A bulletproof vest isn't all that expensive. I know where they sell them around here, the cop supply store that's still got the donut shop sign out front. I'll need to pack a lot of dried food, probably some of those water purifier things. Last thing you need in a war zone is a bad case of foreign microbe syndrome. The nurse supply store is a couple towns over, I can grab simple shit like gauze and catheters there, couple boxes of latex gloves and face masks. Nothing too bulky. I'll need a new pair of hiking boots: light and sturdy with enough support in the ankles that I won't go full-on retard and twist 'em while trying to sprint past the sniper positions on rubble covered streets.
I wonder how cold it is this time of year.
I don't speak the language, but there's some folks who speak English, and I can help with stupid shit like hauling around supplies and changing bandages. And hell, if I get shot that's an extra hour of airtime they'll get on CNN the next day. It matters more when it's non-smudgy people dying, don'tcha know?
Maybe I'll be a hero, and save a kid from a bombed out home.* Maybe I'll find out I'm not terrible at guns and help in more concrete ways. Maybe I can get supplies where they're needed and just not get in the way too much. But more probably I'll just get my stupid foreign ass horribly injured and become another burden. That's what happens to most of them, you know. What's a suburban white kid know about living though a military assault? I don't know those streets, don't know those people. I don't know the food or the culture or the first thing about taking care of myself. I've never even been in a goddamned riot before.
But that's where something's happening. That's where there's something dangerous and real. No padded corners on the playground, no nerf darts, and not the nihilistic risk of "bad neighborhoods" and pointless risky behavior. Fuck getting high. I'm gonna see the world burn. I'll probably crack, come back a broken man, twisted in mind and body from the Things I've Seen. God knows I'm not stable to begin with. The closest I've ever come to seeing a man die was when that cyclist hit the pavement face first, the cameras rolling as blood gushed out of his broken nose like a waterfall: dark and hot and fast. They switched camera feeds when the medics started CPR. I cried watching the Daily Show, ffs. Those newlyweds smiling and waving to the camera a week before the elections, green wristbands proudly displayed. They might have already been dead by the time that hit the air.
I probably won't survive the front lines, but staying home is killing me.
*at this point in writing the CNN notification popped up that evacuation of women, children, and the wounded from Homs has finally begun.
This is a terrible idea. Take it from me, anyone that can avoid a combat zone should avoid a combat zone. And to go to a combat zone for kicks is the worst kind of porn I can imagine.
Assuming this isn't some kind of metaphor that I am too dense to grasp.
Also, why are you male in that one?
Not a thing I'm doing, just a thing I am seeing other people do and certain bits of my brain totally agree with them in principle. Those are not the bits that get to do the driving, but they can talk to the writing parts every once in a while.
I dunno why the male pronouns came in there, I think it's because I've been spending a lot of time in communities where the default assumption was "male" and specifying "female" made our work different and I found it got in the way of honest evaluations.
On that tangent, it's been really interesting to see how different my assumptions on gender for posters in this forum are from thr assumptions I make elsewhere on the internets. As in, generally not assuming anything until someone specifies one way or another.
Did you know that I am an 18-year-old girl?
Iirc thats exactly why nigel calls herself nigel.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 24, 2012, 07:09:20 PM
Did you know that I am an 18-year-old girl?
You should not be drinking with strange men from the internet, then, young lady!
YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, MOM!
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 24, 2012, 07:09:20 PM
Did you know that I am an 18-year-old girl?
With one hell of a mustache, I might add.
Aw hell. Gotta change. BRB.
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM
Not a thing I'm doing, just a thing I am seeing other people do and certain bits of my brain totally agree with them in principle.
Wait. What?
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 24, 2012, 07:16:40 PM
YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, MOM!
YOU WILL FINISH YOUR VEGETABLES AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM OR YOU ARE
NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT AWFUL BOY WITH THE MOTORCYCLE EVER AGAIN!
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:19:32 PM
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM
Not a thing I'm doing, just a thing I am seeing other people do and certain bits of my brain totally agree with them in principle.
Wait. What?
I am not running off to Syria to get myself killed. I know of people who are. There are parts of my brain that are totally in the same space as them. These are the stupid parts that don't get to drive, but they sure do an awful lot of yelling from the back seat.
