# No Wonder "It's Taking Longer Than We Thought"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [January 21, 2000, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010 "2000-01-21T14:12:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 6
### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/101 "2000-01-23T02:36:00Z")
Nope, Guadere; I addressed the actual postings Lib put in this thread. There was no “apology” and I won’t say there was when there wasn’t.
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### Author:  [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/102 "2000-01-23T08:48:00Z")
There once was a poster named Poly
Who started a thread, saying "Golly
We all pay the price
When we forget to be nice
And we’ve been arguning about it ever since.
* * *
-
The best lack all conviction
The worst are full of passionate intensity.
\*
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### Author:  [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/103 "2000-01-23T09:15:00Z")
On a purely factual note, Libertarian’s expressed sharacterization of Hell as the separation from God is hardly something he invented out of whole cloth. I know of no literal textual references in the Bible, but the idea has been present in theological discussions for some time. I do not know when it was first formulated, but it is definitely present in the process theology of Whitehead. I believe it as also been raised by more than one Catholic theologins. I have definitely seen the issue raised in the theological essays of Borges, who was raised and educated in the Catholic church.
On a point of pure amusement – I took a perverse pleasure in seeing Libertarian argue (however momentarily) for others to self-censor their words in a spirit of political correctness. That is not meant to be a slam, Lib. You are simply one of the last people I expected to hear make such an argument.
* * *
-
The best lack all conviction
The worst are full of passionate intensity.
\*
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### Author:  [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/104 "2000-01-23T09:28:00Z")
fuzzy -
For crying out loud, LET IT GO! The poster in question had a VALID reason for asking you if she knew you. Mainly, your stories, email address, and style of posting matched someone she knew. She asked, you said no. She only asked one other time (jokingly, in my opinion) when a story you typed matched something she had heard almost verbatim.
YOU are the one being so fucking defensive about it. Lighten up, for crying out loud. Oh, and on being a “reg?” There is no set time. There is no set way to become one. You just wake up one day, and yer a reg. Calm down, for Christ’s sake.
* * *
“You are sweet, kind, and considerate… Like a grown up boy scout with tits!” - Brian, aka SDMB’s one and only Satan.
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### Author:  [@fuzzy-wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzy-wuzzy)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/105 "2000-01-23T15:46:00Z")
Yes ma’am Falcon. Thank you for your nice post. This is an example of exactly what we are talking about.
* * *
“Do or do not, there is no try” - Yoda
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/106 "2000-01-23T16:12:00Z")
After visiting this thread for the first time in a couple of days, my thoughts went to something Tom Lehrer said, three and a half decades ago:
“During National Brotherhood Week, various special events are arranged to drive home the message of brotherhood. This year, for example, on the first day of the week, Malcolm X was killed, which gives you an idea of how effective the whole thing is.”
Of course, Spiritus, you beat me to the thought by posting that excellent limerick. I’m going to have to see if I can come up with a rhyming ending for that last line…
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### Author:  [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/107 "2000-01-23T16:15:00Z")
Scylla asked:
> [@](#):
>
> I will trade you some of my Trail Mix of Discerning Lifeslessness of Horses If I can borrow the Unfailing Rod of Skepticism, and the Irate Hand of Mikey.
Well, I don’t think I need any trail mix, and I don’t have Mikey’s hand (though I wouldn’t mind having his _head_). But replicas of The Unfailing Rod of Skepticism are always available, for a small fee, from the First Church of David. There is even a discount for members.
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### Author:  [@fuzzy-wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzy-wuzzy)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/108 "2000-01-23T16:20:00Z")
Hitting that send button without some thought can really make you feel like an idiot. I should not have posted that thought to you Falcon. It was not my intent to keep the situation going. I am “over it”. I was only making a point about something that could make a new person feel out of place on the board. You will notice that I didn’t post the thread or the names of the people involved. The situation was resolved. I think that it would have left a better feeling if the posters had let it go. It was only a very simple issue between two people. As I said I’m learning.
* * *
“Do or do not, there is no try” - Yoda
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/109 "2000-01-23T16:43:00Z")
**Gaudere:**
Okay, I think I understand. Are you saying, basically, that I should be mindful of not just how I say it, but what I say, and what effect both what I say and how I say it might have on others?
