What's on your mind?

[Atrocity]

Reading an extremely popular fantasy novel series that's the basis for an even more popular TV show doesn't make you a huge nerd. So you don't have to hide' date=' you can stay out here with us. [/quote'] Thank you, I feel better now!

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: What's on your mind?

This is disgustingly arrogant.

In what regard? Can you deny the inherently selfish and greedy nature of humanity? I don't see how pointing this out is arrogant, society as a whole caters to those who take what they want with no regard to any impact it may have upon those around them. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[Frostaudn]

Thank you' date=' I feel better now! [/quote'] Did I say you may stop hiding yourself?

[Atrocity]

Did I say you may stop hiding yourself?

Father has bigger authority. He's older

[Frostaudn]

Father has bigger authority. He's older

But not wiser...

[Iceni]

Can you deny the inherently selfish and greedy nature of humanity? I don't see how pointing this out is arrogant' date=' society as a whole caters to those who take what they want with no regard to any impact it may have upon those around them. [/quote'] No, I can't. In fact, I agree with the second part of your statement wholeheartedly. What caught me by surprise was that you seemed to exclude yourself from your definition of humanity.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: What's on your mind?

No' date=' I can't. In fact, I agree with the second part of your statement wholeheartedly. What caught me by surprise was that you seemed to exclude yourself from your definition of humanity.[/quote'] The vast majority of what I see, feel, hear, and experience from humanity seems alien to me. This is not an arrogant claim about how I am above humanity, I just feel like I should be able to relate to much of what goes on around me in the world I perceive, and I simply can't. People constantly shit all over the lives of others and themselves, and I've never been able to wrap my mind around the motivation for this behavior, nor the actions they lead to. I am in a fairly constant state of discomfort and confusion with my surroundings, and I know that my inability to adequately communicate my thoughts and feelings is part of the problem, but it seems a fruitless endeavor anyway. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[Iceni]

The vast majority of what I see' date=' feel, hear, and experience from humanity seems alien to me. This is not an arrogant claim about how I am above humanity, I just feel like I should be able to relate to much of what goes on around me in the world I perceive, and I simply can't. People constantly shit all over the lives of others and themselves, and I've never been able to wrap my mind around the motivation for this behavior, nor the actions they lead to. I am in a fairly constant state of discomfort and confusion with my surroundings, and I know that my inability to adequately communicate my thoughts and feelings is part of the problem, but it seems a fruitless endeavor anyway.[/quote'] This is a clearer explanation than your original statement and does not come off as quite so transcendent. Your characterization of humanity as 'knuckle-dragging retards' suggests to me that your dissociation from humanity is a way of creating a distinct and more morally pure identity for yourself. I think I would have gotten your point reasonably well if you had simply said that there was a part of human nature you didn't understand. However, deciding to categorize humanity in general as ethically bankrupt and then creating an alternate identity for yourself in contrast to that primary defining characteristic suggested to me that you believe the dichotomy exists in ethical terms, in a divide between right and wrong where the bulk of humanity stands in the wrong and you yourself stand in the right. That is what struck me as arrogant. Still, it's better than murph advocating genocide.

[FatherAlabaster]

I don't think he was advocating genocide, merely parroting a concept from what I'll call "popular nihilism". I agree with his basic sentiment that humankind has had an extraordinarily detrimental impact on the well-being of most of the other life that we share our planet with. Our expansion has come at the expense of a lot of other species' survival; whether you think that's appropriate or not doesn't change the fact. My main gripe with his statement was the idea that evolution is "trying" to "get something right" in the first place. It may be just a figure of speech, but it's a misleading one. Evolution doesn't work that way.

[Iceni]

I agree with his basic sentiment that humankind has had an extraordinarily detrimental impact on the well-being of most of the other life that we share our planet with. Our expansion has come at the expense of a lot of other species' survival; whether you think that's appropriate or not doesn't change the fact.

I don't think that's the entirety of his basic sentiment, it's a two-part proposition. From what I can tell the gist of his statement was that mankind's effect on the earth has been detrimental - and that because that effect has been detrimental, every human being must die. It's one thing to equate human life with animal life, I can at least understand how one would come to that conclusion; and I wholeheartedly agree that to insert an 'ought' into the evolutionary process is suspect, but taking the ought at face value I find it bordering on the depraved. He is positing as a moral good the destruction of the entire human race in order to pave the way for whatever improved homo superior will supplant us.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: What's on your mind?

This is a clearer explanation than your original statement and does not come off as quite so transcendent. Your characterization of humanity as 'knuckle-dragging retards' suggests to me that your dissociation from humanity is a way of creating a distinct and more morally pure identity for yourself. I think I would have gotten your point reasonably well if you had simply said that there was a part of human nature you didn't understand. However, deciding to categorize humanity in general as ethically bankrupt and then creating an alternate identity for yourself in contrast to that primary defining characteristic suggested to me that you believe the dichotomy exists in ethical terms, in a divide between right and wrong where the bulk of humanity stands in the wrong and you yourself stand in the right. That is what struck me as arrogant. Still, it's better than murph advocating genocide.

