Stuff you hate

[Temporal Knight]

As the centuries have passed, mankind has grown more ignorant and selfish.

What would lead you to believe that?

*chuckles*...Forgive me for stating the obvious, but that wasn't necessarily the point in my statement.

[Sajainta]

*chuckles*...Forgive me for stating the obvious, but that wasn't necessarily the point in my statement.

I gathered as much, but that's a pretty big statement to make and I was wondering how you can rationalize it.

[Temporal Knight]

The matter is not of rationalization, but of understanding the difference between people, and the choices people have made in their lives. That is what twists humanity. That is what destroys us, and those around us.

But, to rationalize it, I suppose, would take some effort to say that as time has passed, certain ways have been forgotten on how to respect and cherish one another, and that they have been replaced by greed and want, and sometimes people allow those feelings to overwhelm them with desires that are dishonorable, and they use them intentionally to please themselves. This becomes more apparent in the modern day times, even though it may or may not be emphasized as much.

But it would be those that stray from such ideas, and move towards restoring a better honor towards themselves and others that can, perhaps, change the world. At least by a fraction.

[Sajainta]

Sure, some things have been forgotten.  But humanity has abolished above-ground slavery (for the most part), women and minorities are allowed to vote in the United States, etc. etc.

I just really fail to see, as someone who is pretty interested in history, how people have become progressively worse OR better.  Certain things change, but your basic human instincts don't.  People were greedy and disrespectful and corrupt and selfish 10,000 years ago.  It's just that they were greedy about different things.  They were selfish about different things, different ideals.  Ancient history is (pardon my French) really fucked up.

[FaustWolf]

Sajainta, thank you for sharing the story in any case -- the first step in solving a problem is often discovering the extent of the problem, and sexual assault is probably one of the more hidden issues in Western society given how underreported it is (or at least this is what I've consistently read and heard). Has the incident at least made it into an official police record of some kind? Even statistics can be an effective force; any groups out there that are trying to fight this will need those stats to press their case. But of course this is easier to report when a stranger is the perpetrator, I imagine -- so the perp's very identity can double the dilemma.

I'm not going to make any guesses as to the perpetrator's identity, and I've done precious little reasearch into the motives behind sexual assault other than sifting through the "power trip vs. sexual desire" debate. But I'll say that as a man, I've felt that a patriarchally-driven culture has bombarded me with the following message since birth: Women's bodies belong to you, young man. This, I think, is the sum message of much of the media and macho subculture we gentlemen are exposed to on a daily basis. The entitlement to sex that machismo promotes is a dangerous thing when it's coupled with the impression that there are no boundaries between human bodies. This is one way in which sex becomes something to reach out and take, rather than something that's meant to be shared; and I wonder if it isn't a significant contributing factor to sexual assault.

Others are free to disagree with me that this is what our culture is saying to young men, but it's what I feel having experienced at least Midwestern US culture and its patriarchal subcultures firsthand, and these kinds of impressions are ultimately what drove me to look toward feminism as a means of achieving a fuller humanity. In some ways being a man is to be a recovering sexist, and that's a dreary thing to confront. But confront and destroy it we must, at least those of us patriarchalism has touched and wound its thorns around. I wonder if women's studies classes as early as grade school wouldn't hurt, because it would at least arm young men with some of the tools they need to deconstruct and critically analyze what's happening around them.

[Mr Bekkler]

Sajainta, I'm sorry for your friend. At least she trusts you enough to be able to talk about it.


TK, the problem with your idea there is that darker side of humanity that you talk about isn't going anywhere. It's part of humanity. Without evil there would be no good, etc. Everyone is capable of doing horrific evil things, which is why people are scary. We choose to follow rules and be good and get along because we see that as the only rational course, but there always have been and always will be people who do bad things and see nothing wrong with it.

When one has been subjected to this first-hand, I'd say that one has every right to fear and/or hate humanity. My point is that vague advice about being honorable and not focusing on "the dark side" really doesn't help a very real, deep-set fear that was implanted by the very thing you're asking us to ignore.

Zombuck, yes, the police would have had more incriminating evidence if the friend went to the police first, but why would that be your first thought? Emotions are often more powerful than reason, especially during times of trauma.

[Asafigow]

Ah, things I truly hate...

Today's topic would be passion. It's not that hate passion in itself. It's that whenever I obtain the burning desire that is passion, I have no where and no way to output the emotion and energy, thus I fall into a state of almost complete insanity. oi!

[Lord J Esq]

Take up the arts.

[Mr Bekkler]

Take up the arts.

Seconded. You should try acrylic paint and a big canvas, or posterboard or anything really.

[FaustWolf]

Thirded. Asifagow, translate your powerful emotions into something! Visual artistry, the written word, C++, even a lump of clay -- you have the potential to bring forth an act of creation. And that is the most divine thing any human can experience. It doesn't matter what kind of passion you're experiencing; if it's that powerful as to torment you, it is worth communicating through some medium.

[Temporal Knight]

TK, the problem with your idea there is that darker side of humanity that you talk about isn't going anywhere. It's part of humanity. Without evil there would be no good, etc. Everyone is capable of doing horrific evil things, which is why people are scary. We choose to follow rules and be good and get along because we see that as the only rational course, but there always have been and always will be people who do bad things and see nothing wrong with it.

When one has been subjected to this first-hand, I'd say that one has every right to fear and/or hate humanity. My point is that vague advice about being honorable and not focusing on "the dark side" really doesn't help a very real, deep-set fear that was implanted by the very thing you're asking us to ignore.

Well, that wasn't necessarily the point I was trying to make, but more like yours...but then again it must be true as I did type those words. *scratches head*

Ah....I need to make my wordage and explanations more specific, don't I? 

[Asafigow]

Thirded. Asifagow, translate your powerful emotions into something! Visual artistry, the written word, C++, even a lump of clay -- you have the potential to bring forth an act of creation. And that is the most divine thing any human can experience. It doesn't matter what kind of passion you're experiencing; if it's that powerful as to torment you, it is worth communicating through some medium.

Thank you Faust, Lord J and Bekkler for the suggestion. I think I will look into that.

[Lord J Esq]

I specifically had music in mind when I made my comment, and of course others have touched on some of the other parts. Making music can be a very high-energy activity capable of absorbing lots of passion with no up-front preparation.

[Asafigow]

That's sort of ironic, seeing how I play trombone in band. I played it for marching season and am continuing on it for concert season, but lately I've just seen it as a hobby instrument for playing random tunes based on how I feel(which I was thankfully able to do today). Still, thanks for the suggestions. My passion has a place now! 

[Lord J Esq]

Excellent. And always remember to make time to make music that's just for you, rather than belonging to some project or commitment. Now, go forth and have a conversation with your trombone!

Asafigow: What'd you say?
Trombone: Wah wah wah wah!
Asafigow: I said what'd you say?!
Trombone: Wah wah wah wah!
Asafigow: Hey now, whoa, you don't say?
Trombone: Wah wah wah wah!
Asafigow: Now, don't you say--
Trombone: Wah wah wah wah!
Asafigow: Oh, don't you say--
Trombone: Wah wah wah wah! WAAAH!
Asafigow: You said it, pal!
Trombone: Wah!