Dragonslaying; something we need more of.

[The Wizard]

Ever get that feeling where you just want to do something epic? I have had this recurring fantasy for a couple weeks now, probably because I've been listening to a lot of Dragonforce.

It's a classic Dragon Death scenario. I open my front door, and lo and behold there's a big arse dragon outside. Now this dragon is menacing some damsels, as dragons are wont to do, and me being the wannabe hero that I am, I feel obliged to kill the hell out of the thing. Luckily for me and for my fantasy, I have a sword handy (not a phallic symbol, Freud), and I go off to slay the beast. Now depending on my mood, this whole incident ends with me either killing the dragon as planned, or making it into my steed. Either way, I win forever.

I figure a lot of people have fantasies like this, where they get to pull off the amazing feats that real life cheats us out of. And really, we are being cheated. The world as we know it is a hopelessly banal place. There are no epic adventures, there are no dark villains to slay (except for the occasional dictator and Dick Cheney), and it's a shame. Even the Ages of Adventure really weren't what they should have been. The Crusades weren't really a Holy Crusade, it was a bunch of greedy shmucks and religious fanatics who killed each other for a couple years. Admittedly, it was a public service, but it wasn't true Adventure. The Discovery of the New World just gave the bastards in the Old World more room to be shmucks and led to the shattering of native civilization.

The worst part of all this is that we don't even worry about the lack of adventure and fantasy in our world. We just accept that it's "a fact of life" and go on. To be frank, screw that. Just because things aren't one way doesn't mean that they can't be changed. Why should we have to settle for a world without true adventure, where most people never live to see their dreams become reality? It's time we took advantage of the things we have at our disposal and used it to bring some fantasy into the world.

Huh. I didn't really mean for this post to turn into a sermon. Oh well, if you weren't interested you probably wouldn't be reading this. It just bothers me, realizing that all of the worlds and glories that I can create cannot come to real life. Humanity has been stuck with a world that can't measure up to it's dreams. I guess that's just another thing I'm going to have to work on.

Since this has turned into a sermon, I figure I should come up with a moral. How about this: If the world sucks, change it. Just because it "has always been like that" doesn't mean that it can't and shouldn't change. So go out and fix the damn world.

[Kai]

If there's no adventure in your life, you're doing it wrong. I'm doing it wrong too.

If you've ever played D&D you'd know that most adventurers DIE.

[The Wizard]

If you've ever played D&D you'd know that most adventurers DIE.

Horrible pun. But I get what you mean. The problem is; how do you do it right?

[Kai]

If you've ever played D&D you'd know that most adventurers DIE.

Horrible pun. But I get what you mean. The problem is; how do you do it right?

I didn't notice it was a pun.

Doing it right? Ask yourself: what would Tomas Jefferson do? Well, he would probably own a whole lot of land and grow tobacco, but he would also write a lot of kick ass stuff, and DO a lot of kick ass things. And not take shit from anyone. I mean, he went and wrote and SIGNED himself a deathwish to the king of then the most powerful kingdom in the world, and did he back down after that? No sir, he didn't!

So, first, figure out what shit you like, what sorts of things you want to see in the world, what sorts of stuff you want to do. Then get together a bunch of friends and collaborate. Then go out and do that shit, and don't take shit from anyone.

[Captain Utopia]

Dunno. My first inclination would be to start by making up some of your own rules. Rules which are small or innocuous but which avoid being beaten down by not appearing to be threatening. Maybe indulge some eccentricities which pose a minor challenge to follow, as that will give you practice in the new game you are writing. Like if you work in an office annoying enough to have "dress-down fridays", then gradually increase the formality of your appearance until on fridays, your version of "dressing down" is more formal than the usual mon-thurs attire in your office. Follow some of the ideas in this thread: http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=17671.0

But plan ahead, because these small rule-changes are the foundation to the game you're designing - the game which will give you your adventure. Everyone does this pretty much randomly and without much foresight... all you need to do is to become good at consistently applying more foresight than that average.

Or, you know. Don't. Because it'll never be as easy as opening your door to find a dragon waiting to be slayed. And that couch does look awfully comfortable...

[rong]

get a motorcycle.  i recommend a kawasaki KLR650.  it will take you around the world if you let it.

[fomenter]

get a motorcycle.  i recommend a kawasaki KLR650.  it will take you around the world if you let it.

how are they for long ride comfort? off road riding? (do they have enough power/torque to use the throttle to get out of trouble like on a dirt bike?) what tires do you run?
i have been looking at those for a while now and they look good, i saw your trip journal and had a major envy attack.....

[Dalek]

I agree whe need more adventure. I LARP. It's not the same as slaying a dragon, but LARPing is as close as you can get to adventures and dragon slaying without getting into jail.

