Cynicism is the new "cool"

Anyone could've seen this coming. :rolleyes:

First the term Fake News becomes part of our daily vocabulary. Forget what you hear or see in the news. It's all fake. You're stupid if you believe what XY and Z program tells you. My truth is "truther" than yours because I saw it on YouTube. Your truth is fake because it differs from mine and besides, you saw it on (fill in the blank) channel. The news on TV or the Internet is fake because it goes against my guy (fill in politician's name here) and therefore it's fake. Only the station I say is objective is telling the truth.

Now the Flat Earth theory is taking off. It's been around forever, but in this age of jadedness and cynicism and Fake News, it seems like the perfect time to jump on that bandwagon (not too close to the edge of the world, however, lest you plunge into oblivion). Hundreds of years of science are suddenly false, because we can't see it in minute garage experiments, or comprehend the differences in scale.

Atheists are the ultimate cool. Don't believe in anything, really.... just blow everything else off. All with the consummate sneer on your face. Wish people dead..... who gives a shit. We're all too cool to care about that crap. We can sit back and engage as we like, sounding like the ultimate cool dudes (picture some on here with the famous "popped collars" and the Fonzie thumbs ups). Ask one of these atheists what they believe in, and they'll gag and bumble all over themselves, only to fail to provide an alternate explanation for anything. Nah..... it's not what you believe in. It's what you DON'T believe in. No commitment, no fuss, no explanations. Just hang back and look cool. Great stuff.

Kinda makes you wonder what's next. No news is real. No accepted science is true. History as we were taught never happened. The new norm is question EVERYTHING. Not because it's healthy, mind you. Questioning things has always been healthy and I agree with that. But DENYING everything is something else altogether. Climate change? A hoax. Moon landings? A bigger hoax. The Holocaust? Didn't happen. 9/11? Staged. Your opinion is different than mine? I hope you die. Mods jump into the fray, which makes things even more interesting.

I'm telling ya, if I didn't have umpteenth things to do (useful things), I'd probably spend more time here, eating popcorn and marveling at the shit that gets spewed daily on the forum. Kind of makes Brock's shit threads seem tame by comparison.



https://media1.tenor.com/images/4bb9...temid=12052394

Quite ironic and funny just how cynical your opening post is ;D I understand what you mean and you illustrate it perfectly with the 'Fake News' phenomenon, but the one sided "only my station and side is telling the truth" tsunami has actually been refreshingly absent for a few days now.

To be fair to the flat earthers your theory of it being a bandwagon is not really born out here on the forum with just one poster subscribing to it. Not sure how many atheists there are but again I don't think your assertion they don't believe in anything and think they are the ultimate cool is that accurate either. Most atheist will belive in the innate ability of people to do good things for strangers without having the threat of some God's punishment hanging over them. Sure some are cynical like we all can be, but as an agnostic I really don't think adhering slavishly to any religious tradition is a sign of being a more committed or responsible person, for many it is just habit and/or precisely for the look of the thing.

You get very moral balanced believers, and absolute scummy and abusive bastards, both claiming to use the same book and worship the same God. Just like you get atheists who don't give a shit about anyone other than themselves and those who actually live their lives far more closely aligned with supposedly ChristianJudeo principles, then actual Christians/Jews whilst only ever claiming to be humanists etc

The conspiracy thing is incredibly interesting for me on many levels. Having grown up under a system in which almost everything I was told turned out to be a lie, I have no problem with believing the truth often being obscured with the deployment of smoke and mirrors by those in power. That same power though is abused by those who pedal some of the more outlandish conspiracy theories for profit, and the buzz that power and belief that they are privy to some unique secret gives them. Things like Holocaust deniers pretending there is some kind of censorship and cover up does nothing to help their cause when they are seeking to rewrite history to fit their own agenda. The extreme polarisation that many conspiracies promote are actually inherent and purposeful tactics designed to discredit the kind of rational discourse they are themselves saying is forbidden.


9/11 is a brilliant example. Even if you believe the authorities in control knew nothing about it before it happened there is very little rational evidence that could explain away how convenient the ensuing war on terror proved to be for western interests in oil rich middle eastern countries. It interweaves so intricately with climate change denial and then when people like Tony Blair are made Peace Envoys for the Middle East, all bets are off.

I'll just put this these here again for Tito to start with:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Du4M3g5WkAAvUBt.jpg

As opposed to empirical sciences (natural and social), the formal sciences do not involve empirical procedures. They also do not presuppose knowledge of contingent facts, or describe the real world...Formal science is a method that is helpful to science but cannot replace science.

I describe natural science as observable, measurable, testable, repeatable, would you agree that that is the core of science?

That's the science part. (Oh and I have to keep mentioning that it's a knowledge, not a theory).

All the ancient civilization had believed in a FE, the globe model has only been in effect for the last 500 years or so. The Babylonians were fantastic astrologers, even being able to predict eclipses, they also believed the earth was flat.

We all know mainstream media, everything we watch, hear, read is what they want us to know from their side, and fits their agenda. We all know and it has been proven time and time again, that our governments lie to us.

I believe in a creator, but I have no empirical evidence of this, so it is not a fact, only a belief.

Now I am guilty of using the shill word, or claiming paid opposition, but I have been around this for awhile, and it is easy to see new YT channels pop up, with top quality production, and huge sub/ view numbers all in an instant.

And there are many anomalies in our history.

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Originally Posted by Beanz

Quite ironic and funny just how cynical your opening post is ;D I understand what you mean and you illustrate it perfectly with the 'Fake News' phenomenon, but the one sided "only my station and side is telling the truth" tsunami has actually been refreshingly absent for a few days now.

To be fair to the flat earthers your theory of it being a bandwagon is not really born out here on the forum with just one poster subscribing to it. Not sure how many atheists there are but again I don't think your assertion they don't believe in anything and think they are the ultimate cool is that accurate either. Most atheist will belive in the innate ability of people to do good things for strangers without having the threat of some God's punishment hanging over them. Sure some are cynical like we all can be, but as an agnostic I really don't think adhering slavishly to any religious tradition is a sign of being a more committed or responsible person, for many it is just habit and/or precisely for the look of the thing.