One of the main characteristics with which I cannot reconcile myself in regards to humanity is how often we choose stupidity, so my comment about the "knuckle dragging retards" that pollute our society is not one of superiority. The whole point of my post, which I thought I had gone into, was just how much wasted potential we have, and that we're constantly to blame for holding ourselves back through selfish choices and intentional ignorance. You can point the finger at any influence you like, but at the end of the day, we have chosen our path of degradation as a collective, and I don't feel any connection to those choices, nor those who have made them. I can fully acknowledge my own shortcomings, which are plentiful, yet this makes it even more difficult to accept just how far people's heads are planted within their rectums. I'm sure that I am mostly to blame for this as well, but I've never truly felt comfortable with my surroundings more than a handful of times, and not just the human aspect, though it has become the one I am most aware of. I'm sure that this doesn't make any sense either, and perhaps if I could more adequately express myself, I could communicate what I'm getting at with more lucidity, but I am at a loss. These feelings have been largely at the center of my lyrics and music for the new Nevertanezra album, and I can feel what I mean more clearly when playing it than talking about it, though that probably still won't translate perfectly to everyone. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[Iceni]

The thing is, I've grown leery of the idea of trying to characterize 'man' in broad strokes. Of course, I do still hold to my theological notions, but those are a different subject entirely. I realize I've not met most folks in the world so I can't speak with authority on what they tend to think unless I get some good polling suggesting otherwise. Even then it's usually very specific stuff that only allows so much leeway in interpretation. One of the main things I've been learning here at the university is just how complex the world really is.

[RelentlessOblivion]

This is a clearer explanation than your original statement and does not come off as quite so transcendent. Your characterization of humanity as 'knuckle-dragging retards' suggests to me that your dissociation from humanity is a way of creating a distinct and more morally pure identity for yourself. I think I would have gotten your point reasonably well if you had simply said that there was a part of human nature you didn't understand. However, deciding to categorize humanity in general as ethically bankrupt and then creating an alternate identity for yourself in contrast to that primary defining characteristic suggested to me that you believe the dichotomy exists in ethical terms, in a divide between right and wrong where the bulk of humanity stands in the wrong and you yourself stand in the right. That is what struck me as arrogant. Still, it's better than murph advocating genocide.

I wasn't advocating genocide, not at all, I am of the opinion that humanity as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that it may well be better for the Earth that we no longer dwell upon it.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I don't think he was advocating genocide' date=' merely parroting a concept from what I'll call "popular nihilism". I agree with his basic sentiment that humankind has had an extraordinarily detrimental impact on the well-being of most of the other life that we share our planet with. Our expansion has come at the expense of a lot of other species' survival; whether you think that's appropriate or not doesn't change the fact. My main gripe with his statement was the idea that evolution is "trying" to "get something right" in the first place. It may be just a figure of speech, but it's a misleading one. Evolution doesn't work that way.[/quote'] Perhaps I could have worded that better. Perhaps if given the chance evolution could put forward a species which is more adaptable. Humanity needs to alter their environment in order to survive. A more durable species would not need to dramatically alter their environment but could adjust to it.

[Iceni]

Perhaps if given the chance evolution could put forward a species which is more adaptable. Humanity needs to alter their environment in order to survive. A more durable species would not need to dramatically alter their environment but could adjust to it.

This does not answer FA's criticism that evolution lacks agency, and makes the further claim that man can somehow materially transcend evolution.

I wasn't advocating genocide' date=' not at all, I am of the opinion that humanity as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that it [u']may well be better for the Earth that we no longer dwell upon it.

Let me compare this with your previous statement:

I only pray that sometime soon there is an event which sees the planet wiped clean so evolution may be granted the opportunity to get things right.

[RelentlessOblivion]

An apocalyptic event would spark mankind into action. Whether it be by escaping the Earth (which we currently have the technology to do) or by altering our behaviours. Wiping the slate clean does not mean ending all life on Earth but rather allowing us the opportunity to do things right and evolve as a species. The way I see it most of humanities flaws have been allowed to seep into our society because we have become complacent. It's as if we've just decided enough is enough and there's no point moving any further forward. A sudden push is exactly what we need to get moving again.

[~Mere~]

This terrible sleep I've been getting lately is going to drive me to madness!

[Mz Hyde]

Re: What's on your mind? I'm frustrated right now. This guy in alberta stabbed and killed 5 people, which is horrible, but this tweet here about him makes me angry Why bring metal into it? They don't quote rap lyrics when someone who listens to it goes on a shooting spree. They don't quote that someone listened to that blurred lines song days before raping someone. Why is it ok to do it to metal, then? Sent from my LG-E971 using Tapatalk

[Mz Hyde]

Re: What's on your mind?

This terrible sleep I've been getting lately is going to drive me to madness!

