Thursday, February 28
Yesterday I was talking to some friends about how we judge people. About how we objectify, stereotype and categorize them. I’m talking about the people that we meet in social settings, as potential friends and peers, not like bus drivers and the like.
posted by The Wizard
Hey, I used to have a friend who was a bus driver, back off. I know YOU immediately stereotype people, or at least look for characteristics of a certain stereotype right?
posted by Tin Man
It’s easy and natural I suppose. Usually you can pretty much start with ethnicity and build certain preconceptions from there. I guess it’s sad but it’s also a fact of life that people need categories to organize things in their head. It’s a basic survival trait I think. It’s hard wired in. But for me, I rather like the people who seem to fit one stereotype but then have an air of dissonance about them that makes them interesting. Like someone who might wear big ass hoop earrings but seems like they wouldn’t.
posted by The Wizard
How quickly does all this happen? Over hours? Days? Is this on a purely physical style level or do you get to interact with them?
posted by Tin Man
This all happens very quickly. Like within a few minutes, the first meeting or so. I mean, you learn more things as you talk to people but I like trying to figure someone out right away. From purely physical shallow style attributes.
posted by The Wizard
Ah, you are what you wear.
posted by Tin Man
Close enough. I think half the fun of it though is to find out what niches people don’t fit into. Then again, some people come off as one huge stereotype. Those people tend to be rather boring. Or trying too hard. Or both.
posted by The Wizard
So when you dig deeper, what are you looking for? Are you trying to deconstruct them so you can figure them out and get an edge?
posted by Tin Man
No, not really. It’s just interesting to see how people are put together and to find out the reasoning behind how they came to be a certain way.
posted by The Wizard
So what’s your stereotype?
posted by Tin Man
I dunno…..you tell me. I get “loser” a lot, does that count?
posted by The Wizard
No, I asked what your stereotype was, not what you actually were.
posted by Tin Man
Ha, funny. Your third grade witticisms slay me. Not.
posted by jon
Wednesday, February 27
the asians are coming, the asians are coming
look, asshole,
crouching tiger, hidden dragon wasn't
our one shot at love.
it's the precursor
of what's to come.
"oh, hey, it's cool to like these asian people, as long as they're being asian on the big screen, and they're in asia, and it's a long time ago, and they're speaking asian (thank god for subtitles), and they're fighting and i love fighting, but some of it seems a bit far-fetched--thank goodness i saw keanu reeves do that shit first in the matrix, and who cares if they're kissing, as long as they're kissing other asians, i have nothing to worry about."?
wrong, motherfucker, 'cuz we're not just on the big screen in the kung fu flicks you adore, we're the ones who actually saw that film 5 fucking times at 9 bucks a pop, 'cuz we were amazed that our faces weren't on the big screen fighting in the vietnam war, and we're not just on the big screen lady from oregon. we're cleaning your clothes, we're programming your websites, and we're getting into your schools--for free. raise the bar and we'll meet it. and we're not just chinese. and most of the chinese are reading the subtitles, too, 'cuz it's in mandarin. and we're not just kissing other asians. our mad sexy asses are getting play all over the ethnic spectrum- how the fuck do you think rob schneider, the rock, and keanu reeves were made? and you know what? it's never gonna stop.
[continue]
-beau sia-
posted by jon
Tuesday, February 26
I’ve been told that i’m too cynical. Actually, i call myself cynical too, but only in a self depreciating kind of way. As a matter of fact, i don’t think i’m cynical at all. I’m a “the glass is half full” kind of guy.
posted by The Wizard
That’s an optimist. It has nothing to do with cynicism. Take it from someone who knows, you’re cynical.
posted by Tin Man
Being cynical would imply that i always look at the poor side of things right? Always thinking that things will turn out bad and stuff like that.
posted by The Wizard
Wrong again, that’s pessimism. Cynical is thinking that everything is #$@% up and beyond repair. Things won’t GO wrong, they ARE wrong.
posted by Tin Man
Oh, well, in that case, i guess i’m a cynic. But the thing is, i really don’t think you can be open and accepting unless you start off as a cynic. If you think that things are great and happy all the time and that the world is a fair and lovely place, you’ll only be set up for disappointment and failure. Things are messed up without any explanation, only by accepting that fact can we prepare our mindset to accept things as they are....
