Questions about the Black Iron Prison

[LMNO]

So I guess "Daego" was a hit and run, huh?

Oh not at all, I'm just paying attention.  I asked questions and they really haven't been answered yet, execpt some self-important dude said something about a 40 yr old but I found that irrelevant. 

I just wanna know what the main demographic for TBIP is... The first few pages seem to be targeting depressed teens from the early '90s.

I'm not sure I understand you... Essay one gives a rough outline of the premise: That your psychology and biology shape they way you view the world, and if you don't recognize that, things will never change.  Essay two gives a Realist summation of the ideological majority. Essays three and four are rants against the kinds of corporate comfort that blind us into seeing the issues raised in essays one and two.  And so on.  Perhaps you haven't gotten an answer to this question because you're not really sure what you're asking... or maybe we considered it more of a broad-sided insult rather than an honest inquiry.

Why try to convert?

For several reasons.  But before I get into that, there are a lot of unspoken and vague ideas behind that question.  Like, are we converting cabbages into Discordians, or Discordians into something else?  Is "convert" even the right word to use, since "think for yourself" is one of the main points?  And are we even trying to convert, or did we just want to spread some ideas?

So, in an attempt to answer: First and foremost because we think we have the beginnings of a good idea, and would like other people to know about that good idea.  Second, because we see a lot of people who are acting without thinking, and are making life harder for the rest of us by doing so.  Thirdly, because we are creative people who like seeing our stuff in print.

If someone isn't smart enough to find their way around theology do you really give a Potter Stewart if they are walking around with a Gold Apple embossed on their Starter-brand hoodie? 

I'm curious why you think the BIP pamphlet has anything to do with theology.  The only mention of Discordianism in there is the piece that starts with the Hesse quote, and that's a rejection of religion.

Also, the question itself is a little puzzling... You seem to have reached a conclusion that we're trying to convince stupid people to act stupidly in a different way; as if a stupid person reading the BIP would suddenly change their behavior, but only superficially.  Not only that, but that we would want this stupid person to ignore the anti-consumerism tilt of the pamphlet, and brand-whore themselves.

So, it appears that you may have missed a few salient points in the pamphlet, and this question doesn't really apply to anything in the BIP itself, though it may apply to some thoughts inside your own head.

Not trying to flame or anything, all of hell knows I can be a prick though.  I realize people worked hard on TBIP, and applaud the effort, but the number of posts on this thread may give a clue to the actual VALIDITY of the thing.

I think this has been addressed previously, but if you visit http://www.blackironprison.com/index.php?title=Main_Page you'll find compilations of myriad threads, essays, and extensive speculation and tangents relating to the initial BIP project.  In particular, if your measure of an idea's worthiness is post count, the Discussions/Questions/Threadjacks section at http://www.blackironprison.com/index.php?title=Literature compiles some of the better threads together into semi-cohesion.

Incidentally, that wasn't a question.

I'm probably not the one to say anything beings if I'd modernize the PD I'd just write "5 tons of flax" a few times and discredit all sources in the bibliograpy

So, the fifth pentabarf, the Law of Fives, Starbuck's Pebbles, the Sermon on Ethics and Love, and the (An)Eristic Illusions aren't important to you?

You might have been trying for snark, but there are Discordians who truly believe that the Principia is nothing but a collection of non-sequitor humor and a silly parody of religion that allows people to act foolish.  Which is fine.  However, a lot of us call those kinds of Discordians "Pinealists", and tend to ignore or mock them, because let's face it: We've heard the jokes dozens of times before, and they don't have much else to offer.

One reason you haven't gotten any response to your questions may be that you finished off your post with that, which would lead a lot of us to consider you thus, and so not really worth a response, as you'd probably reply with something like "FNORD 23 SKIDOO" or some such.

Anyway, there are your answers, from one of many.  Don't take what I say as the definitive answer, however.  I don't speak for the board.

[Cramulus]

I kind of suspect this guy is an alt, but it doesn't really matter -- there have been some good answers here!

[LMNO]

Yeah, it doesn't matter.  To me, this isn't a troll yet; I'm not annoyed, nor frustrated.  Answering questions like that helps me re-think and refine my ideas.  In a way, they're more self-help than anything else.