**Monty:**
I probably should have told you sooner that I read the Bible discerningly, and bring to it my own bias. I said that (or words to that effect somewhere else in DG, I think, but you might not have seen it. But to put it another way, I interpret all scripture (not just the Bible) through the Holy Spirit. And I do believe that you are entitled to consider me misled.
**George Papoon**
> [@](#):
>
> Well, durn-burn it! I forgot to add, I call my philosophy, [expletive deleted] Theology.
Just kidding. 🙂
**Jab**
> [@](#):
>
> Anyway, I’m with Gaudere: If you EVER post one of your insipid “phase shift” waste-of-space postings again, I will flame you like you’ve never been flamed before! KNOCK IT OFF!!!
I promise that I won’t.
> [@](#):
>
> And does anyone find it a coincidence that someone apparently so sensitive to attacks that he would adopt the Noncoercion Principle, which says, simply, “Don’t strike the first blow”?
Could you rephrase that? It’s probably just me, and I don’t intend any disrespect or evasion, but I can’t find the predicate.
> [@](#):
>
> BTW, Lib, we get our morality from our culture, our family and ourselves. (Answering a question he asked me on another thread.)
I think it might also be fair to say that we get our culture from our morality.
**Spiritus**
> [@](#):
>
> I took a perverse pleasure in seeing Libertarian argue (however momentarily) for others to self-censor their words in a spirit of political correctness. That is not meant to be a slam, Lib. You are simply one of the last people I expected to hear make such an argument.
Due to my bias, I was unable to see that political correctness was what I was asking for. I can quite image you thought it was surreal.
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### Author:  [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/110 "2000-01-23T20:19:00Z")
What I’m saying, basically, is the same thing Poly said in the OP. If you recognize that there are people behind these screennames with their own feelings, beliefs and personalities, and take that into account when you post, I think you’ll stop unintentionally doing things that drive other people nuts (you’ll also probably figure out how to _intentionally_ drive people nuts, should you wish to :)). I could give you a list of "do"s and "don’t"s but that’s not nearly as effective as a little understanding on your end (this is not directed just at you, Lib; we could all use a bit of this, myself included). Just try reading your posts as if they were directed at you by someone else, and think about whether the effect on you is the effect you want. Honestly, I write about 3-6 posts a day that, upon reflection, I decide are not deserving of being posted and so I hit “clear fields” and move on. Hey, it ain’t always easy being so circumspect. 😉
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/111 "2000-01-23T22:06:00Z")
Okay. I’ll try my best.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/112 "2000-01-23T23:47:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by RTFirefly:
> \*\*After visiting this thread for the first time in a couple of days, my thoughts went to something Tom Lehrer said, three and a half decades ago:
>
> “During National Brotherhood Week, various special events are arranged to drive home the message of brotherhood. This year, for example, on the first day of the week, Malcolm X was killed, which gives you an idea of how effective the whole thing is.”
>
> Of course, Spiritus, you beat me to the thought by posting that excellent limerick. I’m going to have to see if I can come up with a rhyming ending for that last line…\*\*
“It’s only for a week so have no fear…
Be grateful that it doesn’t last all year!!”
🙂
- Rick
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### Author:  [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2000, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/113 "2000-01-23T23:59:00Z")
As an appropriate ending to the limerick begun by Spiritus:
_There once was a poster named Poly
Who started a thread, saying "Golly
We all pay the price
When we forget to be nice_
I himbly submit:
## _And to continue to argue is folly_
Sue from El Paso
Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
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### Author:  [@Edlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edlyn)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2000, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/114 "2000-01-24T03:24:00Z")
Poly:
I was following Libertarian’s footsteps and found your thread. 🙂 Your reminder and advice was good for all.
> [@](#):
>
> But you know what? We’re not in third grade any more. There doesn’t need to be “sides” that we take.
Having spent numerous hours on various boards the past three-and-a-half years, things like that can and do happen. I applaud the action of those who attempt to hold the bar up higher and encourage all others to reach for it.
