Principia Discordia

Principia Discordia => Two vast and trunkless legs of stone => Topic started by: tyrannosaurus vex on August 30, 2012, 04:35:07 AM

Title: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: tyrannosaurus vex on August 30, 2012, 04:35:07 AM
I just realized something about myself.

- I often value humor over thoughtful discussion, even when humor is clearly inappropriate or disruptive.
- I have the attention span of a gnat trapped in my deadbeat cousin's bag of meth.
- I am twice as likely to try to convince you of my position than to listen to your position, for fear that I might agree with it.
- I cruise the Internet in search of funny pictures, many times to the exclusion of everything else.
- I begin at least half of my sentences with I.

On their own, each of these things is awful, but together, they can only mean one thing. One terrible thing.

I am a Facebook Discordian.

This sounds like I'm just being silly, and I am because it's part of my condition.

But is there hope?
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: The Dark Monk on August 30, 2012, 04:43:13 AM
Nope.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: The Johnny on August 30, 2012, 04:47:00 AM
How old are you?

Those elements yuo mention sure are bad for discussion, but now that you realized it you can do something about it.

Also, the internet, for me at least, can be cheap use of leisure time. It can also be an efficient research support technique that is conveniently neighboured by a word processor.

When im working on something i have to turn in, my work is 70% computer sided.

When im on leisure time, i prioritize staying healthy (cooking, working out) and if i have the money and somewhere fun or nice to go, rather do that.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: tyrannosaurus vex on August 30, 2012, 04:56:05 AM
Quote from: Joh'Nyx on August 30, 2012, 04:47:00 AM
How old are you?

Those elements yuo mention sure are bad for discussion, but now that you realized it you can do something about it.

Also, the internet, for me at least, can be cheap use of leisure time. It can also be an efficient research support technique that is conveniently neighboured by a word processor.

When im working on something i have to turn in, my work is 70% computer sided.

When im on leisure time, i prioritize staying healthy (cooking, working out) and if i have the money and somewhere fun or nice to go, rather do that.

I'm 30, so dead, more or less.

The Internet stopped being informative probably 5 or 6 years ago. It was around that time that it became increasingly unidirectional, like TV, as opposed to the Good Old Days™ of BBS and Usenet and IRC, when the whole thing was a bunch of people on connections so slow they only data they could consume was information from other users in the form of actual words. Today, information is free but worthless. Back then, information was free, worthless, and informative.

I do not know what leisure time is.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Bu🤠ns on August 30, 2012, 05:13:21 AM
Could you do the discordian thing the most effective way if you continued to use the old way of going about things?  Considering the medium, the only way to be effective is to operate under the conditions you listed above beginning with "I."

Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: tyrannosaurus vex on August 30, 2012, 05:28:54 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on August 30, 2012, 05:13:21 AM
Could you do the discordian thing the most effective way if you continued to use the old way of going about things?  Considering the medium, the only way to be effective is to operate under the conditions you listed above beginning with "I."

Every good revolution begins with a troll? Maybe, but why is the Internet like that? Is it information overload that short-circuits people's attention span and priorities? Is it the illusion of having a permanent soapbox that makes people stop listening, because they're too busy barking out their own half-cocked ideas? Is responding in kind really the only way to counteract that? It seems counterproductive.

Recent events on this forum alone show that people shouting past each other doesn't get anywhere, and you have to have already arrived at something like mutual respect (or at least recognition) to even get to that dead-end.

Is there any form of in-depth, meaningful discussion that the masses aren't already completely immune to?
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: The Johnny on August 30, 2012, 05:31:54 AM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 04:56:05 AM
I'm 30, so dead, more or less.

The Internet stopped being informative probably 5 or 6 years ago. It was around that time that it became increasingly unidirectional, like TV, as opposed to the Good Old Days™ of BBS and Usenet and IRC, when the whole thing was a bunch of people on connections so slow they only data they could consume was information from other users in the form of actual words. Today, information is free but worthless. Back then, information was free, worthless, and informative.

I do not know what leisure time is.

Well, i personally think the older one gets, the harder or less one tends to change... but the potential always exists to mold one's habits and behaviour.

I dont think blaming "how the internet is now" is useful, rather you should focus the "locus of control" upon yourself, because thats what you can change, the internet wont change for anyone it just is what it is.