posted by The Wizard
.....shitty......the cynic is emerging people, watch out....
posted by Tin Man
Think about it, by being a cynic, you realize that people are different (and possibly flawed), for whatever reason, and you can channel that knowledge into trying to understand them. Being a cynic causes you to be less ethnocentric and more accepting in all respects. Then again, cynicism can be taken to a higher unproductive level.
posted by The Wizard
Yup, that’s called bitterness. I’ve known many cynics who are just plain bitter and want to remove themselves from the world. If the world sucks, they want to treat everyone else shitty because hey, if it sucks, why try?
posted by Tin Man
See, i’m not bitter, i’m just a realist. Yeah, i like that. I’m a realist, not a cynic. I accept the realities of the world and mould myself accordingly. Work the system, don’t question it.
posted by The Wizard
Ah, now it's clear, you’re really an opportunist.
posted by Tin
Sunday, February 24
This is something that has come up before but the other day Victor asked who is somebody we would admire or respect the most. For personal convictions, for action, for greatness of deed, whatever. Basically, as we racked our brains, it was a struggle to come up with names of people that we would actually hold up as people we “respect the most.” Nancy said that possibly the office of the president because of the innate impact of all his decisions but she brought up a good point that great things are expected to come from great offices because it is within their power to do so. Lincoln freed the slaves because who else could have done it? Also, in our current society, who’s warts haven’t been exposed and picked at?
posted by The Wizard
What kind of criteria are you using for greatness?
posted by Tin Man
I dunno. I guess it’s not really just respect as far as intelligence, courage, success or impact but just taking everything into account. I mean, Martin Luther King Jr or something might seem like a good answer. Or Gandhi maybe? But while they are great men, I don’t know if I would say that I admire them the most because they are great men who were driven by their capabilities to do great things.
posted by The Wizard
So what’s your answer?
posted by Tin Man
Well, Nancy said that in a way, it is always the common man who has to effect the changes. The commoner fought to free the slaves, Lincoln was great for his executive nerve but it wasn’t him out on the front lines. So I guess in a way, my answer would be that the strength of the common man would be my answer. Going above and beyond the call of duty. Fighting for something you believe in despite the fact that you are just “common” and not expected to do great things. A great man is supposed to be great. A common man being great is something to be admired and respected.
posted by The Wizard
That’s the cheesiest answer I’ve ever heard. Nice, but cheezy. It’s like the “which hand is the stone in?” question. “Neither!!!”
posted by Tin Man
Yeah, but it sounds kind of right. Even if it is one of those BS, skirting the real question type of answers.
posted by The Wizard
I hate people like you…haha. Trying to use the loopholes to sound smart. Wipe that smarmy smile off your face!
posted by Tin Man
You love it.
posted by jon
Saturday, February 23
i think this is incredibly romantic...
It's important, we communicate
and tune the fate of this union, to the right pitch
I never call you my bitch or even my boo
There's so much in a name and so much more in you
Few understand the union of woman and man
And sex and a tingle is where they assume that it land
But that's fly by night for you and the sky I write
For in these cold Chi night's moon, you my light
If heaven had a height, you would be that tall
Ghetto to coffee shop, through you I see that all
Let's stick to understandin and we won't fall
For better or worse times, I hope to me you call
So I pray everyday more than anything
friends will stay as we begin to lay
this foundation for a family - love ain't simple
Why can't it be anything worth having you work at annually
Granted we known each other for some time
It don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine
-common, the light-
posted by jon
Thursday, February 21
Here is everyone’s secret fantasy…to be sitting somewhere, be it coffee shop, book store, pet supply depot or park bench…and to have a random person come up to talk to you because they see something in you that piques their interest.
posted by The Wizard
You mean get hit on?
posted by Tin Man
No. Because as a guy, that doesn’t happen. Plus, that’s just sleazy. I mean just to have random people who are cool and interesting and who want to talk to you, if only for the sake of a few minutes interaction. There are so many cool people out there that are just waiting to be discovered (I’ve been reading lots of random people’s blogs recently) and there should be some way to know when a random stranger is a cool person.