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:22:01 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:19:32 PM
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM
Not a thing I'm doing, just a thing I am seeing other people do and certain bits of my brain totally agree with them in principle.
Wait. What?
I am not running off to Syria to get myself killed. I know of people who are. There are parts of my brain that are totally in the same space as them. These are the stupid parts that don't get to drive, but they sure do an awful lot of yelling from the back seat.
Darwin says "hello" to these people, and frankly, I'm a little repulsed. They can't do any good (remember Rachel Corrie? Neither do I), whatsoever, so the only reason to go is adrenaline rushes or the bragging rights of Being There.
Both of which are pretty fucking ghoulish, when you think about it.
There's no way to describe a war zone, even a minor one. The best I can suggest to any of these fuckers that want to do this on a budget is for them to hang around the ER outside the pediatric trauma ward for a few days, let them get their nasty little fucking kicks on the cheap.
On the other hand, if they claim to want to assuage their privileged guilt, then they can fucking give a pile of cash to Doctors Without Borders, and then go back to work to gather the next donation. Thing is, most people who claim that are the same kind of people that put on Dashikis back in '69 and pretended to be Black...Not as solidarity, but as a personal little ego trip.
Quote from: Twid, not Billy. on February 24, 2012, 07:10:10 PM
Iirc thats exactly why nigel calls herself nigel.
Yes, pretty much. :)
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM
I dunno why the male pronouns came in there, I think it's because I've been spending a lot of time in communities where the default assumption was "male" and specifying "female" made our work different and I found it got in the way of honest evaluations.
On that tangent, it's been really interesting to see how different my assumptions on gender for posters in this forum are from thr assumptions I make elsewhere on the internets. As in, generally not assuming anything until someone specifies one way or another.
Chicas here are respected or jeered at based on content. My own observations of PD gender are that it doesn't matter one way or the other. In fact our ladyfolk tend to be stronger personalities on average.
That the chicks tend to be hotter here than other places on the internet.
Back on topic, I can't see why anyone would willingly subject themselves to that shit.
I found a partial description, though.
http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php/topic,22758.0.html
Quote from: The Freeky of SCIENCE! on February 24, 2012, 08:37:51 PM
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM
I dunno why the male pronouns came in there, I think it's because I've been spending a lot of time in communities where the default assumption was "male" and specifying "female" made our work different and I found it got in the way of honest evaluations.
On that tangent, it's been really interesting to see how different my assumptions on gender for posters in this forum are from thr assumptions I make elsewhere on the internets. As in, generally not assuming anything until someone specifies one way or another.
Chicas here are respected or jeered at based on content. My own observations of PD gender are that it doesn't matter one way or the other. In fact our ladyfolk tend to be stronger personalities on average.
That the chicks tend to be hotter here than other places on the internet.
And with better moustaches.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 24, 2012, 08:42:58 PM
Quote from: The Freeky of SCIENCE! on February 24, 2012, 08:37:51 PM
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM
I dunno why the male pronouns came in there, I think it's because I've been spending a lot of time in communities where the default assumption was "male" and specifying "female" made our work different and I found it got in the way of honest evaluations.
On that tangent, it's been really interesting to see how different my assumptions on gender for posters in this forum are from thr assumptions I make elsewhere on the internets. As in, generally not assuming anything until someone specifies one way or another.
Chicas here are respected or jeered at based on content. My own observations of PD gender are that it doesn't matter one way or the other. In fact our ladyfolk tend to be stronger personalities on average.
That the chicks tend to be hotter here than other places on the internet.
And with better moustaches.
Oh shit, I almost forgot about our fantastic 'staches!
Gotta get more 'stache. Gotta.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:00:31 PM
This is a terrible idea. Take it from me, anyone that can avoid a combat zone should avoid a combat zone.
Agreed. I would say even spending too much time thinking about new and efficient ways to kill people has a generally negative impact on one, mentally, let alone going to a war zone and getting involved, where the mental and physical risks are much higher.
Quote from: Cain on February 24, 2012, 08:46:00 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:00:31 PM
This is a terrible idea. Take it from me, anyone that can avoid a combat zone should avoid a combat zone.
