Exactly, Mono. What on earth is the virtue in just obstinantly sticking to
an opinion? No more virtue in that than in changing your opinion to match
whoever you're talking to. The virtue was not in the sticking, but in the
"well thought out and sound"-ness of the opinion, or as you worded it (
perhaps more correctly), conclusions and observations.
Maybe it seems like a simple difference of opinion just bugs the hell out
of "us". Whoever "us" is. Seems to me that there are too many different
points of view in the corporate "us" for us to be irritated by mere shmeer
"difference".
Ever wonder if we might object to the fact that something was obviously not
thought through, either through laziness or lack of intelligence?
Here's a thought - we're not exactly hurting for company. Although we
always welcome adding a new friend to the circle, we're not so desperate
that we're just going to gather in anyone who makes noise. The only thing
that I can think of that ties us all together is the mysterious thing known
as "vibe." Some people have vibe, and they generally end up in the
so-called "inner circle" of Shmeng. Some people don't have vibe, but if
they want to stick around and watch and listen, that's fine. Who knows,
they may pick up on some vibe, and end up surprising us. And some people
are the anti-vibe, and damned if we're going to put up with it. These are
the twits, trolls, flame-bait, and noisy idiots. Noisy idiots seem to be
the most common these days - people who think they've magically got an
"in", but have never contributed anything that made anyone sit up and take
notice.
Now, please don't ask what vibe is. If you have it, you know it, and if
you don't, you probably won't get it. I will say this - if you still think
we sit on people for just having a different opinion, then you probably
don't have a clue about vibe. In which case, you're probably not the best
qualified to instruct newbies on Shmeng policy.
____________________ "You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and the
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest of
girls." - Dresden Dolls, "Girl Anachronism"
Speaking of the undefinable thing called vibe... why is it that someone can
be on his site for any amount of time - and see the different opinions.
Then, when they say something that upsets anyone... we are all clones that
blast all who don't see it our way... *sighs*
And frankly... no matter how retarded newbies are handled, WE are the ones
lambasted... it makes no sense...
If someone burst into my living room, where my friends and I are enjoying
each other's company, starts spouting some of the bullshit that is spouted
here... first he'd be verbally disassembled, then physically removed... how
is it that any place that people feel comfortable is really so different
than my living room?
____________________ The earth turns on a tilted axis - just doing the best it can.
I would also like to say hello! to blackheartedsoul, and look what you
started...sheesh. I'm just joking, hope to see some future
contributions.
As for WIG....as mono said any idiot can hold an opinion, and dig their
feet in the mud over it, and still be stupid. WIG is stupid. Nobody cares
about WIG anymore. WIG is tired, sad, and no matter what you say on it
it's already been said before on a thousand sites by a thousand pissed off
teenagers back since dripping blood bars and spinning skull icons were
wicked awesome.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
W0rmW00d
Fanatic
Posts: 355 Registered: 5/8/2004 Status: Offline
posted on 14/1/2005 at 06:16 PM
Feral, the difference between here and your living room is that there is no
exclusivity or barrier here. all you need to do is choose a silly name,
pick a password and type in an email address. I suspect that getting into
your living room is a little different.
The thing about the internet, and particularly forums thereon is that they
are accessible to anyone with a net connection available. Your living room
is invite only (one can but assume) and one can make a forum like that, but
how many people here were actually invited by the living rooms owner? I
would guess 'very few.' This probably includes 'valued members' as well as
'idiots' 'newbies' and 'trolls'
This sometimes makes a trial by fire necessary, the thing is that often
people seem to take more enjoyment in the bashing of 'idiots' than the
reasons that the bashing of these people are necessary, the lively and
intelligent debate of subjects members enjoy, and the whining about being
caught in the rain/fucked over by a housemate or whatever. A pretty direct
quote from such a situation would be 'get the trollbashing hammer' and
'sorry I missed the fun, Ill have to get the next one'
Schizo, why only obvious troublemakeing, stupidity and worth? Surely more
subtle contributions should be noted as well? The vibe isn't an obvious
state of affairs or everyone would instantly click in with it, why should
contributions to it be so?
____________________ Eritis sicut Deus scientes bonum et malum.
And the third angel sounded, and a troll army did descend upon the world.
KittyGoesMrow
Fanatic
Posts: 218 Registered: 30/4/2003 Status: Offline
posted on 14/1/2005 at 08:58 PM
Give up =\
____________________ Anata ga sabishii toki, bokumo sabishii n da yo
blackheartedsoul
Coward
Posts: 4 Registered: 7/1/2005 Status: Offline
posted on 14/1/2005 at 10:56 PM
Not trying to be an annoyance here, sorry for that. If I'm not mistaken,
this is the "karma free zone".
Monolycus
Fanatic
Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 14/1/2005 at 11:06 PM
quote:Not trying to be an
annoyance here, sorry for that. If I'm not mistaken, this is the "karma
free zone".