[fomenter]

these are not available for sale to the public yet, but they are the versions that got me interested in the KLR 650's, i saw a video of some pretty wild riding being done on one, especially for a dual sport... 
diesel

and the gas version

[Triple Zero]

Reminds me of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uGKwiP3Kr8

I hear you speaking loud and clear
But I still can't understand
I think I'd rather kill myself
Than meet your demands

I never needed reason
To reason with my mind
I can see the future
And today is a good day to die

I need new enemies
I need new strategies
I need the pain to feel something
I need to shed some skin
To be like me, Again
A brand new me
To be like me, Again

I read the writing on the wall
But the messages is all wrong
I got the world inside my head
And it's ticking like a bomb

I never needed justice
To justify myself
I can see the future
And it looks a lot like hell

Flip the switch
Pull the plug
I fell inside
The hole I dug

Walk the walk
Crash and burn
Another stone
I have to turn

I need new enemies
I need new strategies
I need the pain to feel something
I need to shed some skin
To be like me, Again
A brand new me

(...)

LOL lots of zombies in that clip too

[rong]

get a motorcycle.  i recommend a kawasaki KLR650.  it will take you around the world if you let it.

how are they for long ride comfort? off road riding? (do they have enough power/torque to use the throttle to get out of trouble like on a dirt bike?) what tires do you run?
i have been looking at those for a while now and they look good, i saw your trip journal and had a major envy attack.....

the KLR has a bit of a cult following.

they are most accurately described as the ultimate compromise: the bike that is good at everything, but great at nothing.  so far, for long distance it's the best bike i've ever owned.  i still have the stock seat, but i'm told there are some aftermarket seats that are even more comfortable.  a guy finished the 2009 iron butt rally on one this year if that's any indicator (1,000 miles per day for 11 consecutive days).  it's nice to be up so high that you can literally just let your legs dangle for a stretch.

there's plenty of power and torque (650 single cylinder FTW).  there's a youtube video called "how not to ride a KLR" or something similar that will demonstrate what they can do.  off road you will most likely be wishing you had something smaller - unless you've got really long legs, don't count on being able to use your feet to help yourself out.  and it's top heavy.  the 6.6 gallon gas tank is a pro and a con.  last time i hit reserve was at 230 miles, but 6.6 gallons is a lot of weight to have up that high.

i'm running more street oriented tires, but i plan to get DOT knobbies when the time comes.  i talked to a guy that said they last great on the highway (i was worried they'd wear out too fast) and the only real downside to the knobbies is that they're noisy.

check out advrider.com if you're interested in getting lots of strong opinions about different bikes (plus the slideshow at the front of their site almost makes me puke with envy everytime i see it).  be forewarned there's lots of BMW or GTFO over there.  

this guy's thread about going around the world on a 1962 Harley Panhead Chopper blows my mind, too.

i would like to motion that this gets split into a thread specifically for the discussion of motorcycles.

edit:  I heard that the Diesel KLR may become publicly available in the near future.  I also saw a video that mentions the US military is developing a flex fuel (can run on alcohol, lantern oil, kerosene, whatever is liquid and burns kinda flex fuel) KLR that gets ~100 mpg.

[fomenter]

i second the motion for a motorcycle geek out thread..... fuck LARPing about imaginary dragons i want to ride a real two wheeled one...


i asked about the power and torque because on the old two strokes dirt bikes i rode that were tall, with twisting the throttle and rapid down shifts you never really needed to paddle with your feet

i am going to check out your links

[Cain]

Oh, there are still dragons to slay.  You just have to adjust your perspective and idea of conflict somewhat.

I used to be pretty disillusioned with the world.  I mean, I still am, in certain ways.  But I used to think it was dull, that all the fun was over, that it couldn't live up to my expectations and that all that was left was the endless march of consumerism, clever financial trickery and boring TV programs to watch.

But I looked closer.  I readjusted my expectations, reconsidered the context of the time I lived in and the way the world works, and found there was plenty of adventures still to be had.  For instance, I was part of a Thirty Xanatos Pileup that involved pretty much every political party in my town, when I was at University.  There was scheming, backstabbing, spying and treachery galore.  Epicness can be found in the smallest of events, even very petty things like forum wars, so long as you enter with the right frame of mind.  Conflict, I think, is part of the key to this.  It becomes a lot more fun when things are uncertain, when people are opposing you, and you have to think about your actions and respond accordingly.

The western world doesn't rely much on physical force or the threat of violence, internally.  But it is excessively political and scheming.  Even very minor fringe movements, like the "counter-jihadists" are hotbeds of jealousy, personal disagreement, ambition and power plays.  In such an environment, things like access, money, persuasiveness, information or analytical ability become as powerful as any weapon.  So use that.  The 48 Laws of Power is a good induction into conflict in the modern world, how to understand the invisible wars that rage on all around us - and how to win.

Thats my minor addition, anyway.

[Dalek]

DRAGONS SLAYING EACH OTHER!!!

[Kai]

Its funny you mention the biking around the world. Reminds me of a UU sermon from about a month ago, about people who pushed the limit of their being against the universe and didn't return, you know, the sort that set off in a rowboat or kayak to cross the ocean. Its not an adventure without a chance of failure, and the bigger and more devastating the chance of failure, the bigger adventure it turns out to be.