[Daego]

Thank you for your time! That was an awesome response.  Perhaps you are right, and I've mis-interperted what I've read.  I'm probably gonna have to re- read it. 
  I'm not sure it would do any good to say what I got from the PD and how I use it, butt fuck it, i will.  People that frequent this forum seem to think pagans and mystics are a nuisaince.  YEAH YEAH YEAH I know, i'm just a dumb rube that fell into another scam of power or what-ever, a D&D-playing wand-waver or whatever.  Fine by me.   The PD just pleases me, a mind-fuck and a joke.  It helped light the way to the duality of things; light/dark, up/down, ugly/pretty, serious/absurd.  I like to concentrate on the dark and absurd, kinda like taping an emo kid to a tree. It pleases me, and that's all that matters    So, yes, I do invoke Eris from time to time, and the "erisian movement' seems as good a "religion" as any (scratch that, gotta be better than mormons! j/k).  I seriously joke absurdly grim.  Don't you belive me? DON'T YOU BELIVE ME!

oh yeah, the bad referance was a lame attempt on my part as a test.  don't panic  

[The Good Reverend Roger]

This is why we leave the speedballs alone, kids.

[LMNO]

Well Daego, now we know where you stand.

And since you don't buy into the direction we're going, I can trust you won't be getting involved with any of our discussions relating to that direction; because it won't do either of us any good.

My advice is to stick to the Apple Talk and O:M subforums.  They're a delightful lark that don't require an excess of thought.

[Daego]

  I never said I don't "buy" into "creative people who like seeing our stuff in print" or their ideas. It seems you've failed to notice that my e-tongue is firmly lodged in my e-cheek.  Also failed to realize how easily discord meshes with the arcane.  Whether you agree or not is your problem, but I kinda figured if anyone would be open to an Idea as brash and totally "out there" as "magick", it would probably be a discordian.  Definitely not the first time I've overestimated a group of people, though.  I'm gonna have to agree with you that I won't be getting involved in your discussions on trolling satanism sites, your hierarchy, your unoriginal corporate conspiracy theories, ships and shoes and ceiling wax, cabbages and kings.  Mainstream quote in 3 2 1 why so serious?

  I just erased about 3 paragraphs of what might, to the paranoid and closed minded, be considered trolling as I cross referenced your responses here with your posts elsewhere.  All I asked was DO   YOU    REALLY    CARE?  I sure seems you do, and the energy is a waste, but that's your bucket of smegma.  I still keep an open mind, and make an honest attempt to learn anything, even from the simplest people and books. Thus my time spent on the internet. 

  Sure, I may be irritating and make you feel that you need to defend yourself, (yeah reactions I get out here aren't the most positive either, Americans don't like to be confronted) but I really have no ill intentions.  I like to think.  I like to watch others think and hear what they've dredged up.  Character is easiest to decipher when in conflict.  Mild taunts[broadsidedinsults] are always fun.  Keeps stagnate wit and dried up emotions fresh. You might even learn something from someone else's choice to be an assoholic. So if you would please, not for my sake but for your own, lighten the fuck up.  All the world's a stage and every man and woman a sub-par stand-up comedian. 

Well I suppose that I'll leave that rant for what it is and thank you for your insight.  I'm sure I'm quite finished with this thread, unless someone decides to place a witty remark that needs a shitty retort.

 

[Daego]

This is why we leave the speedballs alone, kids.

I don't mix cocaine with my heroin. I don't even think I've ever even seen coke. 

[Cainad (dec.)]

It's sort of like he's trying to pull a DK, but falls short of that threshold where I feel peeved enough to pick apart his post and thus spark a feud.

[Freeky]

What's a DK?

[Cainad (dec.)]

What's a DK?

Dead Kennedy. One of the most epic asshats to appear on this forum since I've been here. He got under a lot of people's skin. He's also an absolutely horrible person if any of the opinions he claimed to have were sincere, but damn could he get people pissed off at him.

[Freeky]

Ah. He kind of reminds me of the examples TGRR gives of REALLY REAL DISCORDIANS, with that crap about

I kinda figured if anyone would be open to an Idea as brash and totally "out there" as "magick", it would probably be a discordian.

And the rest of it made me

So now I've seen one up close. Huh.

[Cainad (dec.)]

Ah. He kind of reminds me of the examples TGRR gives of REALLY REAL DISCORDIANS, with that crap about

I kinda figured if anyone would be open to an Idea as brash and totally "out there" as "magick", it would probably be a discordian.

And the rest of it made me

So now I've seen one up close. Huh.

Pretty underwhelming, innit?

[Freeky]

_Yes.

[the last yatto]

It's sort of like he's trying to pull a DK, but falls short of that threshold where I feel peeved enough to pick apart his post and thus spark a feud.

DK doesnt write like a wiki entry

plus dont think he would GO so low as to do a pineapple troll