Greetings from Los Angeles!

[Knight Draven]

Greetings world.  I really suck at these introduction things so I'm going to try and keep this short while making sure I cover all the general points of interest. 

My name is Draven.  I'm from Los Angeles and I've been a long time Star Wars fan, since I think I remember seeing the ROTJ in theaters when I was like four.  I think one of my favorite villains of all time is Darth Vader just because of his presence and back story.  He's sort of the tragic fallen hero archetype.  Like Lucas I'm a fan of Campbell's work too.

In my youth I think I identified more with the Sith but in more recent years I'm finding myself siding with the Grey Jedi.  My personal philosophy on the living Force is that it is not inherently good or bad.  The Force doesn't identify itself with polar spectrums, it just is.  It is the intent of the Jedi wielding it that makes it Light or Dark.  Therefore it is possible to use the Dark side to bring about justice and good, just as it's possible to be corrupted by the Light side and become a zealot in the name of the Jedi council and be responsible for great suffering and pain.

Professionally I'm an entertainer and actor.  Though I really don't want to openly discuss that here on the forums... feels way to much like bragging.  I'll gladly answer questions though. 

I've ordered my first light saber, and I chose to go with an Ultra Sabers for it.  Kind of the reason why I'm here on the forums and all =P  I got the polished silver Manticore SC in Emerald.  My default color choice was purple with Obsidian sound.  Should get here in a couple days so needless to say I feel like I'm 12 again waiting on Christmas morning to arrive!

If there is anyone from the Los Angeles/ Ventura/ Orange County area in these forums and you'd like to meet up for some dueling dates or something send a message my way. 

Thanks all.  It's a pleasure to be here and I look forward to many exciting adventures to come. 

[magik0012]

Welcome to the forums and to the addiction that is UltraSabers! ;-)

An Emerald Manticore, very nice choice! I am envious! That wait for your first saber to arrive can be agonizing, but the first time you turn it on, when the blade lights up and you hear those familiar sounds.. Awwwww, yeah!

[Darth Scorpious]

Welcome to the forum 
The manticore is an amazing Saber it will start an addiction though 
Grey is only away of denying your true purpose once again join the Dark side and together we can rule the galaxy 

[julmax]

Welcome to the forum Knight Driven,
 
Nice to have another original star wars fan come and join the fun.  I'm fairly new to the forum myself, but I can assure you were all about having fun and helping each other out.  So no worries...

Oh, and fantastic choice on your first saber.  The Manticore CE is beautiful, and you'll have a blast with the Obsidian/Emerald combination.  But be forewarned, these things are addicting! 

...  And whatever else you do, be careful of that julmax...  she's kind of a nut around... um... A bad sithy!  Where!  Sorry, got-ta-go....   Hear sithy, sithy, sithy.... 

[Dauntless Seven]

Hi and welcome.  I enjoyed your introduction and your philosophy.  Often I have to both act and entertain to survive within the hospital medical model restrictions.  Have a good buddy who is a world class stuntman.  His worldly life experiences are so different and not always for me.  So from one grey jedi to another, congratulations upon your first saber.  And a point from me. 

[Karmack]

Welcome Draven!  I also enjoyed your intro, and I to believe that much of the "light" or "dark" of the Force is what the Jedi brings to it.  Which is why I teach my padawans to be so extremely careful of their feelings.  Emotions lead to bad decisions.  Trust your mind, that is where the root of Good is planted and where you can make good decisions: when you are calm and not emotionally engaged.
However, I do not eschew passion as the Jedi of old.  Passion has its place, just under control.  :-)

That Manticore is a great first saber.  Excellent!  Yes, we all assume you'll buy more.  It is ... your destiny. 

[Knight Draven]

The problem with Passion and why as Jedi we must avoid it is that with Passion a person is lead to engage in behavior out of self-will or desire without weighing the consequences or logically considering the evidence or facts present. Religious zealots are lead to cause pain and harm to those they prosecute because their faith has convicted them to do so. Not because they have calmly considered the facts present and weighed the situation carefully.