It would be nice if boards like this one didn’t imitate the behaviour we see all too often on programs like “Equal Time”, etc.
It did feel a bit like David and others were calling me a liar, though it was not directly stated. It wasn’t hurtful, only frustrating for me that others made the determination, without any evidence whatsoever, that “events” took place in my life which resulted in a false memory, therefore, I didn’t see what I saw.
Shrug. It was only a discussion about a game show.
I would like to be active in discussions, but frankly, my plate is full enough (with work, my time with Libertarian, Dawson, my home, our wedding in a few months, reading these boards); not because I was offended.
Hopefully, everyone will heed my sig.
* * *
You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims. -Harriet Woods-
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### Author:  [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2000, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/115 "2000-01-24T08:12:00Z")
I am one of those people who “hides behind a pseudonym” to post his opinions. I might well be one of those who “spends too much time on the computer, and has no life.” But even in my freakish, geekish misery, alone in my room, I am real, and human, and have real feelings. I always thought everyone else did too. It isn’t just pixels. It is pixels carrying messages from human beings.
Cheap shots insults sent by Internet service intermediaries to virtual message boards under a cyber nom-de-plume are still cheap shot insults. Compassion and concern expressed from a pseudonymous correspondent can be real human emotions. The medium is virtual, but the people are real. The emotions are real, as well. No one spends much time trying to decide if they are crying over virtual heartbreak, or real heartbreak. You can pretend that Phaedrus, and everyone you ever thought might have been Phaedrus, was a cyber cypher, a non-person, deserving of your scorn. Somewhere, there is a real human being that mishandled himself, and now tastes the real tears cried over the contempt shown for him. I hated his posts. I don’t need to hate the person who did it. \
I get real emotions from my interactions on this board. I find my feelings hurt over insults given to my person in cyber space. Triskadecamus is me. I am Triskadecamus. I was Triskadecamus on another board, as well. (NYTimes Forums) I might well be Triskadecamus in other places on the net. I do not post my real name on the net. I follow that rule fairly reliably. But the person that Triskadecamus is, is me. The opinions are mine, and the subject of the insults given to Triskadecamus is me, as well. We are what we pretend to be.
I get angry at things said about me, on message boards. At times, I get hurt over the view that is presented of my personality, mind, spirit, or soul. If the cyber community was only pixels, I would find the disdain of its members no more troubling than the disdain of moat monsters in hack and slash video games. But the moat monsters \*\* are \*\* just pixels. The posters here are real people. Their scorn is real scorn, and my hurt is a real hurt. So too is the hurt of anyone to whom I have shown scorn. Cheap excuses do not change the fact that cruelty is cruelty. Own it, if you said it.
When Satan fell in love, it was real love, with a real person. Ask him. Ask her. When someone lied to him and subjected him to ridicule in “virtual public” it was not virtual hurt he felt. It was not virtual support he sought, and received here, from his real friends in cyber space. Shit can the convenient cyber excuse. You are real, your words are real, and your opinions should be real as well. The consequences of your words will be real, even if you are a complete fake.
## **\Tris\**
Butterflies, harumph. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-wonder-its-taking-longer-than-we-thought/4010/116 "2000-01-24T20:09:00Z")
**Libertarian** :
I think we could have a really good “chicken-and-egg” argument over which came first, culture or morality. If you were _born into_ the culture (which we all were), it’s rather difficult not to have your sense of right-and-wrong influenced by it. If you’re one of the few who manages to start a whole new culture, then it is you who sets up the rules of morality in your little kingdom. But you’d have to somehow not be influenced by the morality of the culture you’re leaving behind.
As for the other question you asked, It’s simple: You don’t like being attacked because it’s painful and defending yourself takes time away from what you’d prefer to be doing. One way to defeat your attackers is to convince them that it’s wrong to strike the first blow. In other words, “Beat them by convincing them to join you.”
Unfortunately, as **David B** has pointed out, you seem to see attacks where there are none and it undercuts your message.
And I’m out of time. I may return to this thread, but there are others. Maybe I’ll see you there. 🙂
* * *
\>\< DARWIN \>
\_\_ **L\_\_\_L**
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