You get very moral balanced believers, and absolute scummy and abusive bastards, both claiming to use the same book and worship the same God. Just like you get atheists who don't give a shit about anyone other than themselves and those who actually live their lives far more closely aligned with supposedly ChristianJudeo principles, then actual Christians/Jews whilst only ever claiming to be humanists etc

The conspiracy thing is incredibly interesting for me on many levels. Having grown up under a system in which almost everything I was told turned out to be a lie, I have no problem with believing the truth often being obscured with the deployment of smoke and mirrors by those in power. That same power though is abused by those who pedal some of the more outlandish conspiracy theories for profit, and the buzz that power and belief that they are privy to some unique secret gives them. Things like Holocaust deniers pretending there is some kind of censorship and cover up does nothing to help their cause when they are seeking to rewrite history to fit their own agenda. The extreme polarisation that many conspiracies promote are actually inherent and purposeful tactics designed to discredit the kind of rational discourse they are themselves saying is forbidden.


9/11 is a brilliant example. Even if you believe the authorities in control knew nothing about it before it happened there is very little rational evidence that could explain away how convenient the ensuing war on terror proved to be for western interests in oil rich middle eastern countries. It interweaves so intricately with climate change denial and then when people like Tony Blair are made Peace Envoys for the Middle East, all bets are off.

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Well I meant "bandwagon" in the sense that overall it seems the movement has picked up steam lately. The forum is but a tiny, tiny minuscule cross-section of society, and having even one Flat Earther is significant when extrapolated to the general population. Atheists? No, you're right... as with any group of people, there will be exceptions. Good Samaritan, good people atheists.... and SOB, miserable church-goers. Though from my own personal observations, it seems the atheist contingent in the forum is a bit heavy toward the non-exceptions, thus in a way prompting my generalization. On the other hand, it's also been my experience that many Bible-thumping religious people have the worst personal characteristics of anyone you'd ever meet. So yeah... there's exceptions.

Conspiracy theorists generally get an initial raised eyebrow from me. Again, questioning is healthy.... to a point. But when you find that someone constantly questions everything, it sets off alarms, at least with me. As kids we probably all went through the "but why" phase. Or have had kids that went through that. But after the 5th or so "but why" even the most well-meaning parent will usually resort to the "because I said so" final answer. I don't know what makes a person question everything in life. Or more accurately still..... put everything into question or doubt. How do you go through life like that? That question will usually bring out the predictable "you are all sheep" response. But it's not a contest about how gullible anyone is, or how inquisitive the other guy is. IMO, you pick your battles. I find it easier to question historical doctrine than I do scientific facts. History is just something we were taught off textbooks since Day One. There's no labs that prove to you that such and such happened. Science, on the other hand, includes theories and proof. Whether or not we as individuals want to accept those proofs is entirely up to us, I guess.

You got your incurable skeptics, and you got those who like you said promote certain conspiracy theories to suit their personal agendas. The former I think suffer from a bit of a condition, while the latter are just opportunists, who think nothing of bending the truth to get their point across and their agenda pushed.

I STILL think cynicism is the new "cool", though. ;)

No one in England would ever pop their collars though.




Well maybe the Elvis impersonators on Blackpool Pier but nobody else. ;D

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

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As an atheist it wouldn't hurt to have your own theories about how life originated. But it's cool. No one's holding anyone else's feet to the fire about it. I believe each person is entitled to their beliefs and should show the human decency to respect others' beliefs. You'll notice I've never engaged in discussions in threads about religion in here. I choose not to, as I will continue to choose not to in the future.

I already said it's healthy to question things to a degree. As with most things in life though, too much of anything is rarely a good thing. Being an overly cynical person just makes you less sociable out in the real world. People avoid conversations with jaded and overly cynical individuals, just like they avoid most unpleasant personality characteristics. BTW I know what cynicism means but thanks for the definition just the same.

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

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I agree with almost everything here Gandalf, as I've said I believe in a creator, but not the bible, religion, God or Jesus. As long as people realize the difference between a belief and a fact, then I'm good. When they start trying to say their belief is a fact, without being able to prove it, that's when it becomes a problem for me.

Someone's interesting take on it.....


http://www.parisglobalist.org/how-cy...-the-new-cool/



A good excerpt from it.........


"Cynicism has become very fashionable these days. It is the go-to-weapon when one wants to prove how much of a sophisticated realist one is. The reasoning is two-fold: Firstly, you have a lot less to lose if you are cynical, and 2. You will never look foolish when you are in the wrong. Whereas the optimist will be perceived by the people as naïve and silly, the cynic will be viewed as cautious and calculating. This appears to be a zero-sum game: if one does not raise his hopes up they will not be crushed, and to top it all off he will look intelligent doing it."

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

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As an atheist it wouldn't hurt to have your own theories about how life originated. But it's cool. No one's holding anyone else's feet to the fire about it. I believe each person is entitled to their beliefs and should show the human decency to respect others' beliefs. You'll notice I've never engaged in discussions in threads about religion in here. I choose not to, as I will continue to choose not to in the future.

I already said it's healthy to question things to a degree. As with most things in life though, too much of anything is rarely a good thing. Being an overly cynical person just makes you less sociable out in the real world. People avoid conversations with jaded and overly cynical individuals, just like they avoid most unpleasant personality characteristics. BTW I know what cynicism means but thanks for the definition just the same.

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Atheists have their own theories about how life originated and how it evolved. Evolution certainly makes more sense than Adam and Eve. I care about if something is true or not and cynicism and evidence is what tamed Christianity which for all intents and purposes was a very violent and fearful beast. Anybody is entitled to their belief but by the same token anyone has the right to question that belief too.

I sense a degree of cynicism in your own post, Tito. Being cynical means you question things and that is healthy and good. It is nihilism that is dangerous and destructive. It is nihilism that leads to A Clockwork Orange society. A degree of cynicism is good and healthy. You should take a CNN talking head with a pinch of salt. Or better still turn it off and enjoy the day.

I happen to think life is wonderful and I have no real complaints about any of it. If something is bothering you, then change the record. Do something new.

