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#26 2006-02-18 15:49:16

John Creighton
Member
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 2,401
Website

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

By the logic of some in this tread on might conclude that any one that wants to live in Hong Kong is crazy. However, to a starving person i some poor African country it would seem like a paradise. I think that economics plays a much bigger factor in peoples decision of where to live then all else. If people on mars can have a nice house with good furniture and electronics they will be happy.  Clearly at this time no one has the money to live at any high standard of lifestyle on the red planet. However, not everyone needs to live in luxury. For instance monks and nuns deliberately choose a life of less. Are they crazy?


Dig into the [url=http://child-civilization.blogspot.com/2006/12/political-grab-bag.html]political grab bag[/url] at [url=http://child-civilization.blogspot.com/]Child Civilization[/url]

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#27 2006-02-19 11:56:22

cIclops
Member
Registered: 2005-06-16
Posts: 3,230

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

For instance monks and nuns deliberately choose a life of less. Are they crazy?

Yes.


[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

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#28 2006-02-20 04:51:32

Austin Stanley
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From: Texarkana, TX
Registered: 2002-03-18
Posts: 519
Website

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

I can understand the argument that it takes a slightly "bent" personality to want to go to Mars.  But the kind of lunacy we are talking about here is realy on another scale all together.  I mean Rick Dobson accused me of being a secrent agent for the CIA/NSA or something (which I know proudly proclaim in my sig).  Looking back over some of his later posts, it's quite obvious that the guy is not firing on all cylinders.  There are other examples I've seen around here as well, none as blatent as Rick, but ones that make me worry about the mental health of the posters.

It's A-Okay in my book to be a little crazy.  But when you start to suspect that members of this board are part of the secret police trying to suppres your "vision" for space, that's when I start to get a little bit worried.


He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.

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#29 2006-02-20 08:08:02

PurduesUSAFguy
Banned
From: Purdue University
Registered: 2004-04-04
Posts: 237

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

When I think about the ISA guy the phrase delusions of grandeur pops into my head.

The unfortunately truth of the matter is that people who are inclined to believe Art Bell at the like aren't willing to draw a line between real space and "Area 51"...

</que x-files music>

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#30 2006-02-20 13:36:50

RIZ4ROCKET
Banned
Registered: 2006-01-10
Posts: 54

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

Well first I would like to say that the dynamic of "suppression" really does exist, anywhere speech is done.  It's natural and sub-conscious, and I've felt it's effects many times.

Providing of course that one defines the word as "anything that makes you feel like you shouldn't be speaking", a loose and sloppy definition but then we are loose and sloppy beings.

To tell your boss his management is less than perfect is a guaranteed way to feel "suppressed", unless your boss is a true leader and actively solicits these criticisms in an effort at self-improvement.

Most people aren't leaders.  Many bosses aren't leaders either.  They're just average people that have demonstrated a minimum level of "leadership" ability to (usually barely) get the job done.  For the most part it's a matter of getting what you pay for.

The standards for "leadership" of an internet chat forum are even lower than that.  So I find it can get quite interesting when Moderators and Administrators (not necessarily here, these comments apply anywhere) start casting about looking for ways to hold Member's speech to some standard, with consequences for failing to meet it.  Leadership is by example; everything else is brute authoritarianism.

Also, the standards for "leadership" for non-profit endeavors are also quite low, and frequently one finds these organizations headed by people that lack even the basic skills of being a good follower, much less an effective leader.  Without full-funding, the quality of the Leadership of a non-profit endeavor is usually commeasurate with their pay, which is sometimes nothing.

The problem with all of the above is that, while true, it is a thoroughly inadequate description of all the relevant dynamics one should be aware of when evaluating situations & personalities like the ISA and Mr. Dobson.

Because we can set our standards too high.  So high that anyone that fails to meet our minimum standards is automatically rejected, and their cause is rejected with them.

It is also a quality of Leadership to keep causes alive with great determination.  The Leader believes that the cause is so important that it overshadows all impediments to it's realization.   Even when one of those impediments are the inadequacies of the Leader themself.

I don't know what "cause" the ISA is advocating, nor do I care to.  However, I do care when people that have never been a part of a real "grass roots" endeavor (as a Leader OR Follower) pass judgement on someone elses "cause".  It's fair to criticize, but the validity of the critcism entirely depends upon the "credentials" (if you will) of the critic.

The reason for this is because sometimes the cause really IS more important than the inadequacies of it's Leader.  Frequently, if it weren't for the inadequate leader, there would be no one advocating the cause at all.  And again, this may not be such a bad thing.  But this point should be considered before making these kind of decisions.


(paraphrased...)  "Those that can, do.  Those that can't, teach.  And those that can't teach, criticize others and theorize as to their state of mental health.

For clarity, I also would like to state that Mr. Dobson is at the bottom of the list of that which I think is worth discussing.  His Mental Health, his Leadership Abilities or the worthiness of his cause are not my focus; rather it is everyone else, their Leadership Abilities, their causes (or the lack thereof) and the state of their Social Health that are my concern.

Thanks for reading.

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#31 2006-02-20 14:17:09

John Creighton
Member
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 2,401
Website

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

Yawn............


Dig into the [url=http://child-civilization.blogspot.com/2006/12/political-grab-bag.html]political grab bag[/url] at [url=http://child-civilization.blogspot.com/]Child Civilization[/url]

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#32 2006-02-21 15:49:23

clark
Member
Registered: 2001-09-20
Posts: 6,374

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

perrywinkle.

think about it.

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#33 2006-03-01 16:05:42

Earthfirst
Member
From: Phoenix Arizona
Registered: 2002-09-25
Posts: 343

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

perrywinkle is a herb that is very good in salads, it grows like a pest in my garden. My pets love to eat it, yummy perrywinkle.


I love plants!

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#34 2006-09-03 07:05:57

rtcoman
Banned
From: Romania
Registered: 2005-11-06
Posts: 3

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

John Creighton wrote:
For instance monks and nuns deliberately choose a life of less. Are they crazy?

Yes.

  Maybe we should send monks or nuns to Mars.

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#35 2006-09-03 13:20:00

John Creighton
Member
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 2,401
Website

Re: Why do we attract crazy people?

John Creighton wrote:
For instance monks and nuns deliberately choose a life of less. Are they crazy?

Yes.

  Maybe we should send monks or nuns to Mars.

Hmmm…..Interesting idea. They would probably be well adapted to a life of les. Of course there may be reproductive issues. Maybe 5 monks for every breeder lol. Reminds me of Babylon 5 after earth was destroyed by civil war. There were a group of monks exploring the technology that earth was once capable of.


Dig into the [url=http://child-civilization.blogspot.com/2006/12/political-grab-bag.html]political grab bag[/url] at [url=http://child-civilization.blogspot.com/]Child Civilization[/url]

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