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The Forum > Article Comments > How much do our '-isms' really matter? > Comments

How much do our '-isms' really matter? : Comments

By Andrew Prior, published 12/2/2009

Most of us are just trying to find a way in life, trying to make sense of what’s going on, and find some point and purpose.

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I thank you Daviy for providing an excellent example of what I was writing about. As an 'author' you must surely be aware that words have several meanings, and that various forms of media do have a 'nature' in one or more of those meanings. Eg., we can talk about the 'nature of television', or any other form of communication (or media if you like) without it being totally meaningless. Now I have just wasted my time trying to explain this to you, and yours for reading it, because you will not listen or take this on board, thus is the 'nature of the internet'. But I can certainly take your point about how comments from the online community have been useful in changing (perhaps improving?) your writing somewhat, since after reading some of your earlier stuff, I daresay you needed it.

Also as an author, you must surely be aware of not just the meaning of the word 'irony', but that your last post was an excellent example of it. Lamenting peoples infantile presence interrupting what you had to do by indulging in an even more infantile rant about sandpits and how you married an alcoholic etc. is just pure gold. You truly have very little understanding of the internet if you believe it's medium and 'that is all'.

I LOL'd.
Posted by Bugsy, Friday, 13 February 2009 10:59:51 PM
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I hadn't realised that you are an "author", Daviy.

Could this be the reason you believe that your theories and views should be automatically gravely revered, as opposed to being held up to the light and examined critically?

>>I echo the sentiments that the standard of debate (a very loose term in this context) needs to rise on OLO. The problem is Jedimaster, who is to who is to mediate?<<

Very owlish, that "who is to who".

Fits well with the pompous tone, though.

I suspect that I am actually doing more than most for the cause of standards-raising, when I occasionally poke fun at the smug verbal flatulence that some consider to constitute intellectual discourse.

If you wrote intelligently and argued thoughtfully, I would not need to resort to such tactics. But you hang a big sign on the back of your arguments that says "Kick Me" in big red letters.

And hey, I'm only human.
Posted by Pericles, Friday, 13 February 2009 11:52:03 PM
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Pericles et al
My two previous provided you with the perfect opportunity to show that you could respond with wit and have fun. That is the excuse for your ongoing insults isn't it?
My ex wife (if she exists) was there to give you a lead in. There were all sorts of come-backs for that one, but you missed them. As a minimum I would have expected some suggestions as to why I married her in the first place.
You could look at the exchanges between Lady Nancy Astor and Winston Churchill if you need pointers as how it is done by a master.

Winston, you are drunk.
Nancy, you are ugly, in the morning I will be sober.

And

Winston, if you were my husband, I'd put poison in your coffee."
Nancy, if you were my wife I would take it.

The internet should be easier for you because you have time to work it out. Notice that Winston Churchill did not have to resort to using big words. With true wit big words are redundant. They get in the way.
Forget about decrying what happens 'when I occasionally poke fun at the smug verbal flatulence that some consider to constitute intellectual discourse.' And come back with something original instead of the same old words in a different order. Create the challenge of responding.
'Some consider to constitute intellectual discourse'? Who is being pompous here? 'Intellectual discourse' is a tautology because of the overlap in meanings. There are so many redundancies in your insults that they become meaningless. Try using little, focused words.
Looking back through your previous posts in this and other places it appears that there is a standard list of insults that you cut and past from. Something new please?
May I request that you write an article? Maybe it could be on the art of insulting? If you have already would you please let me know the title? It could be fun commenting on something you have written.
You want to have fun with words and ideas? OK. Show me you can do it.
Posted by Daviy, Saturday, 14 February 2009 1:43:45 PM
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Daviy, what an intriguing insight into your personality.

>>My two previous provided you with the perfect opportunity to show that you could respond with wit and have fun. That is the excuse for your ongoing insults isn't it? My ex wife (if she exists) was there to give you a lead in.<<

That is positively weird.

First of all, you have a very strange idea of what constitute "insults", if you believe that was what has been heading your way.

My observations have concentrated on the material of your contributions, which - it has to be admitted - provide enormous scope for humour. But the observations themselves would be insulting only if they were inaccurate.

But really. To pretend that you introduced a third party - an ex-wife, to boot, whom no ex-husband in their senses would ever volunteer as a target - with the objective of providing joke-fodder for your fellow-posters?

Come now. That simply is not credible.

Try to follow your own advice. Rather than simply spray, address the observations themselves.

They are quite specific, you know.

>>May I request that you write an article?<<

Ah, yes, but I'm not an "author".

How would I cope?
Posted by Pericles, Saturday, 14 February 2009 3:02:16 PM
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Does anyone have anything to say about ~isms anymore?

I'm ready to be slammed for saying this, but I find it interesting that the regular detractors are people who have nothing to contribute. They either don't get the article, or are so convinced of their own superiority that they don't feel the need to share their wisdom with us. They have everything to prove but nothing to gain by proving it.

As for the article, I enjoyed it. I don't think it was particularly earth-shattering, but it was a nice summary of ideas. What we are - or choose to be - gets in the way of who we are, and clouds our judgment. Sometimes we need articles like this to articulate ideas we have in our heads and help us to take a look at ourselves and others. Of course, not everyone wants or appreciates these articles, and that's their right.
Posted by Otokonoko, Tuesday, 17 February 2009 1:01:31 AM
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otokonoko, i sort of agree. i didn't much like the article, though i appreciated the sentiment. and i kind of held back because of that. and i do think pericles was too harsh.

but i do also think it's way too easy to recite the let's-all-get-along thing. and it's not as simple as that those who recite this are the nice guys, and those who don't recite it are the combative guys. for instance, when i read sells-sellick's "this is a very welcome post", i choked on my cornflakes! but i did let it go (until now).
Posted by bushbasher, Tuesday, 17 February 2009 8:12:02 PM
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