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

---

As an atheist it wouldn't hurt to have your own theories about how life originated. But it's cool. No one's holding anyone else's feet to the fire about it. I believe each person is entitled to their beliefs and should show the human decency to respect others' beliefs. You'll notice I've never engaged in discussions in threads about religion in here. I choose not to, as I will continue to choose not to in the future.

I already said it's healthy to question things to a degree. As with most things in life though, too much of anything is rarely a good thing. Being an overly cynical person just makes you less sociable out in the real world. People avoid conversations with jaded and overly cynical individuals, just like they avoid most unpleasant personality characteristics. BTW I know what cynicism means but thanks for the definition just the same.

---

Atheists have their own theories about how life originated and how it evolved. Evolution certainly makes more sense than Adam and Eve. I care about if something is true or not and cynicism and evidence is what tamed Christianity which for all intents and purposes was a very violent and fearful beast. Anybody is entitled to their belief but by the same token anyone has the right to question that belief too.

I sense a degree of cynicism in your own post, Tito. Being cynical means you question things and that is healthy and good. It is nihilism that is dangerous and destructive. It is nihilism that leads to A Clockwork Orange society. A degree of cynicism is good and healthy. You should take a CNN talking head with a pinch of salt. Or better still turn it off and enjoy the day.

I happen to think life is wonderful and I have no real complaints about any of it. If something is bothering you, then change the record. Do something new.

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Again, cynicism per se isn't a sin, excuse the pun. It's healthy, as I've been saying all along. It's cynicism for the sake of cynicism I find odd, and have long ago concluded that people who are cynics for its own sake, whether trying to be "cool" or whatever, have issues. At the same time, I've rarely met anyone who believes everything at face value. Such a person wouldn't last a day in today's world. But as that well-expressed excerpt says about cynicism, it's the "go-to weapon" for those who want to look sophisticated and adopt a position where you have little to lose. It may even be a generational thing. Been doing some reading on generational differences and have even written about it on my personal blog. Not one to generalize, as I believe in individuality, but there certainly are some generational traits which differentiate say, iGens from Millenials, from Gen X's, from Boomers. And yes... life certainly IS wonderful, and IMO it takes a well-rounded, mature, intelligent, self-fulfilled individual to truly experience just how wonderful life can really be.

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

---

As an atheist it wouldn't hurt to have your own theories about how life originated. But it's cool. No one's holding anyone else's feet to the fire about it. I believe each person is entitled to their beliefs and should show the human decency to respect others' beliefs. You'll notice I've never engaged in discussions in threads about religion in here. I choose not to, as I will continue to choose not to in the future.

I already said it's healthy to question things to a degree. As with most things in life though, too much of anything is rarely a good thing. Being an overly cynical person just makes you less sociable out in the real world. People avoid conversations with jaded and overly cynical individuals, just like they avoid most unpleasant personality characteristics. BTW I know what cynicism means but thanks for the definition just the same.

---

Atheists have their own theories about how life originated and how it evolved. Evolution certainly makes more sense than Adam and Eve. I care about if something is true or not and cynicism and evidence is what tamed Christianity which for all intents and purposes was a very violent and fearful beast. Anybody is entitled to their belief but by the same token anyone has the right to question that belief too.

I sense a degree of cynicism in your own post, Tito. Being cynical means you question things and that is healthy and good. It is nihilism that is dangerous and destructive. It is nihilism that leads to A Clockwork Orange society. A degree of cynicism is good and healthy. You should take a CNN talking head with a pinch of salt. Or better still turn it off and enjoy the day.

I happen to think life is wonderful and I have no real complaints about any of it. If something is bothering you, then change the record. Do something new.

---

Again, cynicism per se isn't a sin, excuse the pun. It's healthy, as I've been saying all along. It's cynicism for the sake of cynicism I find odd, and have long ago concluded that people who are cynics for its own sake, whether trying to be "cool" or whatever, have issues. At the same time, I've rarely met anyone who believes everything at face value. Such a person wouldn't last a day in today's world. But as that well-expressed excerpt says about cynicism, it's the "go-to weapon" for those who want to look sophisticated and adopt a position where you have little to lose. It may even be a generational thing. Been doing some reading on generational differences and have even written about it on my personal blog. Not one to generalize, as I believe in individuality, but there certainly are some generational traits which differentiate say, iGens from Millenials, from Gen X's, from Boomers. And yes... life certainly IS wonderful, and IMO it takes a well-rounded, mature, intelligent, self-fulfilled individual to truly experience just how wonderful life can really be.

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On the Atheism thing, I can see how some might view it as sneering cynicism, but I see it quite the opposite. My take on it is more personal in that I know I have a finite number of years on this planet and potentially less years remaining than I have lived. I can see how some might see that as depressing and defeatist, I certainly haven't always lived well, but I think to myself 'What am I going to do with what remains of my life?' Thus I change jobs when I feel it is time, I work on new projects, I cut out bad habits, I try to do something positive and constructive with each and every day. I am not going around looking for religious people to mock, but I am quite aware of my mortality and that I have a set amount of time to get done the things that need to be done. I feel invigorated.

My Atheism is a positive thing. At least it is for me, but then for others it perhaps isn't. Kerouac was a Catholic who drank himself to death claiming that he couldn't commit suicide so it was his way of getting closer to God faster. Maybe it was just an excuse and he couldn't overcome his demons. I do not know. I find that rather nihilistic and sad. He was an awesome writer. I think it is easier for some than others, we are all raised differently, with different intellectual capacities, physical abilities and all of this. Every story is different.

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

Atheists are the ultimate cool. Don't believe in anything, really.... just blow everything else off. All with the consummate sneer on your face. Wish people dead..... who gives a shit. We're all too cool to care about that crap. We can sit back and engage as we like, sounding like the ultimate cool dudes (picture some on here with the famous "popped collars" and the Fonzie thumbs ups). Ask one of these atheists what they believe in, and they'll gag and bumble all over themselves, only to fail to provide an alternate explanation for anything. Nah..... it's not what you believe in. It's what you DON'T believe in. No commitment, no fuss, no explanations. Just hang back and look cool. Great stuff.

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Not all atheists are the same just like not all Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Jedi's, men, women and dogs aren't. Even you, Tito, are an atheist for thousands of gods other than your own.

