So Just Exactly What ARE We Doing, Anyway?

[The Wizard]

And this thread asked for opinions and input, so I gave mine. Sorry it doesn't go along with the majority.

You gave your opinion. And it was disagreed with. It wasn't an attack against you, they just held a different opinion. If you don't want to contribute to this, that's okay. Then don't. Nothing wrong with that.

But if we want to contribute, that's our decision.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Thread is now about Nigel.  Mission Accomplished.

Uh, you mentioned me in the OP and then asked for input. Is there a particular reason I should have assumed that specifically meant everyone else's input, but not mine? Or maybe that you meant you wanted only input that was in agreement with you?

I'm not telling anyone what to do or not do, I'm expressing the same thing I've always expressed when this topic comes up. Because dude, you asked.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

If not to agree on an agenda, what is the goal?

The goal is to define what each individual involved has for an agenda, and set up a framework to help each other work towards those agendas.

Things are a little too robust, in a bad way, for an individual to make any measurable difference, these days.  Like one filthy old pervert once said, "Either we hang together, or we will surely hang apart."

Well, my agenda is that I'm against it.

That's fine. My agenda is different from yours, so don't mind if I don't follow it.

Is there a reason you think I would care?

No. I'm just pointing out that just because you're not interested in this doesn't mean some of us aren't.
You think for yourself, I'll think for myself. That's kinda one of the points of all of this, or so I thought.

Yep. And unless your agenda directly involves me, there's no particular reason for me to give a shit. Since you made a point of telling me about it, I thought there might be a reason you would think I'd care.

No. Just thought that needed pointing out. I think that's all we have to say to each other on the subject, and I'll go back to seeing whose agendas have commonalities, rather than differences, to mine.

[Eater of Clowns]

I'm not interested in changing people's minds.  If anyone is either half as stubborn as I am, and I was 10x more so before I got hooked on chaos, they will immediately shut down anyone overtly attempting to sway their opinions.  And let's face it, in a world where they're being assaulted from every angle to believe in this or support that, most of which are misguided at best and insidious at worst, it's probably a good thing.  Not to mention, I have no desire to give anyone an alternative to their current thoughts - I don't want that responsibility.

Instead, I'd like to convince people not to change their minds, but that their minds are capable of being changed.  I don't want to shatter anyone's world view or cripple anyone's outlook.  I'd like to lay the foundation where a slightly less retarded idea can be built, and as soon as that one's done another foundation for an even less retarded one.  Maybe by then they can keep the process going on their own and work on doing the same to another.

I guess what I'd like to figure out is how to get someone to realize that they can continuously shape their filters to more accurately reflect reality.  A single voice dissenting, and dissenting to the extent that many of us do, sounds like a crazy person.  A myriad of voices, a series of weird events, are more likely to accomplish something.

That's the idealistic discordian in me.  The other part wants to inflict the very worst of things upon the great majority of people, who I dislike on an extreme level.

I would say those two disparate motiviations are what get me to do anything Discordian related.  I would not call them goals because I don't think they're measurable, and I don't like the imagery associated with a goal as linear.  Discordian action ought to look akin to the chaos star, right down to having the arrows being various sizes.  More efforts in some areas and with more people than others.

The thing about intentionally building a Discordian movement is that it's subject to break down like anything else, but given the individuals involved that breakdown tends to be particularly bad.  It's why I also don't think we should have a clear policy on what we should and shouldn't do with n00bs - intentional communities are inhibited.

ETA:  OH good I just typed all this shit out and it's another thread about Nigel being a twunt and everyone responding to it.  Big fucking surprise.

[Reeducation]

Great topic!

My goals are:

1. To stay alive and sane. It gets harder to keep your sanity everyday. It's a fucked up world.
2. To BE there for my daughter when things get rough.
3. FREEDOM.
4. I'm going to live my life as I want to (too long thing to explain really) and if someone asks "how did you get THAT stupid idea?", I will answer something like " lolo23! Eris made me do it! Run! Run!". They will figure out the rest, if they have the ThinkForYourself-seed in their brains.

[hooplala]

For the record, here are my three horribly offensive posts ITT that were, apparently, not expressing an opinion, but a twunty grab for attention. Glad I was able to provide a suitable target for today's dogpile. Fuck you.

It's hard for me to decide whether to ignore this thread or tear it apart. It pretty thoroughly represents everything that I'm against.

I'm Cramulus' nemesis for a reason. I resent any attempt to "bring us together" or find a common agenda outside of the spontaneous trolling zeitgeist that happens periodically on its own when a bunch of people think collaboration sounds fun.

The thing is, following is easy. Once an agenda is decided, people feel free to turn off their critical thinking and just go with the program. I've spent my entire life fucking with what people think they know, with only one goal in mind; to make people think. Whether they like it or not. So I can't participate in any agenda that sets an agenda other than my own, which I won't tell you.

All of us, regardless of race or income, fall into the category of bored middle-class white people. The luxury of agreeing on an agenda, the luxury of HAVING an agenda, on the Internet no less, is the domain of bored middle-class white people.

Bored middle-class white people who have agreed on an agenda are the most dangerous animal on the planet.

