#253

Aye. I have no problem with the data and educating people. Just the execution of this rather Orwellian campaign.

#256

They don’t, there’s clearly two sides to this topic, that’s why we’re having this discussion.

5 Likes
#259

That’s not true though. Saying there is no such thing as free will seems to be suggesting that nothing is anybody’s fault and there’s no point in doing anything as we can’t affect the outcome. That is objectively not true.

I was overweight. I knew it was becoming a problem and left it longer than I should have done to do something about it. I eventually decided to do more exercise and cut down on calorie intake. I lost four stone, reducing my chances of diabetes and heart disease.

Or do I not have free will? I had free will when I chose to do nothing about it, just as I had free will when I did decide to do something about it.

1 Like
#260

Maybe some people find it easier to make changes than others, I’ve often wondered if there’s certain type of brain that respond to pressures/adversity in this way, like even If you think changes you made were hard, you can’t really know if it feels 10x harder for someone else.

That’s not even countimg how people’s own biology or Whatever might make things difficult.

So many variables it’s not fair to make a blanket statement I think is the thing

#261

At the risk of getting into philosophical abstractions though, simply because you felt you were making choices with the impression of free will doesn’t necessarily mean that was the case. There are millions of factors, from an atomic level through to broad social factors that influenced your actions, so much that if an observer were entirely conscious of all of those elements, they might see that your actions were entirely predictable and what you thought was free will was nothing of the sort.

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#262

This is good point.

I think ideally I would like the science boffins to tell us the risk factors and the sociologists to tell us what’s causes those and how best to change things.

I don’t know anything about CRUK but I’m guessing they’re not really one or the other, they should do a better job of messaging and supporting people to affect change?

#263

Just because I did it, don’t make the mistake of thinking it was easy! Of course it wasn’t. I have known that I needed to do something for over ten years and didn’t do it, because not doing anything was easier. Of course it’s easier to eat a bakewell tart than not eat it. It’s easier to watch another episode of CSI then go out when it’s cold and raining. And I know a lot of it is tied up with mental health. I have been single for a long time and there is a direct correlation between how single I’ve been and how many Space Raiders I’ve eaten.

I didn’t decide to become lighter and then magically become lighter. It has taken a year of exercising every single day. It has taken having to stop myself eating things that I would much rather be eating, and it’s not always successful. It’s a constant struggle. I don’t get the rush that some people do from exercise. It’s not addictive, it’s boring. But you know, sometimes you have to do the things you don’t want to do. You don’t get to do the fun stuff all the time.

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#264

With the greatest of respect that sounds like absolute nonsense. Saying there is no free will may sound profound when you’re stoned as a student but in this context it just seems like a way of absolving yourself from any responsibility and I’m not buying that.

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#265

Yeah but maybe you have the nice part of your brain that says you can do things that are hard over a long period of time?

#266

Whatever gets you through the day, bud.

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#267

If you genuinely think there is no free will why do you even get out of bed in the morning?

#268

because it’s not his choice

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#269

man, imagine saying that.

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#270

Why get out of bed knowing that one day I will die and everything I love will be dust? Why get out of bed when I feel society is being crushed by the weight of capitalism? Why get out of bed when the world is facing ecological apocalypse and nothing seems able or willing to prevent it?

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#271

Didn’t really fully read it before but it’s an astonishingly bad thing to say.

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#272

:frowning: we love you HYG please get out of bed tomorrow

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#273

astonishing in that his bike was probably made by slaves in China.

cunt.

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#274

please don’t post here again.

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#275

Of course I will! I greatly enjoy my life, I love my family and friends, I derive satisfaction from my hobbies and the things I consume.

Just because all our actions are pre-determined in ways we cannot fathom ahead of time doesn’t mean it’s not all worthwhile. Who doesn’t love a rollercoaster?

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#276

It definitely is! Was thinking just earlier today how I keep trying to cram enjoyment to every day even though I know one day it will end and none of the fun things will prepare me for that or help with that, it’s a crazy contradiction.

Maybe if you really live in the moment you can have lots of great lives and just one shit one at the end, hardly seems that big of a deal if you only have to die one day. No point practicing for something that can only happen once either