How best to describe Discordianism to the unaware?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

In fact, there is NOTHING certain about Discordia, except that RESULTS MAY VARY.  MAYBE.

[Mr. MumboJumbo]

I've been thinking a lot lately (for a slug) on how to approach this issue more effectively. I think it's important to 'be the fish' before going fishing. There's so many aspects to Discordianism that it's easy to confuse/amuse people, but that's not going work as well as appealing to their fears/desires. Give people what they want to hear, and they'll pick up the rest later, in their own way.

Right now, in a general sense (it should be tailored to each fish if possible), I'm chosing to describe Discordianism as a means of increasing empathy, open-mindedness, expanding perceptions...partly through understanding/accepting strife and making it turn it's frown upside-down. In this way I provide some part of their unconscious a promise for betterment, and a cure for woes.
The method of fishing can change, because Discordianism has so many aspects at it's disposal that we just need to pull out what's appropriate to whoever we're targeting...tell the Hippies it's all about love and weed, tell the Christians it's a way to increase their relationship with Jesus, tell the Axe Murderers it'll increase their hunting skills...etc..etc...

Is any sense being made here?

"I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person I'm preaching to."
- JR "Bob" Dobbs

What THEIR Discordia is, is different from YOUR Discordia or MY Discordia.  MY Discordia has an actual set of parameters, none of which include indulging patchouli-stinking hippies who think the height of original thought is screeching "SMOKE EVERY DAY!"  Nor is it finding ways to kiss the pimply arse of people from those OTHER RELIGIONS who spend all day trying to think of faux-witty, cutesy "proofs" with which to convert me.

And I'm reasonably sure My Discordia doesn't involve empathy or "expanded perceptions", or any of that other touchy-feely claptrap.  I in fact shit on the very idea from a great height.  My perceptions are FINE, it's what I DO with those perceptions that I have to work on...And if someone hasn't got empathy, that person is a Goddamn sociopath and it's TOO LATE for me to help him/her. 

There is no need to dress Discordia up in a nice suit (unless it's to get close enough to do something you couldn't otherwise do) to make the Pinkboys feel more comfortable about their pot obsession.  There is no need to pretend it's something that it's not so that Christians or 7th Day Adventists or Pastafarians will feel welcome.  If they're MY kind of people, even if they belong to the above groups, they ALREADY feel comfortable, and everyone else can just SHUT UP. 

ETA:  That's MY Discordia.  Yours may be different.

It's not pretending it's something it's not, it's creatively highlighting whatever will get people's foot in the door, so that they may eventually shed their former selves, and be more like you

[The Good Reverend Roger]

It's not pretending it's something it's not, it's creatively highlighting whatever will get people's foot in the door, so that they may eventually shed their former selves, and be more like you

Nobody needs another TGRR.  Especially not me.  Unless you cloned me, in which case I'd never leave the fucking house.  I don't WANT people to be like me, and I hope YOU DON'T, EITHER.

No.  I want people to be themselves.  On someone else's planet.

And if they can't be themselves, then Discordia will be of no use to them, and they'd FUCK IT UP FOR ME, because there'd be RULES and shit all of a sudden, and I wouldn't be able to shit in the poorbox anymore.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I've been thinking a lot lately (for a slug) on how to approach this issue more effectively. I think it's important to 'be the fish' before going fishing. There's so many aspects to Discordianism that it's easy to confuse/amuse people, but that's not going work as well as appealing to their fears/desires. Give people what they want to hear, and they'll pick up the rest later, in their own way.

Right now, in a general sense (it should be tailored to each fish if possible), I'm chosing to describe Discordianism as a means of increasing empathy, open-mindedness, expanding perceptions...partly through understanding/accepting strife and making it turn it's frown upside-down. In this way I provide some part of their unconscious a promise for betterment, and a cure for woes.
The method of fishing can change, because Discordianism has so many aspects at it's disposal that we just need to pull out what's appropriate to whoever we're targeting...tell the Hippies it's all about love and weed, tell the Christians it's a way to increase their relationship with Jesus, tell the Axe Murderers it'll increase their hunting skills...etc..etc...

Is any sense being made here?

"I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person I'm preaching to."
- JR "Bob" Dobbs

What THEIR Discordia is, is different from YOUR Discordia or MY Discordia.  MY Discordia has an actual set of parameters, none of which include indulging patchouli-stinking hippies who think the height of original thought is screeching "SMOKE EVERY DAY!"  Nor is it finding ways to kiss the pimply arse of people from those OTHER RELIGIONS who spend all day trying to think of faux-witty, cutesy "proofs" with which to convert me.