Leisure time is free time. I have noticed that when i have only about 2 hours of free time a day, or im under a lot of stress, i fall back into just watching crappy memes or random useless entertaining trash, not anything learnful or useful... when i have a bit more time i do research on stuff i like, like music trivia, reading articles, or even sometimes writing.

Leisure time under stress just seems to be used on relaxing, kind of like indirect meditation by watching funny things, because the main focus is survival.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Bu🤠ns on August 30, 2012, 06:02:52 AM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 05:28:54 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on August 30, 2012, 05:13:21 AM
Could you do the discordian thing the most effective way if you continued to use the old way of going about things?  Considering the medium, the only way to be effective is to operate under the conditions you listed above beginning with "I."

Every good revolution begins with a troll? Maybe, but why is the Internet like that? Is it information overload that short-circuits people's attention span and priorities? Is it the illusion of having a permanent soapbox that makes people stop listening, because they're too busy barking out their own half-cocked ideas? Is responding in kind really the only way to counteract that? It seems counterproductive.

In my adulthood I've learned more about change through recognizing people who were worth emulating specific to my own personal growth and by following their example.  Their teaching was more through a kind of social osmosis than through a meaningful discussion.  If you want to cause change in others, in my opinion, be a leader and demonstrate how to be.

With that said...

I understand what you're getting at though. I'm not suggesting that we respond in kind necessarily.  One of the things I've learned from being a father is to parent the child I have not the one I want...that is to say work at the kids level and not at the level where I wish him to be.  I think the same formula applies here.  If their attention spans are short, then use that as a component in your master plan.

Quote
Recent events on this forum alone show that people shouting past each other doesn't get anywhere, and you have to have already arrived at something like mutual respect (or at least recognition) to even get to that dead-end.

Is there any form of in-depth, meaningful discussion that the masses aren't already completely immune to?

The masses? Probably not...

As far as the PD thing goes, I have no idea.  AFAIK I've had some pretty decent discussions with folks around here. 
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: tyrannosaurus vex on August 30, 2012, 06:15:24 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on August 30, 2012, 06:02:52 AM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 05:28:54 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on August 30, 2012, 05:13:21 AM
Could you do the discordian thing the most effective way if you continued to use the old way of going about things?  Considering the medium, the only way to be effective is to operate under the conditions you listed above beginning with "I."

Every good revolution begins with a troll? Maybe, but why is the Internet like that? Is it information overload that short-circuits people's attention span and priorities? Is it the illusion of having a permanent soapbox that makes people stop listening, because they're too busy barking out their own half-cocked ideas? Is responding in kind really the only way to counteract that? It seems counterproductive.

In my adulthood I've learned more about change through recognizing people who were worth emulating specific to my own personal growth and by following their example.  Their teaching was more through a kind of social osmosis than through a meaningful discussion.  If you want to cause change in others, in my opinion, be a leader and demonstrate how to be.

With that said...

I understand what you're getting at though. I'm not suggesting that we respond in kind necessarily.  One of the things I've learned from being a father is to parent the child I have not the one I want...that is to say work at the kids level and not at the level where I wish him to be.  I think the same formula applies here.  If their attention spans are short, then use that as a component in your master plan.

Quote
Recent events on this forum alone show that people shouting past each other doesn't get anywhere, and you have to have already arrived at something like mutual respect (or at least recognition) to even get to that dead-end.

Is there any form of in-depth, meaningful discussion that the masses aren't already completely immune to?

The masses? Probably not...

As far as the PD thing goes, I have no idea.  AFAIK I've had some pretty decent discussions with folks around here. 

Eh yeah, I'm kind of lazily blurring two ideas there with the PD thing. I don't mean to lump PD with "the masses" so much as my frustration at the masses - not in 'changing' them (lol) but with the fact that most people out there are impenetrable fortresses of ignorance and self-righteousness. I've come to the conclusion that there is no saving them, only making fun of them. And that rubs off on my interactions here, which it shouldn't but it does anyway. There are always better discussions here than on Facebook or at work, to be sure.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Bu🤠ns on August 30, 2012, 06:23:04 AM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 06:15:24 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on August 30, 2012, 06:02:52 AM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 05:28:54 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on August 30, 2012, 05:13:21 AM
Could you do the discordian thing the most effective way if you continued to use the old way of going about things?  Considering the medium, the only way to be effective is to operate under the conditions you listed above beginning with "I."

Every good revolution begins with a troll? Maybe, but why is the Internet like that? Is it information overload that short-circuits people's attention span and priorities? Is it the illusion of having a permanent soapbox that makes people stop listening, because they're too busy barking out their own half-cocked ideas? Is responding in kind really the only way to counteract that? It seems counterproductive.