I don't even know who wished Alpha dead, let alone whether or not they're an atheist, but just like when you threatened to beat me to death and urinate all over me, it's so silly it deserves nothing more than ridicule. I never once thought that's how all Christians or Puerto Ricans behave just hot head Tito has lost the plot again. It's not about pretending to be cool, it's quite simply not important enough to care about.

And that's not an insult, it's merely the way you represent yourself on the forum.

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Why does an atheist have to prove anything? It is on the theist to prove that God exists. All an atheist asks is for some evidence. I can provide you with evidence for most of the things I argue. I can prove that we are born, that we live and that we die. A religious person can prove nothing beyond saying 'Ah, but it is about faith'. If you are going to talk of heaven then prove it. Any person who thinks Jesus was actually the Son of God and not the son of ordinary peasants has to be at best naive. People making extraordinary claims need to back them up. Of course more rational people will be 'cynical'.

It is healthy and good to be cynical. It is not healthy to fall into nihilism. Cynicism means to question and that is why we call something 'criticism' when evaluating art or scientific research. You should be cynical and question things. The results can be uncomfortable for others, but one should not care about that.

---

As an atheist it wouldn't hurt to have your own theories about how life originated. But it's cool. No one's holding anyone else's feet to the fire about it. I believe each person is entitled to their beliefs and should show the human decency to respect others' beliefs. You'll notice I've never engaged in discussions in threads about religion in here. I choose not to, as I will continue to choose not to in the future.

I already said it's healthy to question things to a degree. As with most things in life though, too much of anything is rarely a good thing. Being an overly cynical person just makes you less sociable out in the real world. People avoid conversations with jaded and overly cynical individuals, just like they avoid most unpleasant personality characteristics. BTW I know what cynicism means but thanks for the definition just the same.

---

Atheists have their own theories about how life originated and how it evolved. Evolution certainly makes more sense than Adam and Eve. I care about if something is true or not and cynicism and evidence is what tamed Christianity which for all intents and purposes was a very violent and fearful beast. Anybody is entitled to their belief but by the same token anyone has the right to question that belief too.

I sense a degree of cynicism in your own post, Tito. Being cynical means you question things and that is healthy and good. It is nihilism that is dangerous and destructive. It is nihilism that leads to A Clockwork Orange society. A degree of cynicism is good and healthy. You should take a CNN talking head with a pinch of salt. Or better still turn it off and enjoy the day.

I happen to think life is wonderful and I have no real complaints about any of it. If something is bothering you, then change the record. Do something new.

---

Again, cynicism per se isn't a sin, excuse the pun. It's healthy, as I've been saying all along. It's cynicism for the sake of cynicism I find odd, and have long ago concluded that people who are cynics for its own sake, whether trying to be "cool" or whatever, have issues. At the same time, I've rarely met anyone who believes everything at face value. Such a person wouldn't last a day in today's world. But as that well-expressed excerpt says about cynicism, it's the "go-to weapon" for those who want to look sophisticated and adopt a position where you have little to lose. It may even be a generational thing. Been doing some reading on generational differences and have even written about it on my personal blog. Not one to generalize, as I believe in individuality, but there certainly are some generational traits which differentiate say, iGens from Millenials, from Gen X's, from Boomers. And yes... life certainly IS wonderful, and IMO it takes a well-rounded, mature, intelligent, self-fulfilled individual to truly experience just how wonderful life can really be.

---

On the Atheism thing, I can see how some might view it as sneering cynicism, but I see it quite the opposite. My take on it is more personal in that I know I have a finite number of years on this planet and potentially less years remaining than I have lived. I can see how some might see that as depressing and defeatist, I certainly haven't always lived well, but I think to myself 'What am I going to do with what remains of my life?' Thus I change jobs when I feel it is time, I work on new projects, I cut out bad habits, I try to do something positive and constructive with each and every day. I am not going around looking for religious people to mock, but I am quite aware of my mortality and that I have a set amount of time to get done the things that need to be done. I feel invigorated.

My Atheism is a positive thing. At least it is for me, but then for others it perhaps isn't. Kerouac was a Catholic who drank himself to death claiming that he couldn't commit suicide so it was his way of getting closer to God faster. Maybe it was just an excuse and he couldn't overcome his demons. I do not know. I find that rather nihilistic and sad. He was an awesome writer. I think it is easier for some than others, we are all raised differently, with different intellectual capacities, physical abilities and all of this. Every story is different.

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TBH, I'm not even picking on atheism although it may have seemed like it. I was focusing more on the pathological cynics than on atheists. Not all atheists are pathological cynics, but most (if not all) pathological cynics are also atheists. In fact, atheism seems a perfectly normal state of mind for a thinking human being. Whatever faith I have, and I'm not going to go into specifics, hasn't been without an enormous amount of struggle, and that's just the typical battle the logical mind fights with any attempts at faith. That could probably be said for a lot of things where faith is required.

Good for you that you have the life outlook that you have. Positivism is a great thing to have in life. To be happy in life after overcoming extreme hardships growing up is admirable, and not everyone is capable of rising above that.

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

Atheists are the ultimate cool. Don't believe in anything, really.... just blow everything else off. All with the consummate sneer on your face. Wish people dead..... who gives a shit. We're all too cool to care about that crap. We can sit back and engage as we like, sounding like the ultimate cool dudes (picture some on here with the famous "popped collars" and the Fonzie thumbs ups). Ask one of these atheists what they believe in, and they'll gag and bumble all over themselves, only to fail to provide an alternate explanation for anything. Nah..... it's not what you believe in. It's what you DON'T believe in. No commitment, no fuss, no explanations. Just hang back and look cool. Great stuff.

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Not all atheists are the same just like not all Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Jedi's, men, women and dogs aren't. Even you, Tito, are an atheist for thousands of gods other than your own.

I don't even know who wished Alpha dead, let alone whether or not they're an atheist, but just like when you threatened to beat me to death and urinate all over me, it's so silly it deserves nothing more than ridicule. I never once thought that's how all Christians or Puerto Ricans behave just hot head Tito has lost the plot again. It's not about pretending to be cool, it's quite simply not important enough to care about.

And that's not an insult, it's merely the way you represent yourself on the forum.

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Wow, that was very "sneer-less". Always a good start for a conversation.