If not to agree on an agenda, what is the goal?

Well, my agenda is that I'm against it.

I'm fairly certain nobody had anything at all against those three posts, it was the cuntery that followed it, and please don't insult the intelligence of every poster on this board by pretending you weren't making a big stink on purpose.

[The Wizard]

Uh, the thread got split. Fight moved elsewhere.

[hooplala]

Oopsie.

[The Wizard]

No worries.

[Bella]

Going back to Rog's original post:


I find myself diametrically opposed to the idea of getting on board any organized, deliberate, common agenda. Don't care if other people do so, as long as they respect that I can't do it.

However, I like the idea of a framework to help board members with their individual ideas and projects...provided there's no pressure either way.  


As for my own agenda...Liam and I plan to take over the world.



Edited to add:  Oops! I spoke too soon. I plan to take over the world.

Liam, on the other hand, just informed me that all he is wants to blow up huge chunks of it and have the rest of it closely monitored by closed tv circuits and robot drones. He also says he agrees with Nigel. Everyone getting together for a common agenda is how lynch mobs start.

[Precious Moments Zalgo]

My goals are to free my own mind as much as possible so that I can see things as they really are, not filtered to conform to some worldview.  I'd like to help others do the same, but it seems to me that most people will defend their worldview as if they were defending their very life.  I don't believe anyone can be helped in this unless they already want it.

I get a lot out of the rants on this site.  They help me to open up my eyes and make me think..

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

My goals:

1. Give and get critical feedback from those I disagree with, even if they make a stink. Sometimes, especially if they make a stink.
2. Improve my ability to be humorous, satirical and otherwise funny. I'm inherently a very serious person, and the atmosphere here helps me balance that out without losing sight of hard realities.
3. Collaborate with other spags on projects designed to engage the public in critical and imaginative thought.
4. Collaborate with other spags on projects designed to reach other asshats out there that would be a welcome addition to this community.
5. Keep my curiosity about the world burning white hot.
6. Keep learning about and evolving Discordian concepts until they become sentient and try to kill us all.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Going back to Rog's original post:


I find myself diametrically opposed to the idea of getting on board any organized, deliberate, common agenda. Don't care if other people do so, as long as they respect that I can't do it.

However, I like the idea of a framework to help board members with their individual ideas and projects...provided there's no pressure either way.  


As for my own agenda...Liam and I plan to take over the world.



Edited to add:  Oops! I spoke too soon. I plan to take over the world.

Liam, on the other hand, just informed me that all he is wants to blow up huge chunks of it and have the rest of it closely monitored by closed tv circuits and robot drones. He also says he agrees with Nigel. Everyone getting together for a common agenda is how lynch mobs start.

Except that we aren't getting together for a common agenda, necessarily.  I'm thinking of this as more of a co-op.  And I doubt we'll be running off to lynch anyone.

[Salty]

I am here because the majority of people refuse to let their minds settle and congeal into uselessness.
It's uncomfortable, but necessary for a decently functioning mind, to confront one's own brand of stupid. And you often get that here. Even if the hostility towards an idea is undeserved or misplaced it is worth it, it's always worth it to ensure the ideas your basing decisions off of have merit or value.

I like most of you horrible cunts because you're intelligent horrible cunts.

And that let's me know that the whole world isn't shit, just most of the people. And it's hard to find people who are worth the time and energy but they are out there and worth looking for.

Meanwhile, I like making people uncomfortably aware of the cost of their comforts.
I like making people laugh at the horrible things that happen every day. I would like to get better at doing these things and involving others who want to do the same.

The drama is the same as it was last year and the year before that and I just ignore it.

My goal is to be a part of and contribute to a community of people who think for themselves and MAKE and DO things in real life. I want to inspire and be inspired by that community.
And, you know, that's what I've been doing.
And so have others.

2010 was a shitty year for me personally, but I wrote and made some pamphlets, I postered like crazy, I put a great meme on display and got some laughs as well as some nasty, indignant looks. AND I met some new people who are going to help me unleash some PAIN on my town.
And others did way more, way awesome stuff. There is, I believe, a whole thread relating the awesome accomplishments of this board. And much of that is what people took upon themselves to do.

So....

THANK YOU, PD, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?!
       \

[Bella]

Going back to Rog's original post:


I find myself diametrically opposed to the idea of getting on board any organized, deliberate, common agenda. Don't care if other people do so, as long as they respect that I can't do it.

However, I like the idea of a framework to help board members with their individual ideas and projects...provided there's no pressure either way.  


As for my own agenda...Liam and I plan to take over the world.



Edited to add:  Oops! I spoke too soon. I plan to take over the world.

Liam, on the other hand, just informed me that all he is wants to blow up huge chunks of it and have the rest of it closely monitored by closed tv circuits and robot drones. He also says he agrees with Nigel. Everyone getting together for a common agenda is how lynch mobs start.

Except that we aren't getting together for a common agenda, necessarily.  I'm thinking of this as more of a co-op.  And I doubt we'll be running off to lynch anyone.

I can see myself in a cooperative venture.


Sometimes.


If I feel like it and no one expects it of me.




At least until I'm running the world.