Passion can be a good thing in moderation, and I believe you have a point with that, but the padawon does not have the developed sense of decernment to identify when to disengage emotionally from a situation. This is why it is better to teach there is no Passion only Serenity first. When you learn to act without engaging your self-will you learn to act with better attunement to the Living Force

[Karmack]

Well said!  Perhaps it would be better to say: Have a passion for seeking attunement to the Force. 

One internal debate I continue to have, however, is whether there is a "will of the force" to follow?  If the force is in fact without moral character, if it is just an energy field that surrounds and binds matter within the universe, then how can it have a will?  Is not the will that of the Jedi or Sith who taps that energy?

It is a puzzling quesiton and one that leads me to consider other 'forces'.  Perhaps there is more to the force than what we can sense?  A Person (or persons) behind its power?  And if so, who are they and are we actually giving allegiance to them when we follow Light or Dark?

(To put it in the view of a different universe: Vorlons or Shadows???)

[Knight Draven]

The Living Force as we know it is energy given off by all living things in the galaxy. It surrounds us, penetrates us and binds us.

To be in tune and sensitive with the Living Force is to be standing still in a flowing stream. you can feel the water as it moves around you. It has a current. It has direction. It isn't self aware therefore to say it has will is a misnomer however we can liken it to having a will of it's own. Much in the same way as we personify the tempest that is the ocean. The Living Force is no different.   It doesn't have an active will. That is to say that the Living Force isn't self aware or cogescent of any one specific agenda either light or dark. the living Force just is. It has a nature, a flow and a direction. To give In to the will of the Living Force is to understand that the universe and everything within it has a specific nature to how it behaves. We strive to understand this nature and this we try to move with it instead of resist it with self-will. Like the stream wanting to move along it's current to the river we move along with the current of the Force as it ebbs and flows around us. Like throwing a pebble into the stream when we take actions in life we cause ripples to appear in the flow of the Force. Every ripple has a consequence whether it be significant or not. So we strive to make sure every pebble cast is premeditated on and we are aware of our actions. We should strive to harm none and thus not harm ourselves either.

To give into the flow of the Force is to be aware of all these things because they all work together.

[Karmack]

Perhaps it is because I believe in a Creator, and not just the force.  :-)  I do the will of the Creator, or his Enemy, and the Force is in the same bucket.

(OOC)

I don't want to get into a religious discussion, this isn't the place, but its fun to really try to fit the concept of the Force into my pre-existing world-view.  :-)  Really puts a different twist on it.  When I'm in character, my character's view is shaded by a similar belief - that there is a Creator and it is His Will that really directs everything, including the force.

Honestly, I'm surprised this has never surfaced in the larger universe as an idea or concept.  Even if it is not common acceptance I would be surprised if there weren't some order of Jedi or Sith that didn't follow a Creator who was actually the "force behind the Force" as it were.  :-)

[gebhac]

I've long contemplated what it means to be light and dark and what makes each one.  Neither is stronger over the other.  The Light often appears weak at first but can grow immensely powerful at the right time while the Dark can be immensely powerful at the start but can quickly fail at the most inopportune moment.  One could argue that the further one goes into the Dark, the more self-involved and reliant on emotions one becomes.  Whereas the further one goes into the light, the more detached and emotionless one becomes.  Both extremes can have some rather negative consequences, extreme Light can lead to inaction and extreme Dark can lead to unnecessary action.

Since this is an introduction section and not necessarily the best place to fully flesh out the conclusions I have come to, i will post it somewhere else in the Off Topic area I think would be a good place.

[sedstiskyfaller]

Welcome! Very nice first choice in saber. I have the nickel plated version and absolutely love it.

[James Casey]

Welcome, Draven!

I'm sure you're going to love your Manticore. It's one of the most gorgeous designs, and the Emerald driver will really make it special. Enjoy!