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But an open mind shouldn't be an empty mind.

So long as it's not Uncle Ernie!

"An open mind is all very well in its way, but it ought not to be so open that there is no keeping anything in or out of it." - Samuel Butler, author of "Erewhon".

The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths

Vistaprint

I can see the sense in this. Unfortunately the oft-misunderstood adage that "wisdom comes with age" leads a lot of people to calcify their views and positions and expect people to respect their "wisdom" just because they're older. I much prefer Frank Zappa's adage that "your mind is like a parachute. It's no good if you don't open it."

killer queen - Queen

Cognac Queen - Megan Thee Stallion

No we can't! You definitely do NOT need more than 4 strings!

There's an interesting theory about young intelligence verses old intelligence, the former is a fluid, changeable and learning form and the latter is a crystallised, change resistant and learns slowly if at all. The theory posits that the longer you can remain in the fluid form by learning and challenging yourself, the better your mind and health will be in old age. Given the number of old musicians I know who are still inquisitive and keen to learn I think this is close to the truth.

Hopefully not, but sometimes it happens. Discussion from opposing viewpoints in good faith is not a bad thing, provided the arguments are engaged with honestly. We can agree to disagree about almost anything, given good faith, bigotry and more especially fascism does not operate in good faith.

Old people can't change their minds? My 85 year old mother, a lifelong unquestioning Tory voter, will never vote for them again after seeing the mess they've made of the county. Being old is no excuse, neither is being young or uneducated or poor or rich, Bigotry is born in ignorance and grows in darkness, it poisons young and old alike. Drag it into the light and kill it.

I grew up in a political household, grandad was leader of the council and charged debates at gatherings was the norm. Fall-outs were regular and (usually) temporary. My folks voted for Brexit. They voted against the interests of themselves, their children and their own grandchildren despite myriad warnings and bundles of evidence telling them that was the case. That’s not something that should be brushed off IMO. Mayhap i have unusual views on ‘family’ as I don’t buy this thing that ‘there’s nothing more important than family’ - it’s a mindless trope IMO

Ghoat (sic)

Ideally I'd like to try this out before buying. I hope they are not just for sale online. Anyone near Louth, Lincolnshire with one? I'd be prepared to travel to a guitar shop, if not too far, that has one.

I had a ATK405 about 15 years back. The 400-series were a bit different from the 300-series, and it wasn't just down to the extra pickup - they were a little downsized (the body and headstock were noticeably smaller), and the one I had was quite a reasonable weight. In terms of tone, it sounded great, and it recorded particularly well, and really benefitted from the presence of that neck pickup. They're missing a trick not offering the ATK electronics in any of their other basses - I know there was an Ergodyne model a while back that had the big ATK humbucker in it, but that's the only time they've done it. I think a BTB with the ATK405 pickups would be a monster instrument.

Where did that come from?!

Riffin' The Scotch — Billie Holiday

As long as people are polite and respectful there should be no problem. People have differences, they are flawed and nobody is perfect or invulnerable. Times change, people change, attitudes change. There really has to be tolerance, respect and forgiveness or it is going to get really ugly out there. One thing I would say about getting older is your world shrinks and things start to become more of a challenge than an opportunity. On the flip side I think people get more phlegmatic and possibly a little less certain about what is the right way to be. I certainly see more capacity for forgiveness in the older generation. There is a slight tendency towards absolutism creeping into the world now. Ideally I want to stay living in a city as I get older because being around many different cultures, ages, backgrounds, religions is a healthy and positive thing. It’s difficult to believe all of the fear mongers in the media and in power when you walk down the street and see most people are the same. They face the same challenges, breathe the same air, walk the same streets and go home to lives that have more similarities than differences to the home I go back to.