On the one hand I play video games, watch some tv programs online (granted ones I can't actually watch on an actual TV) and I am a software engineer by education who works on computers most of the time. I also have I would say a little more than a passing interest in science and technology. I do like the odd bit of sci-fi though most of it is horribly crap. I suppose I like to think in genreal. I like complicated things. The exception to that last statement being words with complex spelling - I am quite simply retarded when it comes to spelling.
On the other hand I have felt the admittedly irrational urge to physically assault hard core trekkies/sci-fi fans (and this includes the X-files). 'Over-clocking' strikes me as possibly the most pointless thing a human being could spend time doing. I feel like shaking people who get excited by over-priced useless crap like i-phones. What's that you say, I can surf the net and call someone at the same time as listening to music............wow I think I passed out there for a second, that wave of pure apathy very nearly killed me. I always quite liked sports (playing though, not watching)
Something I'm not sure of.
I am largely appathetic when it comes to music. Now don't misunderstand me. I can listen to music and love it. I can be moved, excited, saddened by music. I can also find a huge swath of music to be little more than organised noise. For example, I remain completely baffled about why poeple seemed to like the droning whinging of Oasis so much. Even with music I like though, for some reason I just couldn't be arsed actually listening to it very often. Is that really wierd? I always assumed I was really odd for not really liking music. If there are more folk like me out there; get in here, stand-up and be counted. Solidarity brothers and sisters. For some reason I always thought that this particular aspect of me would be regarded as nerdly. It could be because music has the image of being 'cool'.
One of the reasons I bring this up is that Larry a.k.a. The Barefoot Bum has posted his nerd test score. Assuming I would score reasonably highly on this particular test I had a crack at it myself. The results were surprising. While this is about as far from scientific as you can get, I still though I would have scored more nerdly than I did. My result.
I scored so low on most of the stuff that I am left with the uncomfortable conclusion that maybe I am just plain dim!
6 comments:
Hey Gary,
thanks for the random post on my blog. Here's my brief response.
1) I am indeed carpet-chewing crazy. I'm OK with that. At least life is not boring!
2) the words "hate gays" are a little strong. You have the fun of dealing with American fundies, I would assume (from the use of the word "fundies." That seems to be an American thing). Most Christians, even conservative ones, are NOT like Falwell et. al. For example, my congregation does not "hate gays."
That being said, there are a number of people whose interpretation of scripture cause me endless headaches. Thus the post.
3) Yes, I was a drama-queen. It comes with the queer-card. We get to do that. Rest assured, however, it is not my normal MO. I was just really, really heart-broken over the whole affair and needed to vent.
4) My belief is difficult to explain. Had a brief look at your blog. We have entirely different epistemological and ontological frameworks. I use those words because someone was discussing Whittgensiein. Anyone who does that probably is comfortable with academic-ese.
5) as for God being directly responsible for my orientation, that depends yet again on your hermaneutics (another awful word.) I don't believe God made me gay. I don't believe He made you straight. Nor do I believe the devil made me gay, for that matter. I believe in natural consequences. So, while I don't pretend to understand the etiology of sexuality, I subscribe to the view that it was most likely genetics meets environment. However, I do believe there is God with an ideal plan for sexuality. I'm just trying to figure out what that is.
Thanks for the kind words.
All the best.
Hi Rob,
As you say, our worldviews are very different. I agree completely that genetics are the core reason for sexual orientaion. Maybe I'm a little pig headed on this but I simply cannot possibly fathom any enviornmental factor that cause me to be anything other than I am(I'm strictly refering to sexual orientation here). Either way though, my point was just that your orientation, regardless of Gods part in it or lack thereof is nothing to be ashamed of. There is nothing morally wrong with you.
As far as hermeneutics is concerned, I never really bought the whole concept. Would God so encrypt his instruction to man that it takes an entire academic field to work out what he meant. Is Gods word not meant for the less intelligent or the less literate?
'Hate gays' may have been a harsh but the is a sense of at least disapproval. Oddly, homosexuality is often characterised as a lifestyle choice, I think this is a strange way to characterise it. Is being straight a lifestyle chioce?
Drama-queen, that might be an exageration :)
In general, I think I just got a little pissed off that somone who was suffering though losing a relationship that obviously meant a great deal to him was being futher tormented by (and this next bit is just how I personally view it), by an ancient way out-dated morally bankrupt fairytale and the judgemental views that follow on from it. Like I say, this is just how I see it. I do not mean to be offensive.
You seem like a smart guy so I'm not going to try to change your mind or views on anything. You can I'm sure do that perfectly well youself when and if you so choose.
What ever you choose, I hope things work out for you.
Regards.
Hey Gary,
Got your comment and totally agree -- I originally singled you out on Barefoot's blog b/c you were a great example of a non-condescending, gentlemanly debater. He was not.
I reread my post and no, I didn't mean even the last part mean spirited or condescendingly. I was, in keeping with the spirit of the whole thing, just poking fun.
Incidentally, when Larry (aka Barefoot) does the same, he's actually a bit humorous. Sadly, however, it's often overshadowed by the meanness that tends to surface IMO, when he doesn't have a valid answer.
Maybe we all do that a bit. It's not the first time my sarcasm came back to bite me.
Rob,
Yeah, we all throw in a bit of sarcasm now and again. I think the danger with written word is that it doesn't always preserve the vibe, I've fallen into that trap a few times. As you Americans say - no harm, no foul.
I'm apathetic about music as well, in pretty much the same way you describe. Actually like music less now than before meeting my husband, who listens to classical music constantly. As a result, while I used to enjoy classical music sometimes, I now rather despise it. Whereas many people want noise of some kind on an ongoing basis, I seem to have a high need for just plain silence. World needs a lot more of it, IMO.
That test was kind of arbitrary anyhow, as most of them are. Wouldn't read too much into it.
Hi Soehta,
I find I need silence sometimes too. Nothing puts me more on edge than loud noise. It's nice to know that I am not entirely alone in this particular qerk. I know what you mean about the classical. I enjoy a little myself, though it has to be quite rare(even then I'm picky). I think I would grow to dislike it very quickly if I had to listen to it often.
At its worst, I find noise can have an effect on me that is comparable to claustrapobia. It feels incredibly opressive and I need to get away from it.
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