Enjoyed that one, did'ja...? You're new and would probably work this out
in time, but I'll let you in on a secret. "Karma" (if one believes in it)
is more than scripts. A true dolt will interpret "karma-free zone" to mean
"consequence-free zone" and not expect anything they type in that area will
go towards how people will size them up and interact with them later. And
that's what it's there for.
~M.
____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again."
Karma... is a threefold return on your actions... as well as the scripts
that mono referred to... here... while safe from the karma scripts... you
still have the reactions of others to deal with...
Wood... except that there is a barrier, just as solid... it's not a wall,
but the reactions of the members... you learned... and went from complete
troll to actually making some contribution from time to time.. while
abbaddon stands at the window calling for attention... and, this place has
karma which, quickly enough will shut the unworthy up... my living room
doesn't have that... unfortunately
____________________ The earth turns on a tilted axis - just doing the best it can.
Hohenheim of Light~Full Metal Alchemist
Schizo
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 897 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 15/1/2005 at 08:49 AM
Of course not just obvious worth, etc., Wormwood. As one gets to know the
new member in question, one notices more and more subtle forms of both
worth and and the opposite. But these things take time, and for the raw
newbie, aren't really going to be an issue for a while. Anyway, if someone
has a glaring flaw, the fact that they have a subtle virtue isn't going to
balance it out. For example, if someone is a klepto, it may be nice that
they pilfer things with graceful motions of the hand, but I'm not likely to
be so appreciative of their grace once they've stolen my belongings. A big
"bad vibe" will swallow up a small "good vibe" pretty quickly.
____________________ "You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and the
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest
of
girls." - Dresden Dolls, "Girl Anachronism"
KittyGoesMrow
Fanatic
Posts: 218 Registered: 30/4/2003 Status: Offline
posted on 15/1/2005 at 12:42 PM
I'm glad we have people who can explain thing to other people because I
sure as hell am NOT good at explaining thing
____________________ Anata ga sabishii toki, bokumo sabishii n da yo
Wood: you know what... I enjoy making fun of idiots... most people,
reguardless of intelligence level, enjoy making fun of people who are
dumber than they... and themore people protest this point, the more they
secretly do... the trial by fire has nothing to do with idiot bashing...
because, frankly... if an idiot is thick skinned, like abbaddon, it's going
to stick around... the ability to endure, is not what makes people
accepted... it is the ability of someone to be able to look at the
responses and respond in a well thought out manner... there have been many
people who were not idiots who did not fit in... and there a couple
accepted people that are morons, but they have the vibe, common sense and
personality to contribute....
On a side note -though you will probably see this as an insult... at times
you border on brilliance... the beginning or middle of something you say
starts to make sense...
____________________ The earth turns on a tilted axis - just doing the best it can.
Hohenheim of Light~Full Metal Alchemist
Wok
Occasional Poster
Posts: 25 Registered: 14/11/2004 Status: Offline
posted on 16/1/2005 at 03:13 PM
quote: while abbaddon stands
at the window calling for attention
Maybe. But I remember once when he/she said something in a thread about
'bullshit assumptions' of animal psychology that people were making. It was
quite apt.
W0rmW00d
Fanatic
Posts: 355 Registered: 5/8/2004 Status: Offline
posted on 16/1/2005 at 05:25 PM
I agree, it is fun making fun of idiots. I find it more fun, however, to
make them make fun of themselves. A retort to a foolish comment will often
inspire an even more foolish comment in justification of the first. This as
an alternative to the outright 'burn the motherfuckers with a blowtorch'
approach that is, I feel, oft times over, or innaproptiately, used in what
is always called a trial by fire, even if it does appear, to me at least
and apparently to some others, as a witch burning. I guess it could simply
be interpretation.
Thank you, by the way. Bordering on brilliance is far better than bordering
on insane, or just sitting firmly in the middle. I shall try and get a
passport to cross that border one day.
____________________ Eritis sicut Deus scientes bonum et malum.
And the third angel sounded, and a troll army did descend upon the world.
Schizo
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 897 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 17/1/2005 at 03:49 AM
Sometimes, though, for those of us that have been here the full four years,
it gets awfully tedious to play cat and mouse with yet another new idiot or
troll. Not to mention the fact that you are giving an often not-too-bright
person a lot of not-too-obviously negative attention, which the person
often misinterprets as just plain attention, which must mean they are cool,
and thus accepted, and then you either have to spend even more time and
energy and nasty vibes to either dig the poor deluded fool out of its
little foxhole, or else to ignore the vapid nonsense it's going to spout
for the rest of Shmeng's existence. Sometimes it's a lot easier to just
crack out the old sledgehammer and give it a couple of brute blows, and to
hell with the finesse and artistry.
I personally have nine-tenths given up. We cleared out a lot of
well-entrenched deadwood with our latest purge, and the process was not
fun. Now it seems that new flotsam and jetsam has come to take its place,
and I just don't have the will to try to budge it.
I really don't know. I've got a lot of people I really value here, but it
seems that most of them never post anymore, and I find myself wondering why
I keep coming back. Shmeng used to stretch my mind, and now it mostly just
stretches my patience.
____________________ "You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and
the
/>
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest
of