Testing Chat IV: A New Hope

[The Spartan]

Ah, then after I left. Though it sounds a lot like something I've heard before. I know I've heard that sort of sentiment expressed before, though I think it was in the context of setting up a joke for a sitcom, but I also think I may have heard that on SDN.

Not totally sure though...

[Oxymoron]

I think it may date back from Summer 2012.

Yeah, times flow.


And with each passing day we get closer and closer to our death...

[The Spartan]

Well... thanks for the reminder. You can just ROCK me to sleep tonight.

[Oxymoron]

[Glass Fort MacLeod]

lol, it's gasoline, or an analogue.

Its either space gasoline, or space coal, or space hydrogen (which may be used as a chemical reaction, or in a diesel fusion power plant. I wish I was only kidding about that last one.)

You can also apparently make it into some sort of fuel resin stuff that can be shovelled into space furnaces to make your space cathedral go faster.

[Glass Fort MacLeod]

We have to quantify heroism or else it's meaningless.

Remember that thread where Bean argued it's selfish to donate money to charities for research on a disease that you might get?

That's not the only time I can recall that stuff being done.

The real problem with threads like that is people try to reduce something which is entirely relative into things like absolutes. As if there were one, true, solitary definition of hero.

Sadly, I find that the more I interact with the internet (esp sci fi fandom) this is not unique to SDN, and I suspect its because people are more comfortable with reducing things to simplistic absolutes than dealing with it as a complex (or possibly contradictory) concept.

A good example is all that 'Hero' stuff. The logic being used to justify him 'not' being a hero is pretty arbitrary (nevermind that the reasons why Berry are a hero could apply just as easily to Ramsey. Even if he wasn't in danger of his life, there were always legal risks (Arrest, litigation, etc.) based on his actions, and he certianly had as much choice about whether or not to intervene - there have been cases in the past of people actually ignoring requests for help like this, as I recall. There is no absolute definition of what constitutes 'heroism', yet some of the arguments in that thread try to establish precisely that (because language isn't variable or something.)

[RogueIce]

We have to quantify heroism or else it's meaningless.

200 herotons or gtfo

There is no absolute definition of what constitutes 'heroism', yet some of the arguments in that thread try to establish precisely that (because language isn't variable or something.)

Hah. Just wait until someone pastes in a dictionary definition.

[Darksi4190]

So we pay for overnight delivery on the new phone, but the idiots send it to my dad's address a good 30 miles north of here instead of mine. Meanwhile i've got three missed calls but because the touchscreen won't fucking work I have no way of knowing if it's a solicitor or work telling me to get my ass in or i'm fired. And without a goddamn car I have no way of going up there to check.

[timmy]

We have to quantify heroism or else it's meaningless.

There is no absolute definition of what constitutes 'heroism', yet some of the arguments in that thread try to establish precisely that (because language isn't variable or something.)

The best descriptor I've read was a passage in a book that was one character speaking to another character who had won the Medal of Honor. In summary, 'awards for uncommon valour are by definition earned under extraordinary circumstances.' In other words, heroism can almost be considered an inversion of character; if character is what you are in the dark, then what are you when the spotlight is upon you?

Basically I agree with you guys.

[Zod]

Do you think anyone would be questioning Ramsey's heroism if he were a strapping middle class white guy?

[Oxymoron]

wait wait wait
waaaaiiit

that guy saved three people and a kid from a maniac who had kept them captive for years

and people find the intellectual means to think that what he did may not be worthy of praises ?

[evilsoup]

Do you think anyone would be questioning Ramsey's heroism if he were a strapping middle class white guy?

on teo? yeah, they probably would be

[Stofsk]

wait wait wait
waaaaiiit

that guy saved three people and a kid from a maniac who had kept them captive for years

and people find the intellectual means to think that what he did may not be worthy of praises ?

welcome to the internet

[Oxymoron]

[Djinnkitty83]

Do you think anyone would be questioning Ramsey's heroism if he were a strapping middle class white guy?

on teo? yeah, they probably would be

Yeah, TEO might have its failings, but any hypothetical undercurrent of racism (which in my opinion is really just limited to a few more trollish newer members... and Shep, who hasn't been a factor for a while) would be quickly outweighed by the massively greater torrent of pedantic nitpickery. Juggatons and spherical masses are blind to colour and ethnic heritage.

[RyanThunder]

wait wait wait
waaaaiiit

that guy saved three people and a kid from a maniac who had kept them captive for years

and people find the intellectual means to think that what he did may not be worthy of praises ?

People who feel wholly inadequate, yes.

[Glass Fort MacLeod]

SDN is premised entirely on conflict, so its not terribly surprising you're going to get someone who tries to 'stir the pot' by presenting some sort of 'counter-view'. The problem is in how its done - in the Ramsey example it tries to create an artifiical distinction where none really exists by taking an overly singular view of 'Heroism', and one that is merely based on an opinion that is NOT presented as an opinion.

I find that there are many on internet forums who conflate 'opinion' with 'fact', whether its because they think simply having evidence means their viewpoint is infalliable and totally neglects the interpretive aspect of evidence. It's not unlike how the concept of criticism gets conflated with 'insult' to the point where the two are automatically synonymous in many people's minds (this is another problem with SDN - too many people see criticism as an 'attack' and treat it as such, but there are also people who don't really know the right way to frame criticism, either.)

[Bounty]

First world problem: my laptop has qwerty, my desktop azerty. I fail to type properly on either of them.

[evilsoup]

It's gonna take £50-60 to fix my netbook ugh

[Oxymoron]

First world problem: my laptop has qwerty, my desktop azerty. I fail to type properly on either of them.

Un clavier azerty en vaut deux

[Darksi4190]

So I just discovered that one of the older editions of WH40K has a special character that is a flamboyantly dressed flaming skull'ed Daemon that surfs a motorcycle into combat.


Can there be any doubt that 40K is one of the most awesome universes in existence?

[Oxymoron]

Was there ever any doubt ?

[Darksi4190]

yes.

[Ralin]

I had the greatest idea ever for a D&D one-shot to run for my usual RP group.

Okay, so, it'll start normally with the PCs being about to loot a dungeon. Then, one of them will vanish in a crackle of seething black energies. And one by one the rest of the party will be snapped up.

Then they'll find themselves in this chamber not unlike the pulsating innards of some immense and twisted beast, trapped in a triangle composed of living spiders.

And it will turn out that they've been summoned by a being of the Far Realms casting their equivalent of Summon Planar Ally.

And the rest of the game will consist of them serving their Lovecraftian master and trying to find a way to get home.

I have so many great ideas.

[Glass Fort MacLeod]

So I just discovered that one of the older editions of WH40K has a special character that is a flamboyantly dressed flaming skull'ed Daemon that surfs a motorcycle into combat.


Can there be any doubt that 40K is one of the most awesome universes in existence?

Gundam.