Shoot the messenger (the "Santa Clause doesn't exist" problem)

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by AAHZ
ANEESHM

This is something that's always bothered me, and that's people's tendency to shoot the messenger, or bearer of bad (or rather, unwanted, even if good) news.

AAHZ

this kind of reminds me a little of the April Fools Joke (Civ Junction)...

you see, Aneeshm, YOU were one to the first to promote the idea of a breakaway forum. (The messenger) But then when people blatently rejected your ridiculous idea (like me) you got extremely defensive and attacked me calling me a ,"Traitor to the Poly OTF." So in effect you were indeed the messenger and YOU were the one who shot first.

pieceâ„¢

Bad example.

A proponent of an ideology is not the same as the declarer of an observation.

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Dauphin


Taking a woman out to dinner is far more romantic than giving her a sack of spuds.

Absolutely correct.

And the more expensive the dinner, the better your chances.

Why? Considering that the marginal utility of food doesn't increase proportionally with the increase in the costs, there seems to be something else that we're willing to pay for here. And that something else happens to be the excess, the "waste", which indicates our ability to pay itself. The greater the difference between the amount we pay and the perceived benefit from the food, the greater or more extravagant, more costly, and therefore more reliable the display.

[ZEE]

Bad example.

A proponent of an ideology is not the same as the declarer of an observation.

regardless it seems to me that you sometimes bring this upon yourself. Like the "Civ Junction" example, and other threads like the "feminism" thread, you have to know that these will stir up some contraversy with people. and you have to know that you WILL get attacked and berated by somebody. a poster who claims such high debating standards, such as yourself, cannot be that stupid to think otherwise.

why, then, would you create threads like those, and THIS one as a matter of fact, if you did not want to be the "Ringleader" of Aneeshm's Wild and Crazy Circus, if you will...

you bring it on yourself and you know it.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by aneeshm



And the more expensive the dinner, the better your chances.

You can't reduce it all that way. Aside from the fact that you can still mess up the evening in various ways, the thinking of "throwing out more money " = "better chances" is a bit too mechanistic for human nature IMO.

[-Jrabbit]

I find high quality chocolate to be an optimal compromise.

Aneeshm, you clearly recognize that people have this need for certain concepts (art, love, et al.) to exist on a plane beyond the rational. Why is it so difficult to accept that their reactions to your rational explanations would be (duh) emotional? Methinks you confuse their asking these eternal questions with an actual quest for knowledge.

[Perfection]

Keep these crappy threads on Apolyton please.

Thanks,
Perfection
Official CFC Ambassador

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by BeBro


You can't reduce it all that way. Aside from the fact that you can still mess up the evening in various ways, the thinking of "throwing out more money " = "better chances" is a bit too mechanistic for human nature IMO.

Ceteris paribus.

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by -Jrabbit
I find high quality chocolate to be an optimal compromise.

Aneeshm, you clearly recognize that people have this need for certain concepts (art, love, et al.) to exist on a plane beyond the rational. Why is it so difficult to accept that their reactions to your rational explanations would be (duh) emotional? Methinks you confuse their asking these eternal questions with an actual quest for knowledge.

It seems you've his the nail squarely on the head. Thanks.

But what happens when someone actually asks me stuff regarding this? Do I lie? Or do I not answer? Or do I tell the truth, and suffer for it?

[Lorizael]

If it's not someone with you are in some way emotionally connected, your chances of changing their mind with your reasons are very, very small. I never bother to have philosophical discussions with random strangers irl. It's just not going to be productive.

[Winston]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Wait, wait, wait! What's this about Santa Claus again?

That does it. I am now convinced you're really Nancy Grace.

[DinoDoc]

Do Hindus really have this much of a Missionary tradition or are you just whining about Christians again?

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Lorizael
If it's not someone with you are in some way emotionally connected, your chances of changing their mind with your reasons are very, very small. I never bother to have philosophical discussions with random strangers irl. It's just not going to be productive.

I know that. The ego-attachment we have as a natural defence mechanism prevents us from immediately accepting a new idea which we find is contrary to our old one, specially when coming from a neutral source.

But I'm then left with three options:

a) Don't contribute at all to discussions or conversations whenever anything like this comes up
b) Say what I have to, honestly, as everyone else does, and take the flak that comes with it
c) Lie

I can't even avoid it, as sometimes I am actively asked stuff. I don't even want to change their minds.

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Do Hindus really have this much of a Missionary tradition or are you just whining about Christians again?

What?

[SlowwHand]

[LordShiva]

Did you hear about teh dyslexic who sold his soul to Santa?