The Barstool Experiment

[Triple Zero]

The barstool experiment consists of five parts.

1. Some dope or dopes who pretend they know what matter is.
2. They postulate hypotheses about the nature of matter in a metaphysical manner.
3. Somehow a barstool works itself into the storyline (e.g. a character mentions it)
4. Someone else or by some method, the barstool is used to strike the dope or dopes from #1.
5. The story ends with the moral that one should not worry so much about the nature of matter, the world, social constructs, etc. so much as they are there and for one's use or harm.

Anything else involving barstools or experiments should be in Literate Chaotic or anywhere but this thread.

It's kind of like writing a sonnet or a haiku.  You have a form to follow.

The trick is to make #2 be as convincing as possible, to lure the reader into the tricksy metaphysical land of hypothesis and metaphor.  So when the barstool comes, it's as unexpected for the reader as it is for the poor sap getting clobbered.

that's the fun bit 

i often tell the barstool experiment to hippie-types, and when i get to point #2 i can usually make some sort of semi-convincing metaphysical hippy crap argument and they all go nodding with their head "uhuh yeah .. man .. nothing's real man .." like they really "dig it", and oooohhh that makes it so much fun when i get to point #4 

"and then he took the barstool bashed and bashed them to a pulp for being a bunch of hippies"

good times

[Wolfpoet]

What's a Vargyr?

Vargr, no fucking Y!

It's an old Norse word which has two meanings Wolf and Outlaw, it's a title used to refer to a Norse Pagan who follows Nordic practices but rejects conventional Nordic morality and ethics, every religion has a similar thing.

Also some RPG has arace called Vargr who are basicly werewolves and there is a nother RPG called Vampire: Dark Ages where they use the word to describe a viking vamp.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

What's a Vargyr?

Vargr, no fucking Y!

It's an old Norse word which has two meanings Wolf and Outlaw, it's a title used to refer to a Norse Pagan who follows Nordic practices but rejects conventional Nordic morality and ethics, every religion has a similar thing.

Also some RPG has arace called Vargr who are basicly werewolves and there is a nother RPG called Vampire: Dark Ages where they use the word to describe a viking vamp.

Which practices do you follow?

TGRR,
Hopes you don't hang thralls.  They're hard to come by, these days.

[Wolfpoet]

I follow (or at least try to) the 9 virtues and try to follow the examples set by the old myths and deity-stories. I follow a more grass-roots version of the religion.

I just don't buy into the modern, ritualised asatru crap. strikes me as wicca with horned helmets. Some ego-centric high prioest type telling me how I should or should not practice this ritual or that one? Fuck that shit.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I follow (or at least try to) the 9 virtues and try to follow the examples set by the old myths and deity-stories.

Sounds kinda bloody, if I remember my Norse mythology correctly.

[Wolfpoet]

I follow (or at least try to) the 9 virtues and try to follow the examples set by the old myths and deity-stories.

Sounds kinda bloody, if I remember my Norse mythology correctly.

The underlining message is enlightenment through self-sacrifice, standing up for yourself and accepting fate. Goes against the whole compensation culture going on these days.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

standing up for yourself and accepting fate.

huh?

Goes against the whole compensation culture going on these days.

Sounds more like it goes against itself.

[Wolfpoet]

Sounds more like it goes against itself.

Fate can't be changed, your kinda fucked whatever you do. The point is to stand up, face fate witha  smile and say "fuck you bitch, what's next?"

No point fighting the inevitable, but you can face it with a smile and stand up against it. You'll be fucked over every time, the point is to keep standing up.

[P3nT4gR4m]

I smell a fkin pagan

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Sounds more like it goes against itself.

Fate can't be changed, your kinda fucked whatever you do. The point is to stand up, face fate witha  smile and say "fuck you bitch, what's next?"

No point fighting the inevitable, but you can face it with a smile and stand up against it. You'll be fucked over every time, the point is to keep standing up.

That sounds kinda retarded.  If I'm going to get fucked every time, I may as well sit on the couch and eat cheetos.

Fuck, I may as well use the system to get you to pay for it.

But don't get mad.  It was fated to happen.  

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I smell a fkin pagan

Careful, you.  He's got a wolf howling in his soul...he'll royally fucking your shit 6 ways from Sunday.

[P3nT4gR4m]

fate = how your life looks backwards

[P3nT4gR4m]

I smell a fkin pagan

Careful, you.  He's got a wolf howling in his soul...he'll royally fucking your shit 6 ways from Sunday.

Barstool + wolf = wolf + stool-shaped-dents

[The Good Reverend Roger]

fate = how your life looks backwards

Yoinked.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

funny, 'enlightenment by self-sacrifice and accepting fate (for the masses)' is the title of the book Dick Cheney's going to release as soon as he leaves office.