Random Thoughts

[Spinal]

Whatever, dude.

You can't fool me. I know you care. Mostly about Hitler, but still.

[Spinal]

Today a young guy who works as an unloader here (his job is to take the merchandise off the trucks from our distribution center, so it can be brought out to the floor) refused to handle boxes of Christmas decorations because he is not Christian.

Secularists appropriated Christmas from the Christians a long time ago. He needs to get with it. War on Xmas is over. We won.

[megladon8]

I bet he posted about it on r/atheism.

I doubt it. He's Muslim.

[Dukefrukem]

I bet he posted about it on r/atheism.

I just learned what that is this week because of the Fappening.

[Ezee E]

Today a young guy who works as an unloader here (his job is to take the merchandise off the trucks from our distribution center, so it can be brought out to the floor) refused to handle boxes of Christmas decorations because he is not Christian.

How'd that work out for him?

What if you didn't believe in cooling food, does that mean you can avoid hauling out the refrigerators?

[D_Davis]

I doubt it. He's Muslim.

Probably post it to r/terrorist.

[transmogrifier]

Match Cut drama is the best type of drama.

But it is a neat little demonstration of the basic principle that, if you are going to go off on someone for something they have typed into a forum using words and stuff, it pays to first check that you have understood those words and stuff.

"I don't have a problem with the photos" - I assumed that he meant that there is nothing wrong with having nude photos of yourself on your phone and it doesn't make you any better or worse as a person. Now, I may have misunderstood that, which is why I didn't go ballistic on Ezee because I'm a Never Nude.

[Gittes]

Match Cut drama is the best type of drama.
But it is a neat little demonstration of the basic principle that, if you are going to go off on someone for something they have typed into a forum using words and stuff, it pays to first check that you have understood those words and stuff.

Well, that's obnoxiously phrased ("words and stuff" -- certainly, this is just what this conversation needs: contempt and haughtiness). This is also a redundant summation of points that have already been raised by myself and others, so I'm curious about what was motivating your decision to edit your originally terse post and make this additional contribution. I guess this isn't too surprising, since I doubt my posts were even read by many. I'll add that it wouldn't hurt if people also took the time to care a little more about what they are writing, particularly when addressing sensitive issues and entering into emotionally heated contexts (I'm not excluding myself from this, as I clearly could have been a little bit more patient, which, again, is something that had already been addressed repeatedly before you stepped in).

This would be better than, say, tossing off posts whose style could perhaps be best described as "slovenly" due to the use of "Tapatalk," or whatever that inanely named thing is, and then refusing to elaborate despite multiple opportunities (this is a minor aesthetic/discursive irritation, but I guess that app accounts for some of the occasionally messily put together posts from users who are clearly capable of writing more effectively). I'm not absolving myself of any missteps, but I'm also not going to elide the other relevant factors. I should have addressed this through a PM. That's clear. My actions were hasty.

I also think Ezee should have evaluated his post and aimed for intelligibility because, in situations like these, any potential vagueness is anathema. Why not review the statement and guard against any potential misinterpretation? Why not readily address any resultant misinterpretations and understand that they are coming from within a very sensitive context? Clarity would have helped, just as it would have helped if my first recourse was a private message rather than a long-winded, precipitate condemnation.

I'm glad, though, that you managed to pinpoint precisely what Ezee E apparently had in mind when he wrote that post, which was that he thought no less of the women involved. Unless I'm mistaken, the idea of Match Cut users thinking less of the victims based on the content of the photos wasn't even on the table, so that contribution almost feels like a weird non sequitur. I mean, it's good to know, but it just doesn't seem to jibe with the salient points of the discussion up to that point. Ezee stated he had "no problem with any of the photo stuff," and this followed a very long conversation about very specific problems concerning the leak. Therefore, it's not exactly a reach to make a causal connection, and assume that he's referring to the previously discussed problems when he uses a phrase like "photo stuff." Unless he's beck pedalling, this may very well have been a misinterpretation, and once again, I'm truly sorry if that's the case. Still, my alleged misreading wasn't based on nothing.

At any rate, delaying any elaboration or clarification struck me as a poor choice, especially given the topic at hand and the nature of the conversation.

Well, I'm not sure what the hovering is about.

I already explained what I meant in an earlier post. See here.

Well, I'm not sure what the hovering is about. And as shown above, saying you'll get to it isn't the best of posts (and I don't know how to delete on tapatalk.)

Actually, that would clearly be better than not saying anything at all despite multiple visits and providing a response to another user (megladon8).