And I'm reasonably sure My Discordia doesn't involve empathy or "expanded perceptions", or any of that other touchy-feely claptrap.  I in fact shit on the very idea from a great height.  My perceptions are FINE, it's what I DO with those perceptions that I have to work on...And if someone hasn't got empathy, that person is a Goddamn sociopath and it's TOO LATE for me to help him/her. 

There is no need to dress Discordia up in a nice suit (unless it's to get close enough to do something you couldn't otherwise do) to make the Pinkboys feel more comfortable about their pot obsession.  There is no need to pretend it's something that it's not so that Christians or 7th Day Adventists or Pastafarians will feel welcome.  If they're MY kind of people, even if they belong to the above groups, they ALREADY feel comfortable, and everyone else can just SHUT UP. 

ETA:  That's MY Discordia.  Yours may be different.

It's not pretending it's something it's not, it's creatively highlighting whatever will get people's foot in the door, so that they may eventually shed their former selves, and be more like you

WHAT

I THINK YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT

NOBODY SHOULD BE MORE LIKE ROGER.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'm not saying you shouldn't evangelize or go witlessing.  I'm saying it's better if you show them the skull behind the smile RIGHT UP FRONT so that they can't complain about false advertising later.  Also, if you make it JUST LIKE WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, then what the hell reason would they have for joining, unless they think it's a chance for more stupid word games?

Discordia just works better if you've got your pants around your ankles and your crazy hanging out.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Example of TGRR Evangelism:

Roger:  *brings up Discordianism in conversation*

Potential Convert:  "What's that?  Isn't that some sort of cult?"

Roger:  "Yes, but we're too lazy to spike the Koolaid."

PC:  "No, seriously."

Roger:  "How many cults tell you to think for yourself, and mean it?"

PC:  "So, what IS it?"

Roger:  "It is the study of seeing the world as it really is, not as we'd LIKE it to be."

PC:  "Every religion says that."

Roger:  "But do you hear them laughing?"

PC:  "Maybe there's nothing to laugh about.  The world sucks."

Roger:  "No, the world is WEIRD.  We're here to keep it that way.  If things start getting boring, why, we just start sawing the legs off to watch it all fall over."

PC:  "So, you're anarchists?"

Roger:  "No.  Anarchists have a goal.?"

PC:  "So, you're nihilists?"

Roger:  "No, never saw the point in nihilism."

PC:  "..."

Roger:  "Been waiting to use that line for 4 years."

PC:  "You're an idiot.  I'm leaving."

Roger:  "Don't forget to write!"



See?  Easy.

[Mr. MumboJumbo]

I'm not saying you shouldn't evangelize or go witlessing.  I'm saying it's better if you show them the skull behind the smile RIGHT UP FRONT so that they can't complain about false advertising later.  Also, if you make it JUST LIKE WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, then what the hell reason would they have for joining, unless they think it's a chance for more stupid word games?

Discordia just works better if you've got your pants around your ankles and your crazy hanging out.

I didn't at all mean we should misrepresent it as something it's not, just to customize the approach depending on the target, IF the act of 'describing Discordia' has anything to do with the desire to increase recruitment. And even if it seems like false advertizing now, it won't if they actually 'get it' later. If they don't...fuck'em. If someone's going to give the coyote shit for leading them on a wild goose chase and ignore what the exercise taught them, then they probably weren't meant for it. Hey even if they get pissed, they'll probably advertize their distaste, and advertizing is good.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'm not saying you shouldn't evangelize or go witlessing.  I'm saying it's better if you show them the skull behind the smile RIGHT UP FRONT so that they can't complain about false advertising later.  Also, if you make it JUST LIKE WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, then what the hell reason would they have for joining, unless they think it's a chance for more stupid word games?

Discordia just works better if you've got your pants around your ankles and your crazy hanging out.

I didn't at all mean we should misrepresent it as something it's not, just to customize the approach depending on the target, IF the act of 'describing Discordia' has anything to do with the desire to increase recruitment. And even if it seems like false advertizing now, it won't if they actually 'get it' later. If they don't...fuck'em. If someone's going to give the coyote shit for leading them on a wild goose chase and ignore what the exercise taught them, then they probably weren't meant for it. Hey even if they get pissed, they'll probably advertize their distaste, and advertizing is good.