As I replied to Miles above, I wasn't picking on atheists. In fact I can understand the atheist point of view, because having faith in something isn't something that comes natural to everyone.... certainly not to me. The logical mind usually fights attempts to believe something just by faith. But like I also said to Miles, my intended focus was on pathological cynics, and I happened to mention atheism because IMO most if not all pathological cynics are atheists as well. And yes it's true not atheists are pathological cynics.

After writing the opening post, I then went about looking to see if there were any articles on cynicism and lo and behold, didn't have to look very long. Seems cynicism for its own purpose IS a thing, and the writer whose article I quoted put my own thoughts on it perfectly.

About threats and insults here not being important enough to care about, well.... I guess we'll just disagree on that one. Clarification (just so I don't get misquoted or misunderstood): Once I've logged off the forum, insults and nastiness get chucked into the garbage pile and off I go to my real life. But while I'm logged on and engaging, I do care about insults and general nastiness. Why shouldn't I? We're all human, last time I checked. To pretend otherwise is ludicrous. If someone called you an arrogant asshole on the street, would you not care? Well then, what's the difference on the forum, other than the fact we're not seeing each other face to face. To pretend not to care is to want to seemingly rise above it all. Well, it's transparent. If you didn't care, you wouldn't hurl your little, witty one-liners meant to ridicule and insult.

But hey... in the end, it's all good. It helps to have a good reset button, and also to have the capacity to put things into their proper perspective. The fact of the matter is that for most everyone here, the forum is but an infinitesimal part of our daily lives. The fact that Fenster may or may not like me is worth exactly diddly squat in my list of things to worry about.

A great snapshot of this today is the immanent retirement from tennis of Andy Murray. A great example because he polarises opinion. Those that know him of course know a great tennis player, but more importantly a great human being who's fun to be around and nothing like the dour publicly perceived character.

To cut a long story short, in amongst all the well wishes on social media you can fine "I'm not a fan of Murray or tennis, but I'm glad he's retiring.......the prick" I think that say's it all ;D

I love Andy Murray. I feel really bad for him. The surgery has obviously not worked and he is in constant pain. It's absurd that he is even on a court like that really. I am willing him on but it is kind of cruel with every match it just gets more brutal. He is marching up a hill with a big boulder on his back.

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

I love Andy Murray. I feel really bad for him. The surgery has obviously not worked and he is in constant pain. It's absurd that he is even on a court like that really. I am willing him on but it is kind of cruel with every match it just gets more brutal. He is marching up a hill with a big boulder on his back.

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It is good that you are now supporting disabled athletes and being magnanimous enough to cheer them on. 😁

If he starts playing tennis in a wheelchair I will not be impressed. For the sake of his health he needs to call it a day. If he hurts putting on his socks, he is no condition to take on players who know they just need to run him around. Kind of cruel, especially when Murray was perhaps the most mobile of them all in his day. He said he was playing in pain for a number of years, makes you wonder how good he could have been if healthy. He was still always able to take a set or two against the best and sometimes win. Just maybe that pain was the difference in a long match.

I feel bad for Murray as it's obvious he loves the sport and hates having to give it up. As a side note, I was hoping he'd stick around and water down the number of future majors won by the likes of Djokovic and Nadal, since I'd hate for either one of them to threaten Roger's (the GOAT) career record.

It's rotten luck. Apparently Djokovic toyed with him in a practice match just a few days ago. He must feel terrible. You sense he just wants to say goodbye at Wimbledon this year. The surgery appears to have done next to nothing for him.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...ennis/46809771

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

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Thanks for that, Beanz. Helps to get an honest, "sneer-less" take on the subject from a Brit, as differences in our cultures and realities keep us from always understanding where the other guy's coming from. Believe it or not, it helps explain even the behavior and responses of some on here, which may seem a bit hostile or sarcastic to others not from the same culture or environment. LOL at your descriptions of both sides.... "infrastructure of macrame and hugging" indeed.... ;D ;D . I'll venture that many times we do miss the boat on here, given the opportunity to learn about these idiosyncrasies in each other's cultures. Instead we engage in long, drawn-out, many times vicious arguments and attacks..... when by taking into account the differences mentioned, we would probably avoid those.

Cynicism may well be a way of coping in the UK, and I don't know maybe the same could be said about this side of the pond. However, there is still the fraction of the population that I believe engages in perpetual cynicism for its own "coolness." Maybe it's generational.... maybe not. Maybe being older and having kids just skews your perspective on what you yourself may have engaged in years ago..... who knows. Personally I don't remember ever being a pathological cynic. Just not ever part of my personality. I deem it as totally useless in day-to-day life. In fact I find it tiring in others. Even more than tiring..... draining. Obviously, engaging with an eternal optimist has to be just as annoying..... and so back to my always present "extremes are bad" philosophy. But pathological cynics are usually the type of people I'll cross the street to the opposite sidewalk for. I'd be afraid my "good morning" would be met with a "wtf's good about it?".

BTW, thanks for not mistaking my take on eternal cynics as a swipe at atheists..... sometimes messages get mixed up in their delivery. I didn't think I would have to explain that IMO, not all atheists are pathological cynics..... but all pathological cynics are also atheists.

Screw cynicism! Wasn't Andy Murray glorious tonight? He had no form, was two sets down yet made a match of it against a seeded player. And he still has a bad hip.

At the end he was wanting to reverse the retirement and suggest another go. Then they played the tributes and he must have been thinking 'That is so sweet, but I am Andy Murray and I am not finished!'

Warrior. Would he really do another operation and try and come back? It's a big ask. But anyway I loved the match even though he lost. We won the event.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

---

Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

If u guys think the US lacks cynicism you are way off mark. It is our bread and butter. We have perfected it.

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Originally Posted by walrus

If u guys think the US lacks cynicism you are way off mark. It is our bread and butter. We have perfected it.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9qv8RSreIM



Russian Bear...Made in China ;D

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Originally Posted by Beanz

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Originally Posted by walrus

If u guys think the US lacks cynicism you are way off mark. It is our bread and butter. We have perfected it.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9qv8RSreIM



Russian Bear...Made in China ;D

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Damn that’s nice

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Originally Posted by Gandalf

Screw cynicism! Wasn't Andy Murray glorious tonight? He had no form, was two sets down yet made a match of it against a seeded player. And he still has a bad hip.