Agreed. I would say even spending too much time thinking about new and efficient ways to kill people has a generally negative impact on one, mentally, let alone going to a war zone and getting involved, where the mental and physical risks are much higher.
If you've got it good, leave it good. There is nothing good in a war zone. It's not reality TV, as you well know. It's the worst thing in the world.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 08:51:42 PM
Quote from: Cain on February 24, 2012, 08:46:00 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:00:31 PM
This is a terrible idea. Take it from me, anyone that can avoid a combat zone should avoid a combat zone.
Agreed. I would say even spending too much time thinking about new and efficient ways to kill people has a generally negative impact on one, mentally, let alone going to a war zone and getting involved, where the mental and physical risks are much higher.
If you've got it good, leave it good. There is nothing good in a war zone. It's not reality TV, as you well know. It's the worst thing in the world.
I have trouble buying the notion that people who were involved in writing the BIP don't understand the appeal of the worst thing in the world for inexperienced jailbreakers.
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 10:15:17 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 08:51:42 PM
Quote from: Cain on February 24, 2012, 08:46:00 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:00:31 PM
This is a terrible idea. Take it from me, anyone that can avoid a combat zone should avoid a combat zone.
Agreed. I would say even spending too much time thinking about new and efficient ways to kill people has a generally negative impact on one, mentally, let alone going to a war zone and getting involved, where the mental and physical risks are much higher.
If you've got it good, leave it good. There is nothing good in a war zone. It's not reality TV, as you well know. It's the worst thing in the world.
I have trouble buying the notion that people who were involved in writing the BIP don't understand the appeal of the worst thing in the world for inexperienced jailbreakers.
And you can't tell anybody shit. Not until they have to bludgeon themselves unconscious with pills every night, for the rest of their lives.
When people hear "the worst thing in the world", they think danger & excitement. What you really get is a horrible banality of evil, bits of stark terror here and there, and lots and lots of dead kids. Kids, you see, have fine instincts...But lack the experience and the physical strength or just the ability to get the hell out of the way, which is why there's always more dead kids than dead adults.
War isn't waged between armies, it's waged on people by armies.
But as I've always said, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs, and you can't make a Brave New World without breaking some children.
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on February 24, 2012, 10:15:17 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 08:51:42 PM
Quote from: Cain on February 24, 2012, 08:46:00 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on February 24, 2012, 07:00:31 PM
This is a terrible idea. Take it from me, anyone that can avoid a combat zone should avoid a combat zone.
Agreed. I would say even spending too much time thinking about new and efficient ways to kill people has a generally negative impact on one, mentally, let alone going to a war zone and getting involved, where the mental and physical risks are much higher.
If you've got it good, leave it good. There is nothing good in a war zone. It's not reality TV, as you well know. It's the worst thing in the world.
I have trouble buying the notion that people who were involved in writing the BIP don't understand the appeal of the worst thing in the world for inexperienced jailbreakers.
Maybe that's the problem. I've never seen the worst thing in the world, and I never, ever fucking want to, because I've seen other things that were pretty bad. They were nowhere near the worst thing in the world, and they make me so fucking grateful that, knock on wood, I won't
have to see the worst thing in the world.
So, when I see someone who wants to go play tourist-vacation in a war zone, what I think I must be looking at is someone so spoiled, so sheltered, so hopelessly unchallenged in life that they really, authentically have no sense of perspective on "bad".
To someone like that, I would say, instead of going to a war zone, do something infinitely simpler: volunteer. See some real, human hardship up close in a way that will do your community real good, and keep doing it until you have just a touch of the perspective it takes to understand why you want to stay
as far away as possible from the worst thing in the world. If that's not enough for you, sell all your worldly possessions and move to Mexico.
That should do it.
What Nigel said, with emphasis!
Going through these kinds of what do I do with myself, how can I do some good kind Of decisions now and have been playing with journalism as an option.
This thread is helpful.
I am with Nigel. Acquaint yourself with local purgatory before flinging yourself into foreign hell.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 24, 2012, 07:09:20 PM
Did you know that I am an 18-year-old girl?
No. could i get an interest time anyway? 2:22-2:28 AM psT
:27:47 board?
That's what I like about horror movies. I can get my fill of murder and mayhem perfectly fine watching a screen.
