Do you own the gun or the gun owns you?

The amount of thread subjects with the word "gun" in them spiked my attention. Since december that "item" seems to occupy your mind, dear folks more than anything else.
For many of you the word "gun" became almost a synonym with the word "freedom", for others it means "fear" now...
In the consumer society of out times we tend to identify ourselves with things - and often we put into them so many values reserved more for ideas rather than matter, that we get confused. More we get confused, more we are vulnerable for manipulation.
It is easier to assign value to the things you own and to transfer this value to your ego, than to assign value of an idea and transfer this value into the way of life. When we get confused we tend to mix those two, which makes the whole situation shrouded in clouds of personal interpretations.


So I propose to you dear ATS'ers to pause for a moment and ask yourself - what is for You a true meaning of the word "gun" and how that meaning affects your perception of the reality.

This thread is not about "who is right" so please refrain from that part of the discussion.
As I mentioned in the beginning there are more than enough places to post your take of the topic.
This thread is about the meaning of the word "gun" and your personal interpretation.
Thank you!


Disclaimer:
English is not my first language, please forgive me for my poor grammar.

Anything that I'm being told I shouldnt have or is trying to kept away from me occupies my mind.

Once upon a time it was certain books. I did everything I could to get my hands on them even though I didnt care one bit for the subject matter simply because some group told me I couldnt or shouldnt.

If there's one thing that really drives me it's spite.

Like a reflex, you tell me "no" and I just have to. I might not want it, like it, use it and I may even hate it but because somebody somewhere put up a wall I have to smash it down.

I dont want or even need 100 30 round magazines but the moment talk of banning them raised its ugly little head from the swamp I sure as hell went out and got 100 and then some. I'll collect even more before this mess is through. Just because somebody out there doesnt want me to have them.

I guess contraband turns me on.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

I do recognize that kind of "drive" and I ask myself:
If I'm able to recognize it, those who are smarter and more manipulative - what "They" can do with it?


What is your intake on this matter?

reply to post by jazzgul


What's the point of the manipulation?

Unless Obama is a major stake holder in gun manufacturing companies and all of his "ban" rhetoric is empty then what does he have to gain by flooding the streets with the very things he and so many others claim to want to ban?

The only thing he is accomplishing is division. To that I say "who cares?" I'm not a fan of any nation or state and really couldnt care less if the US dissolved.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


I don't want too name it but you shouldn't have any deadly disease or otherwise disturbing physical phenomena.

My gun is talking to me...
What's that you say?
Oil me?
I'm so careless. sorry old friend.
Better now Tin Man?

I think a more realistic question would be do you own a television or does television own you?
(which explains the question posed by the OP so I would suppose the latter explanation to be true.)

Originally posted by IgnorantSquare
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

I don't want too name it but you shouldn't have any deadly disease or otherwise disturbing physical phenomena.

I dont think it works that way.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Anything that I'm being told I shouldnt have or is trying to kept away from me occupies my mind.

so it only does when it matters right??

I am no pro or con for guns but people only bite when they care

reply to post by jazzgul


As any possession, you own them and they own you. This is why governments have armies, they have interests and possessions and they need to protect and enforce that ownership and control.

As an aside this is why the path of privatization of space claims was and is a problem, once you claim ownership you will have to be able to enforce it, and that leads to space militarization.

Now immaterial possessions shouldn't be owned but the state, via laws, permits and enforces it, like any type of information and knowledge, and to a degree it also owns you, since you interpret reality by what you know..

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

The way, how your country is ruled has little to do with Obama's investments, would you agree with me on that point?
Divide and conquer yes, but to conquer what?
Maybe to conquer your mind?

reply to post by jazzgul


Gun = Power over life and death.
Gun = Right to protect ones self IE; from threats foreign or domestic.
Gun = Right and ability to feed oneself.

Many have equated "guns" to this, and have used them to control Nations, or individuals, or situations.

For me, a Gun is a tool. A powerful one, that deserves respect, and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Originally posted by IgnorantSquare
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Anything that I'm being told I shouldnt have or is trying to kept away from me occupies my mind.

so it only does when it matters right??

I am no pro or con for guns but people only bite when they care

I suppose that's true. But it must matter for a reason I guess.

If it isnt spite then what? I guess maybe I just dont like being told what to do? Maybe it's only when liberty-restricting proposals come into play?

I do know if it's banned or otherwise regulated I try to get it or at least plot a reasonable course that could result in acquisition of it. Obviously I dont want to load my trunk with crack coc aine but could I get it if I really wanted it? Maybe.

I dont know what the drive is.

Maybe just to piss off people in positions of authority? Or people who claim to know "what's best" for me?

Originally posted by jazzgul
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

The way, how your country is ruled has little to do with Obama's investments, would you agree with me on that point?
Divide and conquer yes, but to conquer what?
Maybe to conquer your mind?

It's already conquered. All of our minds are. There isnt an original, untainted idea to be had. If you've ever read any written word, heard any speech spoken or seen any image presented your mind isnt wholly your own.

reply to post by jazzgul



Taken a little bit further.. Do you own a body or does your body own you? Seems it's a powerful mind control technique to get one to identify with the body solely... Seems we should all give up everything because everything is mind control.. I think someone like Jesus hinted at this...

hmm?

reply to post by Asktheanimals


We are all aware here on ATS about manipulative design of television, but are we all aware equally about other "items" in our life?

Just like the cats, I am a slave to my guns. My important guns have been in the family since the forties. I try to take care of them because they were my fathers and uncles. I also have a blackpowder gun my stepfather gave me. Objects that hold memories do own you. Everytime I clean the guns or shoot them they bring back memories, just like much of the junk around the house. At least I will not have memory loss anyway, constantly reminding yourself of reality is good for the mind. I wouldn't mind so much loosing guns without any personal history behind them but loosing family guns is a different story. None of these old family guns are assault weapons that look impressive or can hold many shells, they are hunting tools.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


That is exactly what I ment. Did you notice that your statement changed into questions? For me having a truck load of coc aine or a truckload of guns is about the same freedoms. As this thread is the philosophical part of ats tried too show that it is personal... And I honestly believe not all guns own people, it is just a matter of respect for the consequences. Some guns own people, like phones or social media do too.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


tv's well as it is a basic need for some addicts we could argue some are owned by them as they appear to be possessed by them. But not all

I own the gun. I don't sleep with one under my pillow. I'm not a gun "fanatic", I don't have to have every new one on the market, the minute it hits the store. I don't dress my guns up with lasers, flashlights, and every gimmick you can hang on it. I can see the usefulness of those things in certain conditions, but I don't need them. My conversations rarely concern guns. I'm not a hunter, but have in the past and wouldn't mind getting a deer to put in the deep freeze. I don't have 10,000 rounds, but if someone shoots that often and wants to stockpile, go for it. I go out once or twice a week to stay accurate. What gets me going, is someone telling me they are going to take away my ability to protect myself and my family. Yeah, I know they're not taking my right to defend, I can always use a bat or pepper spray, but that's a one sided fight against the crook who doesn't care about gun laws.

reply to post by DAVID64

May I say that for you the "gun" means "the right to protect yourself" ?
You don't want to take the word "gun" out of this equation, maybe because it is the deadliest kind of "protection"?
Does this mean that the right to protect equals the right to kill another human if necessary?