MAKE MONEY TELLING NAIVE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, SRSLY.

[Eater of Clowns]

this whole subject is retarded. People are stupid. Stupid people have money. I don't have much money, but am not overly stupid. Intelligence is a resource. Resources are finite. I use my resources to acquire resources from others. Casting that in any sort of ethical/moral light makes no sense to me. Should I voluntarily exclude myself from acquiring resources because it may negatively impact others? They certainly aren't giving me the same consideration. They'd stab me in the face if they thought it would provide them some advantage.

I think Bernard Madoff would tend to agree with you.

Lys, stop using psychicatry to steal billions of dollars from people.

To clarify for you, I had diverged from my criticism of Lysergic's attitude toward his clientele, and was addressing what I took to be the underlying sentiment behind the bolded line in ECH's post by using an extreme example of that kind of philosophy as an illustration of why I disagree with it in general.

To clarify for you, I considered the concept of someone using cold reading to steal billions of dollars slightly humorous and decided to riff on it.

Maybe next time I do that I should start a whole different thread about it instead?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I'm going to make a pretty extreme statement here, and say that I think that most people, as individuals, are basically pretty decent. It makes them really easy to take advantage of if you are so minded.

The way I feel about Lysergic's attitude is that if you think you're fleecing people, you are. This reflects on you, not on them, nor on anyone else, in your line of work or otherwise. If you think you're providing an entertaining or even an illuminating service for people, even if you're doing something stupid like chain-dancing badly on a public sidewalk, at least your conscience is free from connivance. If you don't think you're fleecing people, you don't have any reason to make the kinds of comments Lysergic has made about what he does and who he makes his money from.

But that assumes you have a conscience.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

this whole subject is retarded. People are stupid. Stupid people have money. I don't have much money, but am not overly stupid. Intelligence is a resource. Resources are finite. I use my resources to acquire resources from others. Casting that in any sort of ethical/moral light makes no sense to me. Should I voluntarily exclude myself from acquiring resources because it may negatively impact others? They certainly aren't giving me the same consideration. They'd stab me in the face if they thought it would provide them some advantage.

I think Bernard Madoff would tend to agree with you.

Lys, stop using psychicatry to steal billions of dollars from people.

To clarify for you, I had diverged from my criticism of Lysergic's attitude toward his clientele, and was addressing what I took to be the underlying sentiment behind the bolded line in ECH's post by using an extreme example of that kind of philosophy as an illustration of why I disagree with it in general.

To clarify for you, I considered the concept of someone using cold reading to steal billions of dollars slightly humorous and decided to riff on it.

Oh. I was unable to see the path to funnay. Thanks for explaining your joke.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

That breed of morality seems to closely follow "what is, should be".  It reminds me of "The Family" and their belief that everyone in a position of authority was placed there by Baby Jesus.  Except for Obama.  I haven't read that book yet, so I'm unclear of the cause of the selective reasoning, although I could probably guess.

Also, Nancy Pelosi.  They're not so keen on her, either, and Baby Jesus must have taken the day off.

See, EoC, this is a pretty good example of a clear path to the funnay. It's like a direct shot on a sunny day.

[Eater of Clowns]

See, EoC, this is a pretty good example of a clear path to the funnay. It's like a direct shot on a sunny day.

Appropriate metaphor for someone who treats everything like a target.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

See, EoC, this is a pretty good example of a clear path to the funnay. It's like a direct shot on a sunny day.

Appropriate metaphor for someone who treats everything like a target.

You on that bandwagon too? Just because I didn't get your joke?

[Eater of Clowns]

See, EoC, this is a pretty good example of a clear path to the funnay. It's like a direct shot on a sunny day.

Appropriate metaphor for someone who treats everything like a target.

You on that bandwagon too? Just because I didn't get your joke?

No, because you responded with condescension to not getting the joke.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

See, EoC, this is a pretty good example of a clear path to the funnay. It's like a direct shot on a sunny day.

Appropriate metaphor for someone who treats everything like a target.

You on that bandwagon too? Just because I didn't get your joke?

No, because you responded with condescension to not getting the joke.

That's because I thought you were being serious, and if you had been, it would have been a really stupid thing to say.

[Captain Utopia]

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Hey EoC, it really turns me on to stick my finger in your ear, is that OK?

[Captain Utopia]

 

I feel like a prude, but I can't even begin to imagine how someone would get off on that.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I feel like a prude, but I can't even begin to imagine how someone would get off on that.

I don't think it's because you're a prude... it's because THAT RIGHT THERE IS SOME CRAZY SHIT.

[Eater of Clowns]

Bickering turns to kittens and ear fetish!?

DAMN YOU PD!   

[Jasper]

[Captain Utopia]

I don't think it's because you're a prude... it's because THAT RIGHT THERE IS SOME CRAZY SHIT.

I like to approach these things with an open mind, but Mrs FP wouldn't even let me try.  This is probably for the best.