn't very well choose it.The line of thought that you are pursuing is not aligned with the argument made in the lyrics to the song. The song is a rejection of communism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memebag Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 The line of thought that you are pursuing is not aligned with the argument made in the lyrics to the song. The song is a rejection of communism.The song is a rejection of fatalism, and it's inane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 The song is a rejection of fatalism, and it's inane.The rejection of communism is a recurring theme in Rush lyrics.See chorus:You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voiceIf you choose not to decide, you still have made a choiceYou can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can killI will choose a path that's clearI will choose freewillThe ready guide is a dictator that structures the life and economy of all individuals acting within a society. The dictator can take many forms, but it is an entity that makes all your decisions for you, whether they are in your interests or not. In other anti-communism songs, like 2112, the dictator takes the form of priests, but those priests "hold high the red star". It is very clear what is intended.Then they point out that the decision to empower the dictator is itself a choice on your part to abdicate your choices, but that the choice itself proves that a choice can be made, and that if you believe that you've made a capable choice, then you probably don't need someone else to make your choices for you."Phantom fears and kindness that can kill" is the line that concretes my opinion that this song is anti-communist. Phantom fears are frequently cited as reason to regulate and control individuals and the economy. In the name of kindness to poor disenfranchised peasants, communists only worsened their plight. This is, to me, a lyric that is clearly directed at communism. It may also go against religion, but it is definitely anti-communist.Lastly, the name of the song is spelled out Freewill, as one word. That usage has meaning. They did not desire to discuss free will in a broader philosophical sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Lately I've gotten into Mana, Santogold, and Juanes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memebag Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 I must refuse to debate the meaning of Rush lyrics. The physical processes in my nervous system could do nothing else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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