Why such terrible sleep? Sent from my LG-E971 using Tapatalk

[RelentlessOblivion]

Well I couldn't read what was said in that photo as the writing is simply too small but my theory is this: on the surface metal appears to be a particularly aggressive, violent, anti-authoritarian, form of musical expression. These elements create an illusion of danger which breeds fear among the ignorant. Man is naturally fearful of what it does not understand and for these people, who do not and can not understand the appeal of metal, this music is something to be feared and savagely attacked at all times. We, as the minority, feel our lifestyle, for metal is a lifestyle not simply an interest, is treated unfairly when it is made out to be the root cause of an atrocity. This is, of course, true as these people tend to be mentally unstable to begin with and require only the slightest push to send them into the abyss but it cannot be argued that, in some cases, metal music has provided this push. It is always unintentional, no band wants their fans to perpetrate mass killings, but by its nature art is open to interpretation and the artist can not, and should not, be held accountable for how their work is interpreted.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: What's on your mind?

The thing is' date=' I've grown leery of the idea of trying to characterize 'man' in broad strokes. Of course, I do still hold to my theological notions, but those are a different subject entirely. I realize I've not met most folks in the world so I can't speak with authority on what they tend to think unless I get some good polling suggesting otherwise. Even then it's usually very specific stuff that only allows so much leeway in interpretation. One of the main things I've been learning here at the university is just how complex the world really is.[/quote'] Neither have I of course, which is why I used the not so broad strokes of "my surroundings" and "my perceptions". My whole assertion here is that I don't get it, perhaps to an extreme degree, but I don't know how you could argue against something like that. Besides, isn't it also a Christian notion to not be a citizen of this world, to be in the world and not of the world? Saying that the world has fallen into sin leads to the same conclusion of my perception of filth, poor judgment, and intentional stupidity around me. Also, having read a number of your posts regarding other students at your campus, am I to believe now that you are suddenly not of the opinion that people opt for ignorance, and would rather comply with the herd than think critically for themselves? Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[RelentlessOblivion]

On a brighter note my birthday is a little over a month away which means I get to choose where the family and I go for dinner that night (possibly a close friend as well but we'll see). I was impressed by the food at a place called the Tapp Inn a couple years ago but we went back last year and the standards had sadly dlipped so going somewhere new this year. This does mean doing some research so as to not be disappointed by the meal so I've narrowed it down to 8 possible choices initially. Now comes the fun part looking through their menus online to find the winner .

[Iceni]

An apocalyptic event would spark mankind into action. Whether it be by escaping the Earth (which we currently have the technology to do) or by altering our behaviours. Wiping the slate clean does not mean ending all life on Earth but rather allowing us the opportunity to do things right and evolve as a species. The way I see it most of humanities flaws have been allowed to seep into our society because we have become complacent. It's as if we've just decided enough is enough and there's no point moving any further forward. A sudden push is exactly what we need to get moving again.

An apocalyptic event would destroy man altogether. Forming a moon colony cannot be interpreted as an 'apocalyptic event' either' date=' and 'altering our behaviors' seems pretty cripplingly vague. You did not allow for a change in the behavior of man in your last statement:

Perhaps if given the chance evolution could put forward a species which is more adaptable. Humanity needs to alter their environment in order to survive. A more durable species would not need to dramatically alter their environment but could adjust to it.

This is pretty clearly stating that a new species is necessary and suggests that humanity is inherently incapable of such adaptation. Therefore, according to this previous statement 'complacency' has nothing to do with the inferiority of man and initiative is futile. Furthermore:

I would go so far as to say the human race was the benefactor of mther nature's flawed designs and extraordinary fortune. That these factors combined in our favour was the single worst event ever to befall the Earth. I only pray that sometime soon there is an event which sees the planet wiped clean so evolution may be granted the opportunity to get things right.

The underlined section suggests very strongly to me that you hold that man was an endeavor fraught with error at its inception. So too the role of evolution is brought to the fore' date=' that it may be 'granted the opportunity to get things right'. Again, this is a pretty damning indictment and, most importantly, again removes human agency from the equation. Your new statement does nothing to clarify your position. Indeed, it seems entirely unrelated to your previous misanthropic polemics.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: What's on your mind?

I'm frustrated right now. This guy in alberta stabbed and killed 5 people' date=' which is horrible, but this tweet here about him makes me angry [img'] Why bring metal into it? They don't quote rap lyrics when someone who listens to it goes on a shooting spree. They don't quote that someone listened to that blurred lines song days before raping someone. Why is it ok to do it to metal, then? Sent from my LG-E971 using Tapatalk

A mixture of demonization and sensationalism. Blaming the devil, and by extension, "the devil's music", is all about grabbing headlines and playing into people's emotions and fears. Rap has crossed over into the mainstream, so it can no longer take the blame for any violence it has been perceived to incite, but even more popular metal is still shunned by society at large, regardless of popularity. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[~Mere~]

Why such terrible sleep? Sent from my LG-E971 using Tapatalk

I dunno, maybe I should blame my choice of music