Whenever a girl says some guy was an 'asshole' it almost always just means that she wants to feel like a princess and he made her feel like what she really is- just another girl*. Either that or what he wants doesn't line up with what she wants, so somehow he's an asshole even though she is not a bitch for having her own desires. 'Asshole' does not mean a bad person (in these cases). It really means "he did not make me feel special enough" and/or "he wants different things than I do." Examples:
"He texts me hours after I text him, sometimes even up to two days after! What an asshole." (not special enough)
"I said I wanted a relationship but all he wants is sex. What an asshole!" (wants different things)
"He looks at other girls right in front of me. What an asshole!" (not special enough)
"We hang out four times a week and he knows that's not enough for me but he still hangs out with his friends 3 nights a week when he KNOWS I feel left out. What an asshole!" (wants different things).
*Unless of course he's actually an asshole.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Open Letter To Chair Entertainment
Dear Chair,
(never thought I'd ever type that particular sequence of words)
I am writing to you today to ask a favour of you. You see, your company developed one of the absolute best video games last generation (no, sorry, not Undertow). The game to which I am referring is of course Shadow Complex. Shadow Complex was easily the best Xbox Live Arcade game at the time of its release, and in this (not so?) humble gamer's opinion, still is (maybe tied with Geometry Wars and Puzzle Quest but I digress). Let me tell you a little story:
I have been gaming since the late 80's. I grew up on all of the same games you all (hopefully) did. Namely (duh), platformers, shmups, adventure games and beat em ups. You all probably have your favourites from these genres, and many of them will likely differ from mine. However, one thing we definitely have in common is a love for the old school archetypal game designs of the eras bygone, one of the most prominent, and criminally (yes, criminally) underused being the so called “Metroidvania” (“Castleroid” to some, but they are from the wrong side of the tracks, so we can do as the government does and simply ignore them) design. Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night are the two most well known games of this type, but of course there are many more (just not enough). Clearly, you fine people noticed this travesty and decided to capitalize on the oversights of others far less badass than thou and release to the world a brand new game using this game design philosophy.
So, on August 19th, 2009, you released Shadow Complex and the response from both gamers and critics was overwhelmingly positive. The sales were great (despite that unfortunate little trial version exploit that you wish we would have forgotten (we didn't, but I bought the game, so don't worry)) and Chair Entertainment (now a subsidiary of Epic Games, ching ching!!) was on the map. All well and good, but how do I fit into this story, you ask? Well, I am glad you did. See, to make a longer story long, I, as I stated earlier, have been gaming since the late 80's, and while I still love gaming, I definitely fall into the rose tinted glasses nostalgic old school gamer camp. Games, for the most part at least, just do not satisfy, excite, challenge or engage me the way they used to (with few exceptions) (Bayonetta, anyone?). And then you came along and holy **** I was 12 years old again!
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Conversation On Agnosticism vs Atheism
OU812 wrote:
The right answer (and this is where people start getting annoyed and whatnot but it's just true) is that you don't currently hold a positive belief in god, aka you're an agnostic atheist. If you think 'I dunno' when someone asks if you believe in god you're definitely not a theist......which makes you an atheist. There's no third middle option. That middle option people think of is actually the answer to a separate question (do you KNOW a god exists).
Theism= belief in a god.
Prefix 'a' denotes the lack of something.
A-theism= the lack of a belief in god.
Gnosticism= knowledge of god's existence.
Prefix 'a' denotes the lack of something.
A-gnosticism= the lack of knowledge of god's existence.
Two different things. It's not agnostic or atheist; those are two different answers to two different questions. I am an agnostic atheist.
OU812 wrote:
OU812 wrote:
Sowell is wrong and imo, he just gets off on writing off the atheists as angsty pseudointellectuals. It's lazy.