I know for a fact I wouldn't be able to stomach most of that shit if it were happening in front of me.
Quote from: hirley0 on February 25, 2012, 10:27:36 AM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 24, 2012, 07:09:20 PM
Did you know that I am an 18-year-old girl?
No. could i get an interest time anyway? 2:22-2:28 AM psT
:27:47 board?
Ooooh little miss LMNO, you have a suitor!
Quote from: Nigel on February 25, 2012, 12:35:35 AMTo someone like that, I would say, instead of going to a war zone, do something infinitely simpler: volunteer. See some real, human hardship up close in a way that will do your community real good, and keep doing it until you have just a touch of the perspective it takes to understand why you want to stay as far away as possible from the worst thing in the world. If that's not enough for you, sell all your worldly possessions and move to Mexico.
That should do it.
This. I've been doing quite some volunteer work recently (with the Young Researchers) and, well, there's been no horrors there thankfully, but it's slowly edging my way into parts of society that I'd only "see" on TV in my college years. There's also other bits I get into contact with via welfare.
There's this volunteer organisation called Humanitas that's really doing great things, I got into contact with them when I was looking for volunteer work to do. It's absolutely beautiful the things they do, helping immigrants, addicts, disabled, elderly people and also people who are just lonely for whatever reason (there's a LOT of that btw, sure it's a 1st world problem cause every NL citizen gets state support, but with the Internet and smartphone generation some people just fall through and they don't know how to reconnect). I decided this would be way too much emotional strain for me but as soon as I got the chaos in my life sufficiently sorted out to be right there. Because it's the most beautiful thing.
Anyway, the point is that if you want to find what's "real", what people that don't have it as good, you don't need to look far, they're right there. And really,
locally you can do a LOT more good than if you travel to some far away war zone. Well maybe not from a utilitarian ethical viewpoint, but it's easier, so you're more likely to actually do it instead of just think that you should buy that plane ticket. And you'll be the sort of person that really makes society work. It greases it. By pulling up the lowest bars, you're raising the average for everybody. Additionally, you're setting an example. Like even when you're not volunteering when you give up your place to the elderly person in the subway, you show that that is how it
works, when you offer your help to the disabled guy in the scooter that is struggling to get their groceries in their bag, you lower the bar for others to help next time because they'll see that's just what you
do.
A friend of mine studied medicine, became a doctor and she's helping people in Africa, did a lot of tropics doctor things (also during her studies) and by the end of the year she'll be helping people in the Congo. Which is absolutely awesome.
Still, I once read this piece in the paper, which absolutely touched me. It was about a doctor in some bad neighbourhood of Amsterdam, and how he helped homeless people and other people that had no proper health insurance for some reason. Outside his regular hours. Because he felt he had to. You gotta try real hard to have no healthcare in NL, but being an illegal immigrant does the trick (there's ways, but..), as does being homeless and somehow evading all the other social help available. Problem is, it's all there for the taking but you gotta ask for it and let them and jump through a couple of bureaucratic hoops and if your mind's screwy that can be hard (skipping a lot of nuances here). Some of his patients didn't actually have much of an ailment but just wanted .. some care? You know? Like a listening ear. You don't need to be a doctor for doing that.
See, I might not have a job, be supported by my state for which I am ever so grateful. Every. Single. Day. But in the mean time, there's a stupid shitload of things all over everywhere around me, of people that get such a disproportionate amount of happiness from the simplest help or just taking some lonely village granny out for shopping on a Saturday afternoon, or just even a gesture of help--it's the low-hanging fruits of society that you forgot about maybe. Helping is easy, you just need to find something that feels like it's no effort (though you'll find it is) but is something that is out of reach for others. Everybody has their own hangups, and it's just wonderful to give that thing that for some strange reason does not come easy to others.
Great response Trip. I like the line you're taking.
Quote from: Sita on February 25, 2012, 07:27:32 PM
That's what I like about horror movies. I can get my fill of murder and mayhem perfectly fine watching a screen.
I know for a fact I wouldn't be able to stomach most of that shit if it were happening in front of me.
'
man, I can't even couple up on how distant horror movies are on the really real badness the real world has to offer. Maybe just see what 3000 has to say. I got nothing.