In my adulthood I've learned more about change through recognizing people who were worth emulating specific to my own personal growth and by following their example.  Their teaching was more through a kind of social osmosis than through a meaningful discussion.  If you want to cause change in others, in my opinion, be a leader and demonstrate how to be.

With that said...

I understand what you're getting at though. I'm not suggesting that we respond in kind necessarily.  One of the things I've learned from being a father is to parent the child I have not the one I want...that is to say work at the kids level and not at the level where I wish him to be.  I think the same formula applies here.  If their attention spans are short, then use that as a component in your master plan.

Quote
Recent events on this forum alone show that people shouting past each other doesn't get anywhere, and you have to have already arrived at something like mutual respect (or at least recognition) to even get to that dead-end.

Is there any form of in-depth, meaningful discussion that the masses aren't already completely immune to?

The masses? Probably not...

As far as the PD thing goes, I have no idea.  AFAIK I've had some pretty decent discussions with folks around here. 

Eh yeah, I'm kind of lazily blurring two ideas there with the PD thing. I don't mean to lump PD with "the masses" so much as my frustration at the masses - not in 'changing' them (lol) but with the fact that most people out there are impenetrable fortresses of ignorance and self-righteousness. I've come to the conclusion that there is no saving them, only making fun of them. And that rubs off on my interactions here, which it shouldn't but it does anyway. There are always better discussions here than on Facebook or at work, to be sure.


I dunno, I changed my dad's opinion about art the other day in an email and, shit that's like winning a gold metal.  Sometimes getting through the impenetrable fortresses of ignorance and self-righteousness comes down to adjusting your frame to something that's closer to theirs.  It might look and feel like cowtowing but it's really more like packet control.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: AFK on August 30, 2012, 01:01:53 PM
People can always change, age is a cop-out.  I've seen my parents change quite a bit over the years.  (aka loosening up a bit). Start with one or two of these bars you've discovered and try to come up sith some small shifts you can make and see what happens.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on August 30, 2012, 01:43:20 PM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 04:35:07 AM
I just realized something about myself.

- I often value humor over thoughtful discussion, even when humor is clearly inappropriate or disruptive.
- I have the attention span of a gnat trapped in my deadbeat cousin's bag of meth.
- I am twice as likely to try to convince you of my position than to listen to your position, for fear that I might agree with it.
- I cruise the Internet in search of funny pictures, many times to the exclusion of everything else.
- I begin at least half of my sentences with I.

On their own, each of these things is awful, but together, they can only mean one thing. One terrible thing.

I am a Facebook Discordian.

This sounds like I'm just being silly, and I am because it's part of my condition.

But is there hope?

Actually, I don't consider you a FB Discordian.  While there are some exceptions (Cram, etc), most of them still seem stuck on the law of fives, etc.

It's kinda dismal, actually.

Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Placid Dingo on August 30, 2012, 02:07:56 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on August 30, 2012, 01:43:20 PM
Quote from: v3x on August 30, 2012, 04:35:07 AM
I just realized something about myself.

- I often value humor over thoughtful discussion, even when humor is clearly inappropriate or disruptive.
- I have the attention span of a gnat trapped in my deadbeat cousin's bag of meth.
- I am twice as likely to try to convince you of my position than to listen to your position, for fear that I might agree with it.
- I cruise the Internet in search of funny pictures, many times to the exclusion of everything else.
- I begin at least half of my sentences with I.

On their own, each of these things is awful, but together, they can only mean one thing. One terrible thing.

I am a Facebook Discordian.

This sounds like I'm just being silly, and I am because it's part of my condition.

But is there hope?

Actually, I don't consider you a FB Discordian.  While there are some exceptions (Cram, etc), most of them still seem stuck on the law of fives, etc.

It's kinda dismal, actually.

Yeah... it's a different form of communication altogether.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Faust on August 30, 2012, 02:09:47 PM
No one actually reads anything on facebook.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on August 30, 2012, 02:12:18 PM
Quote from: Faust on August 30, 2012, 02:09:47 PM
No one actually reads anything on facebook.

That's because it's engineered so that you can't say much.  Character limits, etc...And if you write in notes, nobody sees it.