At the end he was wanting to reverse the retirement and suggest another go. Then they played the tributes and he must have been thinking 'That is so sweet, but I am Andy Murray and I am not finished!'

Warrior. Would he really do another operation and try and come back? It's a big ask. But anyway I loved the match even though he lost. We won the event.

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Yes, we all love Andy Murray. Open a thread on Murray and we'll all sing his praises. Meanwhile, this thread is on cynicism.

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

---

Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

---

Except it's rarely an "innocent comment" is it. It's not simply "I have no problem with that lifestyle", but rather "I have no problem with that lifestyle and you're a moron for having a problem with it."

"Wanting back slappers" is an all-too-convenient go-to excuse, simply because there are people who differ, but do so respectfully and with maturity.




You're welcome. ;)

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

---

Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

---

Except it's rarely an "innocent comment" is it. It's not simply "I have no problem with that lifestyle", but rather "I have no problem with that lifestyle and you're a moron for having a problem with it."

"Wanting back slappers" is an all-too-convenient go-to excuse, simply because there are people who differ, but do so respectfully and with maturity.You're welcome. ;)

---

This is where we're so different, I totally ignore insults as they're utterly meaningless to me, if someone says "you're a moron for thinking that" i'm only interested in why my view is moronic? If someone wants to call me stupid go-ahead. No problem.

There's nothing more nauseatingly pathetic on this forum than people thanking others for being "civil and nice" whilst disagreeing. It is a blatant sign of a weak argument and weak mind. As long as you don't call my views stupid i'm cool, thanks for letting me be stupid/ignorant/naive/arrogant/wrong. Pathetic.

Calling bad ideas stupid is not an insult. People who deflect to focus on the trivial "insult" are just showing how incredibly thin-skinned and immature they are.

There's plenty of people on here who believe moronic things, nasty, horrible, terrible things, they are not morons or disgusting humans just people with a bad idea in their cranium. There's a huge difference.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

---

Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

---

Except it's rarely an "innocent comment" is it. It's not simply "I have no problem with that lifestyle", but rather "I have no problem with that lifestyle and you're a moron for having a problem with it."

"Wanting back slappers" is an all-too-convenient go-to excuse, simply because there are people who differ, but do so respectfully and with maturity.You're welcome. ;)

---

This is where we're so different, I totally ignore insults as they're utterly meaningless to me, if someone says "you're a moron for thinking that" i'm only interested in why my view is moronic? If someone wants to call me stupid go-ahead. No problem.

There's nothing more nauseatingly pathetic on this forum than people thanking others for being "civil and nice" whilst disagreeing. It is a blatant sign of a weak argument and weak mind. As long as you don't call my views stupid i'm cool, thanks for letting me be stupid/ignorant/naive/arrogant/wrong. Pathetic.

Calling bad ideas stupid is not an insult. People who deflect to focus on the trivial "insult" are just showing how incredibly thin-skinned and immature they are.

There's plenty of people on here who believe moronic things, nasty, horrible, terrible things, they are not morons or disgusting humans just people with a bad idea in their cranium. There's a huge difference.

---

If you can't tell the difference between "you're a moron" and "your view is moronic", then I'm afraid I can't help you.

I'll give you a for instance.

Alpha, who BTW predictably liked your comment, is an avowed Flat Earther.

You'll notice that through all the back-and-forth between Alpha and a few of us non-believers, not once has Alpha been insulted or called names. Only his views are being made fun of.

At the same time I'll give kudos to Alpha for going about it in such an unemotional manner.



So yes.... that's why we're so different. Thanks for the compliment.

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

---

Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

---

Except it's rarely an "innocent comment" is it. It's not simply "I have no problem with that lifestyle", but rather "I have no problem with that lifestyle and you're a moron for having a problem with it."

"Wanting back slappers" is an all-too-convenient go-to excuse, simply because there are people who differ, but do so respectfully and with maturity.You're welcome. ;)

---

This is where we're so different, I totally ignore insults as they're utterly meaningless to me, if someone says "you're a moron for thinking that" i'm only interested in why my view is moronic? If someone wants to call me stupid go-ahead. No problem.

There's nothing more nauseatingly pathetic on this forum than people thanking others for being "civil and nice" whilst disagreeing. It is a blatant sign of a weak argument and weak mind. As long as you don't call my views stupid i'm cool, thanks for letting me be stupid/ignorant/naive/arrogant/wrong. Pathetic.

Calling bad ideas stupid is not an insult. People who deflect to focus on the trivial "insult" are just showing how incredibly thin-skinned and immature they are.

There's plenty of people on here who believe moronic things, nasty, horrible, terrible things, they are not morons or disgusting humans just people with a bad idea in their cranium. There's a huge difference.

---

If you can't tell the difference between "you're a moron" and "your view is moronic", then I'm afraid I can't help you.

I'll give you a for instance.

Alpha, who BTW predictably liked your comment, is an avowed Flat Earther.

You'll notice that through all the back-and-forth between Alpha and a few of us non-believers, not once has Alpha been insulted or called names. Only his views are being made fun of.

At the same time I'll give kudos to Alpha for going about it in such an unemotional manner.So yes.... that's why we're so different. Thanks for the compliment.

---

"You're a moron" - is about context, it could be said in a funny, friendly or angry triggered way. Context.

"Your view is moronic" - can apply to every man and beast that has ever made a decision in the entire history of life.

Either way the person getting upset and angry is the moron. Fact.

As you've just perfectly illustrated with Alpha and his flat earth lark. YOU called him unhinged (mentally ill) and someone wished for his death, however, he didn't allow your personal insults to deflect and derail from the topic, which is why we don't have a childish, immature shitfest.

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

---

Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

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Except it's rarely an "innocent comment" is it. It's not simply "I have no problem with that lifestyle", but rather "I have no problem with that lifestyle and you're a moron for having a problem with it."

"Wanting back slappers" is an all-too-convenient go-to excuse, simply because there are people who differ, but do so respectfully and with maturity.You're welcome. ;)

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This is where we're so different, I totally ignore insults as they're utterly meaningless to me, if someone says "you're a moron for thinking that" i'm only interested in why my view is moronic? If someone wants to call me stupid go-ahead. No problem.