It staggers the mind, if you think about it, that so, so many of our 'enlightened, intellectual' class pass by the label of Agnostic in order to proudly label themselves Atheists. Why not be content with being Agnostic if you, as an intellectual, cannot prove any conclusive position on this point? It seems calling yourself an Atheist is a cheap and easy way to secure an appreciation of your intellect - in certain circles, anyway. I am not using this as a means of starting a theological debate, but to me, the lack of consistency exemplifies, so blatantly, human failings. Would any Atheist 'intellectual' conclude that there is no life on other planets simply because there is no proof that there is?Gnosticism deals merely with knowledge, not belief. That's where theism comes in. Everyone is agnostic, since NO ONE knows for sure. Saying you're 'agnostic' is a nonsense statement in a sense since it says nothing about what you believe. Even the most religious person on earth is agnostic, no matter what they say. So when someone asks if you believe in god(s) if you're one of those people who shrugs their shoulders and thinks "I dunno" that's not what they asked.
The right answer (and this is where people start getting annoyed and whatnot but it's just true) is that you don't currently hold a positive belief in god, aka you're an agnostic atheist. If you think 'I dunno' when someone asks if you believe in god you're definitely not a theist......which makes you an atheist. There's no third middle option. That middle option people think of is actually the answer to a separate question (do you KNOW a god exists).
Theism= belief in a god.
Prefix 'a' denotes the lack of something.
A-theism= the lack of a belief in god.
Gnosticism= knowledge of god's existence.
Prefix 'a' denotes the lack of something.
A-gnosticism= the lack of knowledge of god's existence.
Two different things. It's not agnostic or atheist; those are two different answers to two different questions. I am an agnostic atheist.
OU812 wrote:
That may be accurate in a literal sense, but i don't think most people, particularly those in the public eye who voice their opinion on the matter, go any further into the definitions of atheist, agnostic and believer/theist than as I had originally argued. That would certainly make sense since I believe those in the forefront of politics and popular culture, the opinions I am hearing and evaluating, are the pseudo-intellectuals Sowell so elegantly swipes at in his books.You, Sowell, and those like you are all making the same mistake. Let me quote you to show you what I am talking about:
OU812 wrote:
Now both believers and non-believers require the same level of proof to come to their conclusions -- none. It is the Atheist, however, who claims the intellectual high ground for his position, ridiculing those who disagree.The problem with this is that the burden of proof is always on those making a claim. The axiomatically correct stance in any case of the asserted existence of some thing is the null hypothesis until proven otherwise. This position should only be changed to belief/acceptance of the claim when sufficient evidence is given to them by those making said claim. So, in the case of the existence of a god, the human who says "hey, a god exists" to a second human, or a group of humans, must then prove that this is true. Much like the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court case, the god believer must demonstrate to the people he is preaching that the god in question exists and he must do beyond all measure of reasonable doubt. If they fail to do this, the 'atheist' is holding the correct position- that of disbelief. He need not defend this disbelief nor is it correct to accuse him of holding a faith based position. It is in fact the philosophically correct one.
Sowell is wrong and imo, he just gets off on writing off the atheists as angsty pseudointellectuals. It's lazy.
Monday, April 13, 2015
In Defense Of 'Crazy' Stay At Home Moms
We all know the trope of the 'crazy' suburban mom; you know, the one who screams at her kids and husband all day despite being medicated to the gills with pharmacological agents and vodka coolers and while I have done my share of sneering at them to myself and others (shitty behaviour around kids is hard not to sneer at) I have been thinking a lot about these women and what might be at the root of the problem and I think that "they're just crazy" isn't fair and what really may be going on is totally not their fault but actually the fault of the way we engineered post-industrialization/post-agricultural societies.
If you travel back in time to say 50,000 years ago, what was the life of a mother like? Were they alone, separated into individual houses, or together as a community, dealing with everyone's' kids all at once?
It was the latter.