Also, FB is far more prone to towering rages of butthurt than PD is, so people tend to be non-confrontational.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Faust on August 30, 2012, 02:27:52 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on August 30, 2012, 02:12:18 PM
Quote from: Faust on August 30, 2012, 02:09:47 PM
No one actually reads anything on facebook.

That's because it's engineered so that you can't say much.  Character limits, etc...And if you write in notes, nobody sees it.

Also, FB is far more prone to towering rages of butthurt than PD is, so people tend to be non-confrontational.

It's actually an awful content delivery system. Its all about creating an ego monument to yourself and profiling your character through likes and connections but focusing very little on the interactions between people.

For instance if I switch my feed to top stories I have:

A youtube link of a song by Freddy mercury
A photo someone took
A stupid joke image of an old gameboy
A joke someone made (no interaction with other people lots of likes have made it rise though). This is the most engaging thing so far.
An argument about DLC, first discussion I've seen.
youtube video
more youtube
image

and so on. And I have turned off all game requests and articles people have read, I can't imagine what the feed would look like with them included.

I've been discussing mediums of communication at work, specifically the forum format versus the reddit style upvoting of content.
The forum format is considered antiquated now but the alternatives still lack engagement hugely, sure funny rises to the top but any kind of serious examination falls off the page outright with the only exception being if it is a controversial discussion.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: AFK on August 30, 2012, 02:37:07 PM
Facebook is a decent communication medium if someone makes a concerted effort to engage in active communication, but it certainly is set up to encourage a lot of passive communication.  I mostly use it as a photo album to share photos of the kids with distant family and friends.  I mostly use the message system for the active communication with others.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Faust on August 30, 2012, 02:39:53 PM
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on August 30, 2012, 02:37:07 PM
Facebook is a decent communication medium if someone makes a concerted effort to engage in active communication, but it certainly is set up to encourage a lot of passive communication.  I mostly use it as a photo album to share photos of the kids with distant family and friends.  I mostly use the message system for the active communication with others.

I'd rarely if ever use the messenger on facebook. I prefer email, they are a nicer format to read and far easier to search.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: P3nT4gR4m on August 30, 2012, 02:52:46 PM
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on August 30, 2012, 01:01:53 PM
People can always change, age is a cop-out.  I've seen my parents change quite a bit over the years.  (aka loosening up a bit). Start with one or two of these bars you've discovered and try to come up sith some small shifts you can make and see what happens.

As people get older they get "set in their ways"

This makes sense, the older you get the more likely you are to have tried the alternatives and found what works for you

On the plus side it should make you more efficient because you know the best way to do something, having experienced more methods than a younger person

On the down side, if you don't remember to keep an open mind and an eye on progress you're in danger of becoming one of those grouchy old fucks that always orders mac & cheese at restaurants.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: AFK on August 30, 2012, 03:00:26 PM
Quote from: Faust on August 30, 2012, 02:39:53 PM
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on August 30, 2012, 02:37:07 PM
Facebook is a decent communication medium if someone makes a concerted effort to engage in active communication, but it certainly is set up to encourage a lot of passive communication.  I mostly use it as a photo album to share photos of the kids with distant family and friends.  I mostly use the message system for the active communication with others.

I'd rarely if ever use the messenger on facebook. I prefer email, they are a nicer format to read and far easier to search.


I agree, but my Mom and other relatives seem to prefer it, probably because it's all in one place.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: Anna Mae Bollocks on August 30, 2012, 05:26:47 PM
I mainly use facebook to promote stuff (friends bands, my card skillz) and fuck with people. It's good for being nosey (LOLZ look how old and fat the head cheerleader got), pretty useless for discussion.

I think part of that might be BECAUSE it's a one-stop WalMart. People don't say much because EVERYBODY sees it.
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: tyrannosaurus vex on August 30, 2012, 05:31:30 PM
My actual facebook activity is

70% - Intentionally inflammatory political pictures, memes, and rants.
10% - Keeping in touch with people.
10% - Serious discussion about issues (politics, religion, best kind of cheese, etc).
5% - Reading shit other people post.
5% - Other
Title: Re: Introspection and Self-Discovery
Post by: CorbeauEtRenard on August 30, 2012, 08:10:22 PM
I admit I posted a Law of 5s thing there once, but the intent was to point out that if they go that route, they might as well get a little creative or attentive about it.
Also trying to desensitize them to it by pointing out every month has a 23rd.
What's the point in obsessing over pointless numeric "patterns" if you aren't going to go all out and mock/imitate the vigilantcitizen style conspiracy theorists in the process?