As far as elaborating on my post from earlier, I simply didn't feel it was needed.

It was needed. Clearly. Another user even stepped in and indicated that he read, or misread, your post in the same way. He exercised more restraint and did not react as precipitately or emotionally as I did, but it wasn't as if I was the only one who thought your post (and/or the lack of elaboration) was problematic. The responses from others also indicated that other people at least understood that my reading (or potential misreading) was a plausible interpretation of your statement.

Nobody asked me to make a comment on anything.

I did. I quoted your post and that clearly wasn't an invitation to talk with everyone except you. The person I was most interested in hearing from was you, hence why I checked out your user profile (so that I could see if you were going to reply anytime soon). This is when I noticed you were lingering in the thread for a while.

without asking for anything of me again.

Why did I need to ask twice? Everything I wrote from that point on was expressly about you. The discussion between myself and other users focused on your comments, among other things, and the curious lack of elaboration was a part of this discussion.

without asking for anything of me again.
I consider this a passive-aggressive attack more than anything. I usually don't even bother with that type of behavior, but since it was misunderstood, I clarified anyway.I consider this a passive-aggressive attack more than anything. I usually don't even bother with that type of behavior, but since it was misunderstood, I clarified anyway.

I'm sorry about that. Please know that it wasn't designed as a passive-aggressive attack, especially since I was quoting your post and I was also speaking to you when I asked, "Am I missing something?" My objective, in that instance, was to to explicitly address you in addition to anyone else who might be interested in the topic at hand. I'm sorry if this wasn't clear. I wasn't trying to be covert or passive-aggressive, but I can see how it could be read that way.

Considering the fact that it yielded discussion that has spanned multiple pages, yeah, it would have been great if you had you stepped in sooner and clarified instead of repeatedly visiting the thread and waiting until the eleventh hour to say, "oh, hey, I guess I should clear this up!"

[transmogrifier]

Well, that's obnoxiously phrased ("words and stuff" -- certainly, this is just what this conversation needs: contempt and haughtiness). This is also a redundant summation of points that have already been raised by myself and others, so I'm curious about what was motivating your decision to edit your originally terse post and make this additional contribution. I guess this isn't too surprising, since I doubt my posts were even read by many. I'll add that it wouldn't hurt if people also took the time to care a little more about what they are writing, particularly when addressing sensitive issues and entering into emotionally heated contexts.

This would be better than, say, tossing off posts whose style could perhaps be best described as "slovenly" because they're using "Tapatalk" or whatever that inanely named thing is, and then refusing to elaborate despite multiple opportunities (this is a minor aesthetic/discursive irritation, but I guess that app accounts for some of the occasionally messily put together post from users who are clearly capable of writing more effectively). I'm not absolving myself of any missteps or errors, but I'm also not going to elide the other relevant factors. I should have addressed this through a PM. That's clear. I was hasty.

I'm glad, though, that you managed to pinpoint precisely what Ezee E apparently had in mind when he wrote that post, which was that he thought no less of the women involved. Unless I'm mistaken, the idea of match-cut users thinking less of the victims based on the content of the photos wasn't even on the table, so that contribution almost feels like a weird non sequitur. I mean, it's good to know, but it just didn't seem to jibe with the salient points of the discussion. Ezee stated he had "no problem with any of the photo stuff," and this followed a very long conversation about very specific problems concerning the leak. Therefore, it's not exactly a reach to make a causal connection, and assumed that this is what he's talking about when he uses a phrase like "photo stuff." Unless he's beck pedalling, this may very well have been a misinterpretation, and once again, I'm truly sorry if that's the case. Still, my alleged misreading wasn't based on nothing.

At any rate, delaying any elaboration or clarification struck me as a poor choice, especially given the topic at hand and the nature of the conversation.

Hi.

It appears we have got off on the wrong foot. Let me attempt to clarify something.

(a) I don't particularly care about any of this, beyond what I have already said.
(b) There is no (b)

[Gittes]

I really hope this conversation concludes soon because I'm clearly not in the best of spirits. The recent doldrums of my personal life and the repellant, astoundingly ignorant responses to recent events (and the events themselves) have had a very enervating effect on my mood and temperament. Evidently, I'm not handling this in the best way and that fact is only making me feel more miserable. I'll paraphrase what I told another user in a PM, even though it sounds kind of dramatic and self-important (what else is new, right? :P): I think a break of some duration is in order.