posted by The Wizard
Like a system? Lights perhaps? The traditional green, yellow and red maybe?
posted by Tin Man
Yeah, that would work. Everyone carries a little light that glows green when you walk within the proximity of someone that you would get along with really well. Then we could walk through life constantly meeting cool people without having to go through the faulty filtration process that we use nowadays. It’s inefficent I say. We need to streamline our social interactions so there’s less chaos and less things left up to chance. We need to know, bang on, when a compatible person walks by.
posted by The Wizard
Doesn’t that strip away the magic of meeting someone? Of discovering someone? And how would this light system determine compatibility?
posted by Tin Man
Well, it would have some great omniscient power to look deep down into people’s hearts and souls and determine if they would get along. That way, there is still magic, it’s just systemized by a higher power.
posted by The Wizard
Wow, you could change the world. Actually, I read somewhere about this little pager-like thing that buzzes when someone comes within range who is compatible. But it’s only a dating thing. And it’s based on multiple choice questions so that might be a little shallow, this magic system of yours sounds much more intriguing.
posted by Tin Man
I remember in high school every year around Valentine’s day everyone took this multiple choice test and then you could pay a dollar for results and it would show the people who were 94% or 76% or whatever compatible. We need to make that a little more sophisticated and powerful.
posted by The Wizard
That might solve the whole “I’m single and there are no good people around” worldwide dilemma wouldn’t it?
posted by Tin Man
Yes, it’s an all-around brilliant idea.
posted by The Wizard
Go for it I say. We’ll make millions. Or at least say we tried.
posted by Tin Man
People would trip over themselves for such an item, I’ll go to work on it right away. We’ll codename it: “Project Cupid.”
posted by The Wizard
Very mysterious. Until you get all that worked out i'll rely on my old-fashioned system of weeding: stereotyping.
posted by Tin
Tuesday, February 19
“As a matter of fact, the person who loves everybody and feels at home everywhere is the true hater of mankind. He expects nothing of men, so no form of depravity can outrage him.”
-fountainhead-
I’ve thought about these few lines for a long time and about the underlying principle of this idea. It’s a tough thing to grasp because I feel that while there ought to be immutable standards, people should be judged upon their own sets of values. That allows me to accept people as what they are and who they are. But, the logic behind this principle makes such clear sense to me.
posted by The Wizard
Well, it should. Without guidelines, everyone would live in a relative world and everything would just be okay because everything can be justified.
posted by Tin Man
But that seems so harsh…I mean, how is it possible to establish a set of rules for everyone? And who determines what these rules are? It seems a little arbitrary to me really. Do as you do I say.
posted by The Wizard
That’s all fine and dandy but eventually you’re gonna have to think that this kind of haphazard philosophy will only lead to people who are unaccountable and unreliable. The world will be thrown into chaos. There are actions that are just unacceptable. Objective rights and wrongs do exist.
posted by Tin Man
Well, yeah, some things are definitely wrong I guess, but then again, nothing is really wrong all the way across. Exceptions emerge from any group of standards. I mean, isn’t one love about loving people for what they are and accepting them lock stock and barrel?
posted by The Wizard
You can do that of course but think of it this way, in order to do that, you have to lower your morals and standards to the ultimate lowest point in order to have no expectations.
posted by Tin Man
Isn’t love about forgiveness and understanding?
posted by The Wizard
That’s where you’re completely wrong, love is about reverence and worship and glory. Love is not some sort of “feeble stew (made) out of sympathy, compassion, contempt and general indifference…” Love is “total passion for the total height.”
posted by Tin Man
I guess that makes sense but I don’t know if I’m capable of that, or if I even want to be like that. There seems to be a lot of judgements inherent in your idea of love. It sounds like love has be earned.
posted by The Wizard
Well, love isn’t free, it doesn’t need to be handed out to anybody passing by does it?
posted by Tin Man
I dunno, I’ll have to think about that one.
