Trash Talking Thread

[Enigma_Nova]

I'm not a follower, plebian, I make this stuff up for myself.

So who have you sold your soul to?

[jtsisyoda]

The SMAX gods, of course. Haven't you?!

If you're thinking this up for yourself, there's a round simple machine I'd like you to reinvent, too.

[Drogue]

If he comes up with Ayn Rand 'philosophy' himself, then he really shouldn't be proud of it

[Enigma_Nova]

Originally posted by jtsisyoda
If you're thinking this up for yourself, there's a round simple machine I'd like you to reinvent, too.

The Axle and the Wheel.
Already done... :/
BTW not having read about Rand, I can't comment on whether I agree or disagree with her writings, nor can I comment on the validity of her pieces.
But I think stuff up for myself so that's good.

[Maniac]

Enigma_Nova, your philosophy seems to be merely the logical consequence of the environment you grew up in, so despite what you may think you aren't being very creative, original or independent by "thinking this stuff up by yourself".

[Enigma_Nova]

And you couldn't demotivate the French army in the hundred years war. Now, shall we get back to talking trash?

[Enigma_Nova]

Screw it.
-bite-

Originally posted by Maniac
Enigma_Nova, your philosophy seems to be merely the logical consequence of the environment you grew up in,

Or the way I interperet the environment (and hence relay it to you)
Hence, a logical consequence of the basis from which I interperet the environment,
Hence, my philosophy is the logical consequence of the philosophy I follow.

Like I know what my past is like... Everything I see is blinded by my own beliefs and perceptions. Shows through well, as we have shown.

so despite what you may think

And what you think is -so- important?

you aren't being very creative, original or independent by "thinking this stuff up by yourself".

One could argue that the man who makes a table isn't being 'creative' since so many people have already made tables.
But, there is still an aspect of creation in taking a lump of wood, carving it how you want it then nailing it together.
Couple that with an ignorance (or in my case, rejection) of the instruction manual, and even greater creative talent is required.

If I am not following instructions, and I am doing something, I must be making my own instructions. So, in the least, I have to be creating something.
Just because it has been thought before, does not devalue the mind of he who reinvents it.
Because, in some hypothetical other-world, everything you have said and done has been done before, so what new good are you?

A whole lot, IMO, as I judge value personally not globally, but each to their own.
...

DAMMIT I just got trolled. >_<

[Maniac]

DAMMIT I just got trolled. >_<

You got that right!

Or the way I interperet the environment (and hence relay it to you)
Hence, a logical consequence of the basis from which I interperet the environment,
Hence, my philosophy is the logical consequence of the philosophy I follow.

A good point. It seems to be the question of the chicken or the egg. Does the creative individual influences and interprets its environment (with a consequential philosophy), or does the environment influence the individual (and its philosophy)? The answer seems to me that both are true. So you could see it as a scale with two extremes and lots of gray in between, with each person having interacting elements of both in him: a creative environment-interpreting/influencing individual and at the same time a mere follower of what the environment tells him to do.
Therefore I think you are wrong in creating such distinct categories of shepherds, sheep, masses, plebians and on the other side such supposedly special wolves who think independent etcetera...
You may lean more than average to the creative side of the creative<->following scale, but you are still a mere human, just like everyone of us, and not some extraordinary gifted individual beyond comparison with everyone else. Sometimes you are right, other times you are wrong, so you should not just per definition consider anyone who disagrees with you an ignorant follower.

Thanks for listening.

[DeathByTheSword]

wow a lot of text and i believe that maniac it right....every person is in the grey area...and some my have 'weaker' minds so will follow certain ideas that much quicker...but everone is percepteble to propaganda and 'brainwashing' just the right button needs to be pushed....and for some people with a 'stronger' mind more often...but seeing your self as special and creative is a dangerous thing....because your creative ideas are being influenced by outside references....if you would be asked to design an aircraft i bet you will come up with a classic design sorta-like that of a boeing 747. you use your past experiences in a field as references to build an own idea of the reality...well atleast that is what i think of this all

[Drogue]

I agree with Maniac, but still being human does not mean that you are "not some extraordinary gifted individual beyond comparison with everyone else". Indeed, you could be human but still be extraordinarily gifted. It all depends on what you classify as extraordinarily gifted. IMHO, a 17 year old Uni student may well become it, but they are still a Uni student.

[Maniac]

I agree about the "extraordinary gifted" part, but I would disagree one can be "beyond comparison", as that implies one belongs to some seperate category other than humans like we all are.

[Drogue]

Point taken. Although nothing can ever be beyond comparison, as even if it is massively lesser/greater it is still a comparison.

[jtsisyoda]

Where's my bouncer?! Throw these whining sophists out of my trash talking thread.

[GeoModder]

And how much you pay the bouncer?

It's expensive to dismiss those ivory tower guys, you know...

[Maniac]

GeoModder, go read your Private Messages!