View From the Bushes:

I've started getting the Wall Street Journal. I had some frequent flier miles which weren't enough for a flight, so instead they offered me some magazine subscriptions. I guess it's okay, because they were basically free, but I don't have the time to read the magazines I actually pay for, so now on top of the Economist, I added Time, Newsweek (long story) and the WSJ... and that's just the news stuff. I also have a subscription to Bicycling (probably the one I need the most), PCGamer, Dungeon, Dragon, Games Quarterly, and probably a couple others I'm forgetting. I figure they're there if I need something to read or if something really exciting happens. Of course, this doesn't even cover all the Internet content I'm trying to stay on top of.

Speaking of the Internet, have you noticed that it attracts emotional cripples the way gaming attracts fat people? Just yesterday I came across two examples of this: the first I don't have available to me at the moment (but I may post a selection later), the second is a thread over on ENWorld entitled how to hit on girls without being creepy. First off, asking for advice on picking up women on an RPG message board is like asking someone in Bermuda how to dress in sub-zero temperatures. Secondly, as is so often, the case the guy is just so pathetic it's funny. I know the 19 pages of post may seem daunting at first, but trust me, it's a comedy gold mine. A relevant quote, and exchange between the original poster (Hida Bukkorosu) and the hero of the thread (Teflon Billy):

Originally Posted by Hida Bukkorosu
...it's just plain not right. it's not just non-good, it's a downright evil act to decieve someone in such a manner.

Heh. Ok man, if you say so. Though if that is your high-water mark for evil, you should really see more of the world.

I'm not sure why you would place such a high premium on rudeness (or "blunt honesty" as you call it), and I am entirely uncertain why you think the following conversation...

Me: "Thanks for the evening, I'll call you"

Her: "Ok, bye bye"

Is somehow more evil than

Me: "I don't think I'll be calling"

Her: "why not?"

Me: "You are not as interesting in person as you were described. Also you are fatter"

Everyone thinks they want blunt honesty, but all that the elimination of the face-saving, feeling sparing white lies that make up a decent portion of what the majority of the folks in the world call Social Interaction does is ensure that people will feel terrible most of the time, instead of [i]some[i] of the time.

So when your Boss asks you if you like his new (and ugly) toupee, do you tell him "you look ----ing ridiculous. Take that thing off" or is your blunt honesty mitigated by financial compensation in the same way that your invioble taste in clothing is?

I don't think you want help, Hida. I'm not sure what you do want, but you have shot down all advice given you here and in that "Are gamers this pathetic" thread.

Comedy gold...

Carpe Diem Quam Minimum Credula Postero
Ross

Posted by direkobold at January 13, 2005 02:01 PM