Assuming we all agree on this point, (and how can't we; I'm always right after all, right C-man? fuma!) what can we take from this? Well, it logically follows that evolving to raise kids in a community would lead women of future generations to basically needing said communities for support and ultimately, optimal mental health. So, separating into houses all along a street and living in their own little worlds with their kids and hubbies (when home from work) could possibly be setting them up for failure. Living contrary to ones' nature is a recipe for mental illness, right?
If we think about the nature of women, are they more oriented towards being solitary or in groups? I think we all know the answer. They are definitely wired towards being hive minded. Men are generally the more solitary creatures. So, in the interest of fairness here, is it really any wonder that once they are separated into individual homes alone with their kid(s) all day that they go "crazy?" They are living without the social support networks they evolved to need!
I always think/talk about how the way this culture is engineered is really bad for men, but I am starting to consider the possibility that it's bad for women as well. It's bad for all of us, I think. One day I'll stop being so lazy and really dig into this idea and post a detailed, cogent, thought out piece about it. I really think there's a lot about the way we are living that we need to rethink. I'm just so lazy.....damn culture's fault!
It was the latter.
Assuming we all agree on this point, (and how can't we; I'm always right after all, right C-man? fuma!) what can we take from this? Well, it logically follows that evolving to raise kids in a community would lead women of future generations to basically needing said communities for support and ultimately, optimal mental health. So, separating into houses all along a street and living in their own little worlds with their kids and hubbies (when home from work) could possibly be setting them up for failure. Living contrary to ones' nature is a recipe for mental illness, right?
If we think about the nature of women, are they more oriented towards being solitary or in groups? I think we all know the answer. They are definitely wired towards being hive minded. Men are generally the more solitary creatures. So, in the interest of fairness here, is it really any wonder that once they are separated into individual homes alone with their kid(s) all day that they go "crazy?" They are living without the social support networks they evolved to need!
I always think/talk about how the way this culture is engineered is really bad for men, but I am starting to consider the possibility that it's bad for women as well. It's bad for all of us, I think. One day I'll stop being so lazy and really dig into this idea and post a detailed, cogent, thought out piece about it. I really think there's a lot about the way we are living that we need to rethink. I'm just so lazy.....damn culture's fault!
Sunday, March 29, 2015
10 Reasons Why Living Alone Is Awesome
Having gone from living with my parents for over 20 years to living with my fiance-turned wife for several years after that to now living alone for the last 3 years I can honestly say that living alone, at least for me, is by far the best. Here are some reasons why:
1) You can be as loud as you want
Want to play Mass Effect 3 in glorious 7.1 digital surround sound all night with zero guilt or need to consider someone else? Have at it!
2) Do your chores when you want to (or never).
You can do them at your own convenience and pace, without ever being nagged or criticized.
3) Smokers can smoke in the house all they want if you don't care.
I have friends who smoke and they were never allowed to smoke in the house before. Now? They can smoke in my basement all they want- this is especially great for them in the winter.
4) Sleep wherever, whenever and always uninterrupted.
No one will hit you with "when are you getting up" or "why don't you come to bed, it's late?" If it's your day off and you want to sleep for 15 hours....you can!
5) No one but you eats your food.
No more "who ate my taco? I was saving that!"
6) The temperature is set to EXACTLY your preference at all times.
And NO ONE complains :) My house is 64 degrees this winter. Saving tons of money on heating and no one is telling me to turn it up because they are cold (meaning of course that I have to be too hot....no thanks).
7) If you play an instrument you can play whenever you want.
I play the drums and nothing is more glorious than being able to just PLAY when I feel like it.
8) If you missed the lesson on sharing in kindergarten living alone is for you.
That family size box of overly sugary, diabetes inducing cereal? All mine, mine, mine!
9) Come and go as you please.
Go out whenever you want and have no one to answer to (or ask).
10) Have people over anytime you want.
There's never a time where you have to "check" with someone else. I can have an impromptu jam session with a guitarist friend, something that would have been nearly impossible before.
