A first hello, and a thing or two about Machines™

[keren or]

Well, as a complete N00B, so to speak, I find it only appropriate to open with some kind of introduction before anything.

Then hello.
I am a human-being, apparently, and rather unfortunately(tough luck!).
I do not live on the english-speaking side of the globe, so if you don't mind, forgive my spelling/grammar mistakes. It's not my native language after all.
I serve in the army; the circumstances and reasons that got me here, as well as many other things regarding my military service and the puzzling collision between the army and discordia, will be discussed, maybe, sometime.

I read Principia Discordia about 2 years ago, and enjoyed it greatly. Reading BIP, however, was an entirely different experience - it was like seeing my ideas written for me by someone else. Practically everything, even the part about things made of nothing! And that was very pleasing for me to see.

Just a thought.
You're very open here on the internet. That surprised me. It's a risk.
Being part of an army - some sort of a primitive Machine™ - I understand and know of some fractions of its job, so here I confirm the obvious - yes, they search the net. Thoroughly. With hazardous-yet-never-heard-of consequences, actually.
I'm pretty optimistic about my chances ever getting discovered here, but I have a rather paranoid personality structure, so in order to obtain my relative freedome and happiness I guess I won't write here so much.
The Machine™ is, probably, here.
As far as you know I could be it.

But if I was, it would be kinda stupid of me to suggest it, heh?

or...

Er, got carried away. Anyways, hello.

[LMNO]

Hi.

The amount personal information you decide to share is completely up to you.


But I've found it fairly easy to offer ideas, divorced of any sort of PI.


Welcome, and don't be afraid to post.



PS - glad you liked the BIP.

[Thurnez Isa]

I think she's more afraid of being found out by her superiors
...
like we're radicals or something

[Cain]

Hey there.

There are a few army, or indeed ex-army types around here.  It does seem interesting how Discordians get drawn into it.  Many existentialists are rather similar, I suspect there is an attraction of utter inversion going on, or something along those lines, though I'm not in the military myself, so I couldn't say.

True, in one sense, it could be seen as a risk, but on the other hand, it could also be seen as a strength.  The main weakness, I think, is isloation, not openness.  Machiavelli would probably agree, but that's a discussion for another day.  Still, I would be interested in hearing about some of these hazards.

And hi.

[keren or]

Still, I would be interested in hearing about some of these hazards.

military prison & transference to unknown locations. Just what you always thought the army does when discovering soldiers typing something it doesn't approve of.

I think she's more afraid of being found out by her superiors
...
like we're radicals or something

Hahaha! I'd stand military prison and transference to oblivion just to see their faces when they find this place! 
But I won't, the army doesn't mind about Discordia. The most interesting thing I could get is weird glances. Maybe a meeting with an army psychiatrist, if I'm lucky.
It doesn't matter, the army was just a metaphore for the bigger thing.

I'm not too worried anyhow. But I do tend to get carried away on paranoid lines of thought, and when you think I do, please feel free to not take me seriously at all.

[Cain]

Ah, normal Army hijinks.  What scamps they are, with their secret holding cells and systems.

[AFK]

Welcome.  So far there are only three people I know IRL who know about my contributions to BIP.  And I feel pretty confident that they will keep my confidence.  If not, I know where they live.  So like others have said, just be careful with PI and you should be fine. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yes, not like me, who has emblazoned everything but my home address and phone # on the forum.

[LMNO]

Oh, I already found that.


Now, I just need your SS#, and we're all set...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

 

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

I am curious.  In general is it a real concern for most members here not to be 'known' or discovered to be Discordian or whatever you follow?  Do you feel it would hurt your job?  Housing etc?

Just because I don't think about it that much, whether people know about me.

Sorry, just came to mind from this topic....

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Well, there is some concern about whackjobs harrassing you if you engage in trolling, and also I imagine that if some of my clients found me here they might be turned off of buying my stuff. Other than that, no, not really.

[Chairman Risus]

I am curious.  In general is it a real concern for most members here not to be 'known' or discovered to be Discordian or whatever you follow?  Do you feel it would hurt your job?  Housing etc?

Just because I don't think about it that much, whether people know about me.

Sorry, just came to mind from this topic....

If they find you, they can WOMP you.

[AFK]

I am curious.  In general is it a real concern for most members here not to be 'known' or discovered to be Discordian or whatever you follow?  Do you feel it would hurt your job?  Housing etc?

Just because I don't think about it that much, whether people know about me.

Sorry, just came to mind from this topic....

I think that some in the agency I work for would be cool with it, depending on how I framed it.  If I started talking 23Pineal jive and said that I literally worshipped Eris, they might think I was a bit odd.  And I'm sure the State would wonder if it's wise that some of their money is paying my salary.  So, I keep it to myself to be safe. 

That said, I have tried to incorporate some Discordian/BIP fundamentals into my work, just without the Discordian/BIP dressings. 

[PeregrineBF]

As a college student I get quite a bit of freedom to be weird. I wear a cloak (more for practical reasons, it's bloody comfortable) and openly call myself Discordian. On the other hand I am studying computer security, so I go to great lengths to make sure everything I do is secure. If I want something to not be seen, I encrypt it. If I want something attributed to me, I digitally sign it. I encrypt all my e-mails. I don't have IM conversations with people who don't use OTR and I try to use HTTPS versions of all websites. (we need to make this forum https by the way...) My computer uses TrueCrypt whole disk encryption, etc, etc.

I can look respectable. I can look professional. And when that is needed, that's what I am. But I can also think for myself and have fun. The one does not exclude the other.

That said, all the ZOMG23PINEAL stuff is better for recruiting/surprising certain types of people than it is as an actual philosophy.