So, once the conversation in this thread concludes, I'm going to take a much needed breather from all of the offensive stuff and then do a better job of ignoring ostensibly unpleasant or irksome messages and, when I feel they need to be addressed, aim for more effective responses (i.e., use private messages when appropriate and do my best to avoid knee-jerk assumptions, even in the most emotionally sensitive of circumstances).

I really don't want to inundate this thread with negativity. I think a lot of good points have been made and hopefully we can move forward and keep aiming toward more peaceful, sensible, and considerate posting habits.

Even though I've scattered so many qualifications throughout this thread, I do feel guilty about my reaction to Ezee's comments, and I'm disappointed about the negativity and messiness of this conversation (much of which was precipitated by my hasty reply). At the end of the day, it's totally plausible that Ezee is telling the truth and that I misread him entirely (i.e., maybe my memory of the preceding conversation is inaccurate and people were indeed discussing the idea of the content of the photographs negatively affecting their perception of the victims, or maybe Ezee just wanted to mention this, etc.). Plus, regardless of what actually went down, I should have just PMed him instead of making an inadvertent spectacle of my outrage.

I wish I had comported myself in a manner more in keeping with my own ideals and values, and I wish I had exercised more patience and tact, even at a time when I felt very aggravated and fed up with some of the nonsense that is being spewed across the Internet. All of that got to me, which was clearly borne out in my initial reply. This essentially means that Ezee E became the recipient of a bunch of surliness and sensitivity that may have had absolutely nothing to do with him. So, Ezee, once again (please excuse the repetition; I want to make sure you see this and I'm not sure if you're skimming my posts): I'm not being insincere when I say I'm sorry if I truly misread your comments.

[Mara]

MC is like my family on Thanksgiving. The only way to get away from the fighting is to fight until everyone's too tired to keep fighting.

It's okay. Everyone take a nap and we'll meet for turkey and sweet potatoes later. I will make pie.

[D_Davis]

It's perspective time.

[Hugh_Grant]

What D_D said...


Maybe I'm missing a gene, but I just cannot have an argument on the internet, so I just look at these types of impassioned discussions with puzzlement. Maybe it's due to my general passive nature. When I was about 5-6, I was at the mall, and this girl started pulling on my hair. I did nothing. I said nothing. Only when my mom and her mom noticed did it stop. The hair-puller's mom apologized and then yelled at her daughter. My mom said to me, "Why didn't you say anything?" I just shrugged.

And frankly, so many years later, that's my attitude towards life. When folks take umbrage during discussions, I just don't get it. I'll be in the corner, having my hair pulled and watching cat videos.

[Dead & Messed Up]

On that note, I visited my family back in Iowa this weekend, and since it was my mom's birthday, she wanted us all to clean up and have a good family picture.

But after a few early pictures with the photographer, somebody crashed the party.

The neighbor's cat.

Apologies for posting the leaked pictures.

[Spun Lepton]

I was outraged, but then there was kitty.

[megladon8]

Hugh Grant, I find your passive attitude offensive and I want to argue about it with you.

How dare you.

[Ezee E]

Match Cut drama is the best type of drama.

But it is a neat little demonstration of the basic principle that, if you are going to go off on someone for something they have typed into a forum using words and stuff, it pays to first check that you have understood those words and stuff.

"I don't have a problem with the photos" - I assumed that he meant that there is nothing wrong with having nude photos of yourself on your phone and it doesn't make you any better or worse as a person. Now, I may have misunderstood that, which is why I didn't go ballistic on Ezee because I'm a Never Nude.

Jean shorts though?

[transmogrifier]

Jean shorts though?

G-string. It counts people!

[transmogrifier]

MC is like my family on Thanksgiving. The only way to get away from the fighting is to fight until everyone's too tired to keep fighting.

It's okay. Everyone take a nap and we'll meet for turkey and sweet potatoes later. I will make pie.

No lie; if I had a bucket list, "Have a slice each of a selection of Mara's pies until I cannot physically move" would be high up there.

[Ezee E]

I want to make sure you see this and I'm not sure if you're skimming my posts): I'm not being insincere when I say I'm sorry if I truly misread your comments.

It's all good. Time for Mara's Sweet Potato Pie.

[Scar]

I was told there'd be punch and pie.

[Ezee E]

I was told there'd be punch and pie.

a PUNCH TO YOUR FACE!

[Scar]

Oh, its on like Donkey Kong.

[Ezee E]

Oh, its on like Donkey Kong.

[bac0n]

For Fuck's Sake, DaMU. It's called a razor. [/teaching_moment]