TU Cent Thoughts, 1-11-06

[greybeta]

Welcome
Welcome new friends!

Administration
Had to skip=600 to catch up with my LJ reading list. Whew! Expect me to comment less as school eats up my free time with an insatiable appetite.

The three phrases of faith
First, you think you are somebody.
Then you think you're nobody.
Then you realize God can do a whole lot with a "nobody."

They want me to do WHAT?!?
Business Manager: I want to see the quality of the opinion articles go up.
Editor-in-Chief: And I want to see more conservative articles in the opinion section. Also, could you find more people to write about campus issues? And I agree about improving the articles.
D2: Let me get this straight...basically, you want me to improve the argumentative writing in the Collegian?
Editor-in-Chief: I want more quality, yes.
D2: And you're giving me free reign in my power as Opinion Editor to do so?
Business Manager: Yep, you can even reject articles if you like.
D2: And you're going to pay me to do this?
Editor-in-Chief: Yes.
D2: This can be done. But you know what they say about being careful of what you ask for...

I need to come out of the closet?!?
D2: I am a positive pessimist.
Lana: No, you're a closet optimist!

Speaking of optimism
PC: My friend, I am optimistic that you will find a girl who will put your in your place someday.
Nenay: Yeah, she will cure you of that "I'm right, and you're wrong!" attitude.
D2: As a pessimist, I would have to say I doubt that she exists.

Verse of the Day
"Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth."
~Numbers 12:3

Convos of the Day

Stuart: I once saw these two nuns playing slots in Vegas...
Tyler: They must be doubling the money they give to God.

Stuart: So, is "digs" like a house or something?
Valerie: Actually, I was talking about archaelogy digs.
Stuart: Oh, see, when I was in college "digs" referred to houses.
D2: Did dinosaurs roam the earth when you were in college?
Stuart: I never thought I would get to be this old...
D2: They say only the good die young.

Stuart: If money was no obstacle, what would you buy?
D2: Bill Gates' mansion.
Monsieur Maine: My own nation.

Stuart: So yes, you get to write off the interest on your house from your taxes.
D2: What are you talking about?
Stuart: On your income taxes, you used to be able to write off things like your credit card interest off as well. But that's changed.
D2: What are you talking about?
Stuart: Just wait till you get to my age.

D2: Yeah, so I'm sort of a lazy person when it comes to studying.
Doctor Cheer: I don't think so.
D2: How's that?
Doctor Cheer: The way I look at it, if you're smart enough to get it the first time, then you've done enough studying for you. But for someone like me, I need to study a lot more so I have to spend three or four times as much effort to get the material.
D2: Profound, Doctor Cheer.

Scheming Roommate: How's it going?
D2: Good! Hey, you wanna try some of my spaghetti?
Scheming Roommate: That's okay, Emily and I went to Spaghetti Warehouse.
D2: Fat Bastard! Why didn't you invite me?!

D2: Are you sure you're a poli sci major?
Nicole: Yes!
D2: Then you need to think quicker on your feet.

Wenis: So if God told you to have sex with every woman on the planet, you would?
D2: Hey, the Big Man just wants to make sure the best genes continue on.

D2: You know, we're talking about abortion and the most important member of our dinner conversation hasn't spoken up yet.
Nenay: Well, I guess I am the girl.

D2: You have a temper problem.
PC: I do not have a temper problem!
Nenay: There it is again...


Quote of the Day
"Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong."
~Stephen Decatur

Link of the Day
Apple speeds up and goes to Intel. The Mac lovin' Polymer Potter is probably doing kartwheels of joy now.

Overcoming your Nerddom. theferrett wries about how to overcone one's nerdiness. But it is HIGHLY recommended reading because it has very true advice about how to make conversation and listen to people (or at least pretending you're good at listening to people.

Sports Report
My Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the hapless Cincy Bengals. It's a good thing the Number One Bengals Fan has a Ruler of Corgis to comfort him, eh, gentleeleos?

Although I also cringed every time they showed a replay of that Palmer injury. Studship has its risks.

Entertainment
I walked into an anime store and bought the anime Dai Guard. I think Anime Mike is having a negative influence on me...

And I just recently found sheet music to the Final Fantasy IV Piano Collections CD. To fulfill my New Year's goal of memorizing six new songs, I will memorize six new songs from that CD. Heck, I will memorize the entire CD's worth of sheet music.

A triumphant return to Senate
You know you're respected when so many people tell you they are glad to see you're back. I think my pink dress shirt helped to let the newbie Senators know I'm a rather confident person (overconfident, really). Plus my story was "inspiring."

They haven't seen the Most Bitter Justice in action, yet. Those poor newbie Senators have no idea what's about to hit them.

Random question
Is it really that arrogant to say that everyone is like an open book to me?

Comments

[wolflady26.livejournal.com]

I think it's really arrogant to say nearly anything starting with "everyone is...."

(There are obvious exceptions. "Everyone is going to die" is not an arrogant statement.)

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Well then, I'll just say nobody is smarter than me.

[themindseye.livejournal.com]

The smartest man on earth is the one that can admit he knows nothing.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

No, the smartest man on earth is the one who is dead.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

It is fairly arrogant to say that everyone is as an open book to you. It's kind of like telling someone that just by looking at them you know everything about them - which is not a good thing to tell people simply because it alludes to the fact that you're pre-judging them.

But you probably knew I was going to say all that anyway.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

But you probably knew I was going to say all that anyway.
Yep.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

You know, somehow, you remind me of my brother Andrew. I'm not sure why. You don't look much alike, he hates computers, and you're much more erudite than he is. However, there's something about your arrogance (I don't mean that in a bad way, understand) that smacks me across the face and says "He's like your brother!"