posted by jon
Monday, February 18
(on how to kill a man’s integrity and his soul)
"Preach selfishness. Tell man that he must live for others. Tell men that altruism is the ideal. Not a single one of them has ever achieved it and not a single one ever will. His every living instinct screams against it. But don’t you see what you accomplish? Man realizes that he’s incapable of what he’s accepted as the noblest virtue- and it gives him a sense of guilt, of sin, of his own basic unworthiness. Since the supreme ideal is beyond his grasp, he gives up eventually all ideals, all aspiration, all sense of his personal value. He feels himself obliged to preach what he can’t practice. But one can’t be good halfway or honest approximately. To preserve one’s integrity is a hard battle. Why preserve that which one knows to be corrupt already? His soul gives up it’s self-respect. You’ve got him. He’ll obey. He’ll be glad to obey- because he can’t trust himself, he feels uncertain, he feels unclean. That's one way."
-the fountainhead-
posted by Tin Man
Um, can this be right?
posted by jon
Sunday, February 17
-Do not stand at my grave and weep-
Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in cirled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
-anonymous-
posted by jon
Thursday, February 14
Well, since I figured I’d be leaving England in two days, I might as well treat myself to something with my hard earned money.
posted by The Wizard
Really? I thought you blew it all already? What can you possibly afford to buy?
posted by Tin Man
I went into an Oxfam book store that sells only donated books, so consequently, the books are mad cheap. For just around 10£ I got: a large paperback version of Tides of War, The Art of the Dragonlance Saga, the Cliff Notes version of Walden and a cool little Bible that has this dope metal clasp mechanism.
posted by The Wizard
My my, that’s quite a splurge for a young man like you.
posted by Tin Man
But wait…there’s more. The coup was a £1.99 VHS copy of “Care Bears: Making Friends.” How hot is that?
posted by The Wizard
*stunned silence*
posted by Tin Man
They had “My Little Pony” too but I figured I’d better pass on that. Admit it, you’re jealous.
posted by The Wizard
Words escape me.
posted by Tin
Wednesday, February 13
excerpt from
and these are only some of the things i believe
and i believe pinky and the brain are revolutionaries
because they try to take over the world- every night
like them, i believe there will always be something to fight for
-staceyann chin-
posted by jon
Tuesday, February 12
Dude, it must suck to be ordinary.
posted by The Wizard
My my aren’t we making some big headed statements today! I hope you are including yourself into this “ordinary” category otherwise I’d have to say that you’re a big snob.
posted by Tin Man
Fine, call me a snob, call me delusional but some people are just incredibly boring. Stereotypical outsides meshed with stereotypical insides. It’s like biting into an Oreo and finding not cream on the inside but just more cookie. Disappointing.
posted by The Wizard
Nice analogy there Mr Un-ordinary...
posted by Tin Man
Thank you. I mean, sometimes people just seem incredibly blah. They don’t say anything interesting, nothing intrigues you about them and you can’t think of a single thing to ask or talk about.
posted by The Wizard
I suppose because many people are ordinary we get that subset of ordinary people who are ordinary people dressed up as exciting people.
posted by Tin Man
Yeah, I found out those people are called “artists.” People who try too damn hard to be something. Anything.
posted by The Wizard
It’s a bit unfair to label them “artists.” Let’s go with the equally appropriate but more universal label of “posers.”
posted by Tin Man
We’re starting to get off track here, I don’t want to talk about the people who try too hard but rather keep our focus on the people who are just….plain. Like vanilla. I try to muster the mental capacity to be intrigued by ordinary folks but I find it intensely frustrating.
posted by The Wizard
You know what's funny? I find talking to you intensely frustrating...does that mean you're ordinary? I mean, you use trite sayings like "plain, like vanilla." I find that pretty ordinary.
posted by Tin Man
I can see this is gonna be going nowhere.
posted by The Wizard
Yeah, and it's boring.
posted by Tin
powered by blogger
the
wizard
our naive
protagonist. think harry potter. but older. and not as cool. the wizard
has feelings and emotions and all of that human bs. the wizard is lost,
lonely, and curious. aren't you?
tin
man
the batman
to the wizard's robin, the jordan to wiz's pippen, the britney to the
wizard's justin, the skipper to the wizard's gilligan, the jon to the
george...yeah, you get it. the tin man is stronger, faster, and more powerful
than any locomotive. but he's not real. just a heartless, soulless, practical
machine. who happens to talk.