Living alone isn't for everyone, but for people like me, it's GREAT. Everyone should at least try it once in their lives.
1) You can be as loud as you want
Want to play Mass Effect 3 in glorious 7.1 digital surround sound all night with zero guilt or need to consider someone else? Have at it!
2) Do your chores when you want to (or never).
You can do them at your own convenience and pace, without ever being nagged or criticized.
3) Smokers can smoke in the house all they want if you don't care.
I have friends who smoke and they were never allowed to smoke in the house before. Now? They can smoke in my basement all they want- this is especially great for them in the winter.
4) Sleep wherever, whenever and always uninterrupted.
No one will hit you with "when are you getting up" or "why don't you come to bed, it's late?" If it's your day off and you want to sleep for 15 hours....you can!
5) No one but you eats your food.
No more "who ate my taco? I was saving that!"
6) The temperature is set to EXACTLY your preference at all times.
And NO ONE complains :) My house is 64 degrees this winter. Saving tons of money on heating and no one is telling me to turn it up because they are cold (meaning of course that I have to be too hot....no thanks).
7) If you play an instrument you can play whenever you want.
I play the drums and nothing is more glorious than being able to just PLAY when I feel like it.
8) If you missed the lesson on sharing in kindergarten living alone is for you.
That family size box of overly sugary, diabetes inducing cereal? All mine, mine, mine!
9) Come and go as you please.
Go out whenever you want and have no one to answer to (or ask).
10) Have people over anytime you want.
There's never a time where you have to "check" with someone else. I can have an impromptu jam session with a guitarist friend, something that would have been nearly impossible before.
Living alone isn't for everyone, but for people like me, it's GREAT. Everyone should at least try it once in their lives.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
5 Ways To Improve A Legal System/The Law
1) Judge the law less by its effect on case by case situations and more so by its effect on society as a whole.
-Increase in the ability to file law suits was implemented, supposedly, to increase power held by "the little guy" and to 'check' the behaviour of the 'big guy.' Only problem is, this has had unintended systemic effects
-For example, the increase in medical culpability has actually diminished doctors' propensity to act, decreasing the quality of healthcare
2) Simplify the law.
-If the law is too complicated to internalize, people lose faith in the law
-The golden rule is and always has been a great basis for law
3) Re-humanize the law.
-Give cops and judges the opportunity to apply their discretion (like they used to be able to) so individuals are not swallowed up by harsh, unflinching laws meant to curb societal problems
4) Have the law informed by science, not emotion and propaganda. Evidence based law, like medicine. Especially drug laws
5) Refocus the law and associated punishments. What exactly is their aim and are we acting outside of it?
-If you're in court, looking at say 5 years in jail for a drug infraction and you ask the judge "who exactly did I hurt here?" and they have no answer other than "yourself" or "the law is the law" we have a problem
-We need to rethink prison and ask ourselves if it is really the only possible way of doing things
-Increase in the ability to file law suits was implemented, supposedly, to increase power held by "the little guy" and to 'check' the behaviour of the 'big guy.' Only problem is, this has had unintended systemic effects
-For example, the increase in medical culpability has actually diminished doctors' propensity to act, decreasing the quality of healthcare
2) Simplify the law.
-If the law is too complicated to internalize, people lose faith in the law
-The golden rule is and always has been a great basis for law
3) Re-humanize the law.
-Give cops and judges the opportunity to apply their discretion (like they used to be able to) so individuals are not swallowed up by harsh, unflinching laws meant to curb societal problems
4) Have the law informed by science, not emotion and propaganda. Evidence based law, like medicine. Especially drug laws
5) Refocus the law and associated punishments. What exactly is their aim and are we acting outside of it?
-If you're in court, looking at say 5 years in jail for a drug infraction and you ask the judge "who exactly did I hurt here?" and they have no answer other than "yourself" or "the law is the law" we have a problem
-We need to rethink prison and ask ourselves if it is really the only possible way of doing things
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)