Wish I could put my finger on it.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Was Andrew your younger or older brother?

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Younger, by two years. I'm the oldest of five. I forgot Ferrett's rule, and assumed you knew, sorry. ;) All five of us are adopted. I'm from right around here in NY, and Andrew, Anna, Cora, and Jesse are from Korea. Andrew Anna and Jesse are related by blood, while Cora and I are the outcasts. :)

Not that you asked, but I thought I'd explain.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I only have one older sister, by four years. Guess who the spoiled brat was?

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Meh. Being the spoiled brat isn't really a coveted position, in my mind. The spoiled brat in my family was, of course, the youngest. He's turned out kind of messed up by it. Stick around my journal long enough and you'll hear about him.

Of course, I'm not saying that being the oldest and most strictly watched didn't mess me up at all.

[nysidra.livejournal.com]

Is it really that arrogant to say that everyone is like an open book to me?

I suppose it's exceedingly easy when you have a composition book wherein you write the story.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's exceedingly easy when you have a composition book wherein you write the story.
Further explanation required.

[happydog.livejournal.com]

Is it really that arrogant to say that everyone is like an open book to me?

Possibly. Also a bit misguided.

I'll turn into a fogey here. I'm 45 years old and I've been studying human nature for a long time. Human nature is, as a matter of fact, my business; I'm in my last year of graduate school in counseling. I have been specifically trained for a few years now to try to discern people's motives.

The truth is that people are much more mysterious than I know how to convey. Their motives only appear transparent to the arrogant. Every motive, no matter how simple-minded it appears, has deep meaning to the person enacting that motive, a meaning that relates intimately to their lives and their deepest selves. In many cases, people don't even know their own deep motives, or the reasons they do the things they do. This being the case, how is it possible for an outside observer to know anything but the most obvious facts about another? Perhaps a very observant person could perceive things about another that the other is unaware of, but having the knowledge to explain the other's true motive is beyond the possibility of humans.

People do not have simple motives. There is no one motive in any one person's actions. Saying that people have clear, simple reasons for what they do, and asserting that one has the ability to immediately discern those reasons, is a simplistic, mechanistic, 19th Century view, and in my opinion is the kind of thinking that leads to all manner of horror. Those who seek to discern simple reasons for human behavior often seek to use that knowledge to manipulate others, and this path has been trodden by many - often to tragic results.

In my opinion, you have a complete and total misunderstanding of the concept of discernment. I say that in all seriousness and in all kindness. Paul in 1 Cor. 13 reminds us that without love, all spiritual gifts are just noise. I am wondering if, in emphasizing your version of discernment, you are discarding compassion.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

This being the case, how is it possible for an outside observer to know anything but the most obvious facts about another?
The great samurai Sanjuro once said, "Strangers often have the best views on things." That's because strangers are unbiased by motives and history. They can clearly see things that are simply part of the human condition.

People do not have simple motives.
I get hungry. I eat.

Paul in 1 Cor. 13 reminds us that without love, all spiritual gifts are just noise.
You are right. Discernment does not guarantee compassion. Compassion is an area that I sorely need to work on.

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

I get hungry. I eat.

You everytime you feel hungry? Do you ever eat something when you are not hungry? What are all the influences your food choices?

Is it really that arrogant to say that everyone is like an open book to me?

The main problem I have with that statement is that pretty much everyone who says something like that ends up being hilariously wrong about someone, frequently someone close to them.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I get hungry and I eat. Do I eat everytime? No, but that's mostly because I don't happe to have money to buy food at that moment. I'm not saying that eating can't be complex, but sometimes you eat just because you are hungry.

And yeah I'm wrong a lot. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't think that way...

[stella-x3x3.livejournal.com]

=D You put me in your post.


I dont understand how that statement could be cxonfused with arrogance at all.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I dont understand how that statement could be cxonfused with arrogance at all.
That's what I'm saying! ^_^

[stella-x3x3.livejournal.com]

what?

[thedigitalkuri.livejournal.com]

In answer to your question:

Yes.

Not that I particularly have a problem with you assuming that you know me, my wants and desires and thoughts and feelings without actually conversing at any length with me in person. However, some people take offense to the idea, and especially at the assumption. Because you do not, and that's simply the truth. You cannot honestly know just about everything about a person at whim or presume that they will taell you something that is not immediately clear.

[thedigitalkuri.livejournal.com]

*tell. I can spell, really.

For example. From a conversation consisting with hypothetical, highly functioning person A who does not appear to be depressed and gives no conversational cues to you, how could you know that they are suffering deeply from the loss of an aunt who was like a maternal figure to them? It's that kind of stuff that makes that kind of a statement seem arrogant.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can't give you exact specifics. But I could you that highly functioning person was depressed. There are clues...like sudden lapses of focus that occur everytime you mention your aunt. It just takes a particularly sharp person to pick up on those clues.

[tu-oboe-girl.livejournal.com]

I agree with several things already said, particularly what nysidra and jfargo said. I think you are really selling people short by thinking you know everything about them before you spend the time to really know. You only think you know everything. Without really devoting the time it takes, you'll never know if/that you were wrong. I can say that you probably think you know so much about me, but I know that you don't know as much as you think you do.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I don't know a whole lot about you, Marie. I don't need to, though, to make plausibility claims about an action you will take.

Then again, just how arrogant do you think I am? ;)

[moocowrich.livejournal.com]

Is it really that arrogant to say that everyone is like an open book to me?

Unless you can tell me everything about myself (and everyone else you know) right now, it's definitely arrogant. I don't want to say it's impossible, but it's pretty darn unlikely. I'm pretty sure you'd have to be (a) God to read everyone as well as you claim to.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

But I am God...