A critique of the BIP

[Arafelis]

Hey, give me a little while to read the existing issues and think something up.  Fun as it is, the board hasn't quite hit #1 priority in my life yet.

[Triple Zero]

That's not the kind of crazy I am, kiddo.

Then do it. Kiddo.

Sorry that still cracks me up. Kiddo.

(edit bbcode fail)

[Cain]

Should people in their mid-twenties refer to people in their late 30s/early 40s as "kiddo"?

I am unsure of this social rule.

[Cramulus]

Hi Arafelis!

I enjoyed reading your critique. I always enjoy hearing outside opinions on the book, and appreciate the detailed feedback.

the BIP pamphlet has had two editors, me and lmno.. (lmno deserves the lion's share of the credit) in both cases, we were merely compilers of essays which we felt supported our idea of the Black Iron Prison. These pieces were not written by a single writer. There was no central outline prior to their writing. So if the pamphlet lacks coherency, it is because it is a discordian stone soup composed of completely independent pieces.

in my opinion, If it provoked this thorough response from you, I think it accomplished our goals. Whether you liked it or not, (and it sounds to me like you did like it) I'm glad you came and told us about it


so far, the discordian writing process, in its full steam mode, involves a lot of editors and a lot of writers and a lot of cutting and pasting and fiddling until it works right. If you like this idea of the Black Iron Prison, and you don't think me or lmno really compiled a good selection, please write your own! We don't want to be the final word on it, you know? There are a few people right now who are writing their own version of the BIP. Like writing your own version of the PD, I think this is the discordian equivalent of building a lightsaber. So if you feel up for it - please one-up the current literature! Everybody wins if you do it well.



Biplane,

Lovecram

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

That's not the kind of crazy I am, kiddo.

Then do it. Kiddo.

Sorry that still cracks me up. Kiddo.

(edit bbcode fail)

I know; I think I kind of like it.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Should people in their mid-twenties refer to people in their late 30s/early 40s as "kiddo"?

I am unsure of this social rule.

If it makes him feel good inside, I'm all for it.

[P3nT4gR4m]

By the same token I don't see why he should have any problems with us referring to him as "spanky"

[AFK]

After reading Arafelis' critique of the BIP I am thoroughly convinced he only read half of the Law of Fives.

And someone mentioned doing a history of the BIP and I know I've done that once or twice.  It used to be up on the first page of the wiki but seems to have been edited out as different revisions have been made.  I think the first couple of pages of the stickied thread "What Is This Section About" has a rough thumb-nail sketch of what it's been about. 

But what I think Arafelis is missing is that the BIP was really meant to be a crowbar.  To allow some light in without being a guiding light.  The point was the reader, if he or she so choosed, would find the guiding light on their own.  For example, he criticizes my piece "A Conclusion is Simply Where You Stopped Thinking" because I wasn't talking more about thinking for yourself. 

It would defeat the purpose of the piece if I were to start suggesting HOW one thinks for themself.  Because they are just leaving one goose chase for another.  I have a different set of lenses than does the reader. 

So the aim was to raise awareness and raze unawareness. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

By the same token I don't see why he should have any problems with us referring to him as "spanky"

Ooooooh it's ON! 

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

So the aim was to raise awareness and raze unawareness. 

[Brotep]

I'd say, for the most part, there was nothing wrong with the BIP.  It just doesn't do anything for me.

And there is a lot of talk about thinking for oneself, but what then?

Grow a pair and put some shit out there.  There's a whole lot of hand-waving and finger-wiggling going on, miming the outline of the invisible and magical door of independent thought.  Sometimes it seems like that's all there is going on.

And this problem isn't just with the BIP.  But this could make the BIP better...

Build something, that it may be torn down.  Let others sharpen their claws by tearing into ideas you put forth.

[Cainad (dec.)]

I'd say, for the most part, there was nothing wrong with the BIP.  It just doesn't do anything for me.

And there is a lot of talk about thinking for oneself, but what then?

Um... maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but that seems to be sort of contradictory. It would be pointless for the BIP to say "Think for yourself, schmuck!" immediately followed with "now think about this." Then the reader would be all like "LOL, you're trying to tell me what to think right after telling me to think for myself! Fail!" and then they would find out who the authors were and poop on their heads.

Grow a pair and put some shit out there.  There's a whole lot of hand-waving and finger-wiggling going on, miming the outline of the invisible and magical door of independent thought.  Sometimes it seems like that's all there is going on.

That's all the BIP needs to be. Going any further runs a very high risk of spoiling the whole point of independent thought. You can't guide someone through their own independent thinking; that doesn't make sense. What you can do is try and make them aware of the difference between thinking for themselves and allowing their thoughts to be directed.

And I think all the content on this forum since the BIP's publication constitutes growing a pair and putting shit out there. Intermittens and the forthcoming Et Cetera Discordia are both examples of shit being put out there. And they are wonderful shit, IMO.

Build something, that it may be torn down.  Let others sharpen their claws by tearing into ideas you put forth.

Again, there's no reason to put it in the BIP. People are more likely to dismiss the whole thing as hypocrisy if it tries to include a shiny new worldview along with the original message.

[AFK]

I'd say, for the most part, there was nothing wrong with the BIP.  It just doesn't do anything for me.

And there is a lot of talk about thinking for oneself, but what then?

When you read the BIP did you see the URLs for this site and POEE?

Now, put on your thinking cap and think, why would we have done that? 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

And there is a lot of talk about thinking for oneself, but what then?

I really hope the irony was intentional.

[fomenter]

And there is a lot of talk about thinking for oneself, but what then?

I really hope the irony was intentional.

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