There's nothing more nauseatingly pathetic on this forum than people thanking others for being "civil and nice" whilst disagreeing. It is a blatant sign of a weak argument and weak mind. As long as you don't call my views stupid i'm cool, thanks for letting me be stupid/ignorant/naive/arrogant/wrong. Pathetic.

Calling bad ideas stupid is not an insult. People who deflect to focus on the trivial "insult" are just showing how incredibly thin-skinned and immature they are.

There's plenty of people on here who believe moronic things, nasty, horrible, terrible things, they are not morons or disgusting humans just people with a bad idea in their cranium. There's a huge difference.

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If you can't tell the difference between "you're a moron" and "your view is moronic", then I'm afraid I can't help you.

I'll give you a for instance.

Alpha, who BTW predictably liked your comment, is an avowed Flat Earther.

You'll notice that through all the back-and-forth between Alpha and a few of us non-believers, not once has Alpha been insulted or called names. Only his views are being made fun of.

At the same time I'll give kudos to Alpha for going about it in such an unemotional manner.So yes.... that's why we're so different. Thanks for the compliment.

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"You're a moron" - is about context, it could be said in a funny, friendly or angry triggered way. Context.

"Your view is moronic" - can apply to every man and beast that has ever made a decision in the entire history of life.

Either way the person getting upset and angry is the moron. Fact.

As you've just perfectly illustrated with Alpha and his flat earth lark. YOU called him unhinged (mentally ill) and someone wished for his death, however, he didn't allow your personal insults to deflect and derail from the topic, which is why we don't have a childish, immature shitfest.

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The whole thing is moot anyway. We say things, people react. People react differently due to tiredness, stress, alcohol, pain etc etc. who here hasn’t had a good flip out? Except miles. I can’t make any accurate judgement considering I never met anyone but saying ninety eight percent of u are assholes is probably accurate

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by Beanz

I think a lot of this is not just cultural but lost in context. Fenster and many Brits posting here, and I would include myself in this, are simply employing a form of cynicism that is part of a very long British tradition. It is not even a conscious decision. In these days of post Empire , overcast, drizzly gloom we are living in a very divided country without the relief of at least tearing down those fellow Brits we consider successful. As the country falls to pieces and descends into civil war between vegan tofu eating trans zen power activists from Totnes ( a town run on yogurt and a held together with an infrastructure of macrame and hugging) and pink faced bacon licking wannabe football hooligans, calling the vegans, 'Nazis' and turning up to a march with a dead fox to play keepy uppies with, cynicism will allow us to at least cope by raising an arched eyebrow as though it were not even surprising, an possibly part of the plan.

Cynicism means we can celebrate something as beige as toast, and pretend that another ten days of unchanging overcast gloom, as an excuse for weather, is worth talking about. Being bleak and suspecting that everything is a big con, including the conspiracies that say this is true, is actually often what starts conversations here. This is our common ground. 'Isn't life shit' and 'What a load of bollocks that is' are like the British equivalents of 'Have a nice Day' and 'Happy Holidays' for an American.

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Context is without doubt the biggest factor but it's not necessarily culture (that could be an excuse?), some people here don't just struggle with context but also have no understanding of self-deprecation and humility.

So an innocent comment like - "I have no problem with that lifestyle" is taken as an "insult," because the particular individual believes they are not just 100% correct, but to be challenged by an opposing view is an insult. They're not posting for opinions, they want back slappers so anyone not on-board is the enemy, which leads to whoever the particular individual dislikes on a personal level becomes the target, regardless of their view.

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Except it's rarely an "innocent comment" is it. It's not simply "I have no problem with that lifestyle", but rather "I have no problem with that lifestyle and you're a moron for having a problem with it."

"Wanting back slappers" is an all-too-convenient go-to excuse, simply because there are people who differ, but do so respectfully and with maturity.You're welcome. ;)

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This is where we're so different, I totally ignore insults as they're utterly meaningless to me, if someone says "you're a moron for thinking that" i'm only interested in why my view is moronic? If someone wants to call me stupid go-ahead. No problem.

There's nothing more nauseatingly pathetic on this forum than people thanking others for being "civil and nice" whilst disagreeing. It is a blatant sign of a weak argument and weak mind. As long as you don't call my views stupid i'm cool, thanks for letting me be stupid/ignorant/naive/arrogant/wrong. Pathetic.

Calling bad ideas stupid is not an insult. People who deflect to focus on the trivial "insult" are just showing how incredibly thin-skinned and immature they are.

There's plenty of people on here who believe moronic things, nasty, horrible, terrible things, they are not morons or disgusting humans just people with a bad idea in their cranium. There's a huge difference.

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If you can't tell the difference between "you're a moron" and "your view is moronic", then I'm afraid I can't help you.

I'll give you a for instance.

Alpha, who BTW predictably liked your comment, is an avowed Flat Earther.

You'll notice that through all the back-and-forth between Alpha and a few of us non-believers, not once has Alpha been insulted or called names. Only his views are being made fun of.

At the same time I'll give kudos to Alpha for going about it in such an unemotional manner.So yes.... that's why we're so different. Thanks for the compliment.

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"You're a moron" - is about context, it could be said in a funny, friendly or angry triggered way. Context.

"Your view is moronic" - can apply to every man and beast that has ever made a decision in the entire history of life.

Either way the person getting upset and angry is the moron. Fact.

As you've just perfectly illustrated with Alpha and his flat earth lark. YOU called him unhinged (mentally ill) and someone wished for his death, however, he didn't allow your personal insults to deflect and derail from the topic, which is why we don't have a childish, immature shitfest.

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"You're a moron" from YOU is always angry triggered. Quit the bullshit.

"Your view is moronic" only applies when said view is considered to be moronic. No ifs, ands, or buts. Straightforward.... simple. Regardless of the smoke and mirrors you're now trying to put up.

Alpha and I have carried on peacefully and without incident. If that bothers you, then you're the moron. That was an "if-then" statement..... context. ;) Besides... you totally ignore insults as they're "utterly meaningless" to you.

You laughingly keep trying to get one over on me, and it's not working. I can imagine you seething inside.... it's heartwarming.

