Not sure how many posts I have or just how long I have been here.
Like life its self I have changed along the way.
Spelling is a bit better, wonder what happened to those thousands of posts in other forums?
I may find it interesting and a bit confronting to look back at them, even those early ones here.
For two reasons I ask this question.
Horus made me eat my words, proved I said something I no longer agreed with.
We all do, every one of us, change our views, do we understand we get it wrong?
Do we take ownership of our posts or avoid them if we no longer agree.
I have views I will not change ever.
Once I would have gone to threads to,,,,head butt,,, but I avoid many just because I understand my views will offend.
I never care about twists and turns in threads subjects ,,,, unless and it happens a deliberate attempt to kill the thread is made with a comment so of subject so weird it ends the thread.
Have we the thread starters the right to control it?
Not in my view speech should be free always, no subject is one sided
Yes ignore the foolish but until its clear we can differ some threads will not see me.

Hi Belly, I have always found you to be full of wisdom, highly intelligent, broad minded and your most wonderful heart warming attribute, that of caring for Aussie workers rights and the objective of improving their situation and encouraging people to work and have a go.

That all said, I agree wholeheartedly with everything you share in your post above. Yes, we do all change through life, learning from other people and their viewpoints, [myself included]. I have learned a great deal since joining OLO, whether it be from religious fanatics [LOL], the diverse views of people regarding AGW Climate Change, Politics, et all.

People need People to grow and learn. Coming across people with different views or strong views on certain subjects has been my greatest learning curve and to those people I am most grateful. These incidents test and teach my soul to improve upon my communication skills, to be more tolerant and patient, along with acknowledging that we ALL are learning and for me not to be a hypocrite. For I am learning from these people who are helping me as an individual.

Belly
As contributors we don't own threads and they can often go off in all sorts of different directions, and sometimes not so different directions if gender, politics or religion is concerned. :)

We would be a sorry lot if we did not continue to learn and build upon our knowledge and understanding of different issues or cultures etc.

The ability to change or re-evaluate is what makes us human. It is only in the most isolated and closed communities that education and learning is frowned upon as the enemy. Knowledge for some means questioning, and hence opportunities to learn and grow are limited.

In Australia we can be grateful that we are generally an open-minded people willing to accept those who are different in return for equal acceptance and tolerance - it has to be a two way street or it won't work.

What great posts!
And they both speak for me, every word.
I too we are unique learn and grow every day.
And OLO has been a school for me.
On visiting my mail the thread ok message too came with wisdom.
It reminded me we older people have had time to make opinions the young, not unlike us, will both make new ideas and change their minds with time.
I had intended this thread be two headed,,, understanding we do not own our threads,,,,, that just maybe wandering without intending to stop the subject is free speech in action.
And that keeping within barriers is a way of controlling the subject.
Yes we are a tower of Babel,, we have the right to be ,,, being such is both our greatness and our problem some times.
No idea how to put this in words but we should remain free to say whatever we want to, BUT know if we get it wrong.
We are unique my hardest task in looking after workers is resolving disputes.
If both sides go on the defense, will not budge, no resolution is ever going to come.
If we ,, every one of us, look back on opinions we had as teenagers few of us would want ownership of them today.
But EVERY opinion is Worth while and should be heard.

Belly I agree with the previous points. I don't think any us own a thread but it is legitimate to try and have the original point discussed and to make requests to that effect.

I enjoy the tangent's thread's take at time's but have the view that if a long side discussion evolves then it probably deserves a new thread.

R0bert

No we, the starters thereof, don't own threads, but we need more control over what is done with them. Don't get me wrong, I do believe i Freedom of Speech, but there are (1) recognised restrictions thereon; and (2) nobody has the right to derail an argument in order to take the topic onto their chosen rant.