Well, first we have to ask ourselves, "Do we WANT to increase recruitment, or should people find us?"  This isn't the Church of the Subgenius (though many of us are members of that crowd), and therefore we don't get PAID for people signing up...So is it better for us to go find assholes, or let assholes find us?

[Mr. MumboJumbo]

I'm not saying you shouldn't evangelize or go witlessing.  I'm saying it's better if you show them the skull behind the smile RIGHT UP FRONT so that they can't complain about false advertising later.  Also, if you make it JUST LIKE WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, then what the hell reason would they have for joining, unless they think it's a chance for more stupid word games?

Discordia just works better if you've got your pants around your ankles and your crazy hanging out.

I didn't at all mean we should misrepresent it as something it's not, just to customize the approach depending on the target, IF the act of 'describing Discordia' has anything to do with the desire to increase recruitment. And even if it seems like false advertizing now, it won't if they actually 'get it' later. If they don't...fuck'em. If someone's going to give the coyote shit for leading them on a wild goose chase and ignore what the exercise taught them, then they probably weren't meant for it. Hey even if they get pissed, they'll probably advertize their distaste, and advertizing is good.

Well, first we have to ask ourselves, "Do we WANT to increase recruitment, or should people find us?"  This isn't the Church of the Subgenius (though many of us are members of that crowd), and therefore we don't get PAID for people signing up...So is it better for us to go find assholes, or let assholes find us?

Of course! But in my defense why would anyone inquire as to the 'best way to describe' something if they weren't concerned about potentially recruiting or enticing others into that something?

[LMNO]

Defensive maneuvers.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'm not saying you shouldn't evangelize or go witlessing.  I'm saying it's better if you show them the skull behind the smile RIGHT UP FRONT so that they can't complain about false advertising later.  Also, if you make it JUST LIKE WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, then what the hell reason would they have for joining, unless they think it's a chance for more stupid word games?

Discordia just works better if you've got your pants around your ankles and your crazy hanging out.

I didn't at all mean we should misrepresent it as something it's not, just to customize the approach depending on the target, IF the act of 'describing Discordia' has anything to do with the desire to increase recruitment. And even if it seems like false advertizing now, it won't if they actually 'get it' later. If they don't...fuck'em. If someone's going to give the coyote shit for leading them on a wild goose chase and ignore what the exercise taught them, then they probably weren't meant for it. Hey even if they get pissed, they'll probably advertize their distaste, and advertizing is good.

Well, first we have to ask ourselves, "Do we WANT to increase recruitment, or should people find us?"  This isn't the Church of the Subgenius (though many of us are members of that crowd), and therefore we don't get PAID for people signing up...So is it better for us to go find assholes, or let assholes find us?

Of course! But in my defense why would anyone inquire as to the 'best way to describe' something if they weren't concerned about potentially recruiting or enticing others into that something?

Because the person inquiring was AKK under a different moniker.  He's sort of like Gavriel wossname on FB...HE'S A GODDAMN DISCORDIAN, AND HE'S HERE TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT.  Tiresome.

Thing is, the best method I have found to recruit people, if that's what's desired, is to go to a board like Mysticwicks or TCC...Or hell, Facebook, and then just do what I do naturally.  A certain kind of person responds to that.  Specifically, the kind of person that will horse laugh at things that normal people won't even discuss.  The kind of people who like to TAKE the piss, instead of getting pissy.

Recent case:  You.

Recent counterexamples:  Taylor Hill, Damon wossname, and that asshole who keeps posting trite one-liners.  You know the guy.

Best part of this method is that I'm not excluding anyone.  I am not leading, or choosing.  I am walking along, shitting on the pavement, and like-minded individuals may or may not choose to do the same, as the mood hits them.

I mean, if I wanted My Discordia to be inane bullshit, I'd just go over to FB more or less permanently, and forget this place.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

FB = Z0MG PINEAL!!!1! *youtube music video* *lame joke* *LOOK HOW RANDOM I IS!*

[The Good Reverend Roger]

FB = Z0MG PINEAL!!!1! *youtube music video* *lame joke* *LOOK HOW RANDOM I IS!*

Pretty much.

When I think of the 20 or so users from here who went THERE, it makes me ill.  Not because they left, but because they seemed so smart while they were here, if you know what I mean.

[Mr. MumboJumbo]

Are there any threads here that haven't been reduced to FB bashing yet? I mean I'm new here, but you guys seem obsessed. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think I am now disappointed in Steve.

 

I'm out.