By the way, we're still waiting for you to explain why you falsely said some of us were "delighted" at Desmond being exploited. Don't think for one minute that one was successfully swept under the rug. ;)

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Originally Posted by walrus

We say things, people react. People react differently due to tiredness, stress, alcohol, pain etc etc. who here hasn’t had a good flip out?

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Then again, some people are assholes from birth. Usually the ones who don't mind being called assholes from birth.

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Originally Posted by TitoFan

"You're a moron" from YOU is always angry triggered. Quit the bullshit.

"Your view is moronic" only applies when said view is considered to be moronic. No ifs, ands, or buts. Straightforward.... simple. Regardless of the smoke and mirrors you're now trying to put up.

Alpha and I have carried on peacefully and without incident. If that bothers you, then you're the moron. That was an "if-then" statement..... context. ;) Besides... you totally ignore insults as they're "utterly meaningless" to you.

You laughingly keep trying to get one over on me, and it's not working. I can imagine you seething inside.... it's heartwarming.

By the way, we're still waiting for you to explain why you falsely said some of us were "delighted" at Desmond being exploited. Don't think for one minute that one was successfully swept under the rug. ;)

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1. I never said "some" were delighted I said "you" was delighted, the proof is there for everyone to see with all your childish, immature crow gifs and gloating at the notion a poor little boy could have been abused.

You only got angry after video evidence was produced, which showed the little boy wearing a tracksuit and trainers, never touched or harmed and fully supervised at all times. Before that you was salivating over descriptions of a "half naked boy", "sexual dancing," "strippers," "panties and fishnets," "throngs of adult men."

Why you choose to bring this topic up yet again, in yet another entirely unrelated thread is beyond me. Thankfully I don't see you as a menace to children just a naive man constantly tripping over his own rug.

2. Feel free to show me who i've ever called a moron?

3. You got annoyed with Alpha for "liking" my post, I have no idea why you even brought him up, but even more staggering is you believe he should be grateful you've only made fun of his views not him personally (completely ignoring the fact you called him "mentally ill."). The truth is you're upset Alpha didn't give you an excuse to shit all over him and ruin his flat-earth lark with your childish shit.

Your true motives stick out like a sore Han Solo thumb ;D

(sigh)..... and the saga continues.....

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Originally Posted by Fenster

1. I never said "some" were delighted I said "you" was delighted, the proof is there for everyone to see with all your childish, immature crow gifs and gloating at the notion a poor little boy could have been abused.

Pure bullshit and you know it. Desmond in the video was not being "abused", but was definitely in a situation where any normal person wouldn't put their child. In the future, it could very well lead to child abuse. If you can't tell the difference between me gloating about YOU being wrong in your previous arguments, and me supposedly gloating about the possibility of Desmond being abused..... you're beyond help and in dire need of a personality transplant.

You only got angry after video evidence was produced, which showed the little boy wearing a tracksuit and trainers, never touched or harmed and fully supervised at all times. Before that you was salivating over descriptions of a "half naked boy", "sexual dancing," "strippers," "panties and fishnets," "throngs of adult men."

"Salivating"?? Do you even pay attention to the incredibly STUPID and MORONIC shit you continue to post?? Are you sure you're not projecting your own twisted, sick little fantasies on me? 'Cause to many of us that's certainly what it looks like. BTW, loving it how you continue to misrepresent, blatantly lie..... and then punish others when falsely accusing them of doing the same thing. Keep up the good work. ;) ;)

Why you choose to bring this topic up yet again, in yet another entirely unrelated thread is beyond me. Thankfully I don't see you as a menace to children just a naive man constantly tripping over his own rug.


The only one here tripping in every sense of the word is you.

2. Feel free to show me who i've ever called a moron?

I'm not gonna play that game with you, going back to search for things you've said. You've called people that and worse. Remember, you're the one to whom insults mean nothing. Or so you claim. ;) ;) So with that disclaimer, you feel free to insult and ridicule people at will. You don't like me because I dish it back in double portions.

3. You got annoyed with Alpha for "liking" my post, I have no idea why you even brought him up, but even more staggering is you believe he should be grateful you've only made fun of his views not him personally (completely ignoring the fact you called him "mentally ill."). The truth is you're upset Alpha didn't give you an excuse to shit all over him and ruin his flat-earth lark with your childish shit.

Wow.... you truly are a piece of work. "Annoyed with Alpha"..... "I believe he should be grateful"...... "I'm upset with Alpha because he didn't give me an excuse to shit all over him"..... damn. How OLD are you, really? Are you this way in real life? Do you routinely make up shit as you go along? Is there ANYONE in real life that can put up with you for more than 2 minutes? (I was being generous on the time)

If you're gonna engage in arguments, do it like a mature, sane person..... and quit making shit up. It's not a good look for you.

Your true motives stick out like a sore Han Solo thumb ;D


Hey..... at least I put something out there you seemed to like. Feel free to use it any time.

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You know what? Fuck it. You're not worth spending my time on. I come on here to enjoy boxing talk and other subjects of interest. I'm not gonna let you try and ruin the experience for me. I say try because honestly, after a few minutes of annoyance (yes.... some of us humans get annoyed when dealing with characters such as yourself), I blow it off and occupy my mind on other things. But this is going nowhere fast. You've already proven publicly your penchant for exaggerating and twisting other people's comments into what you want them to be. Yet when someone does it to you it's a capital offense. Well, how about this...... if you don't like me or my opinions..... just stay the fuck out of them, unless I do something that violates forum rules. Ok? Capiche? Esta bien? I'll gladly do the same.

"I just saw the PM death wish post, and I can't believe someone here would stoop so low. So sorry, Alpha. I still think you're slightly unhinged regarding the Flat Earth thing. If you still care to, take a look at my latest post on the other thread and you'll find simple proof that the Earth is round. But again, too bad someone had to go there. That really shouldn't be allowed here, PM or not."



By the way, here's that proverbial straw you clutched at, in your pathetic efforts to make your argument. Yeah..... I REALLY insulted and mistreated Alpha in that post, didn't I? I should've been ARRESTED for such an insulting post.

Keep trying. You sink your boat faster with every ridiculous statement you make.