True, but I think you’d agree that, as with anything, there are degrees of effect. Social awkwardness can range from being slightly reserved to being completely socially inept. I’m not saying this is the case, but perhaps Curtis is on the more extreme end of the spectrum.
I’m usually right there with ya, SFG, plus I’m afraid you may hunt me down and kill me in the night :p, but I think this goes to motivation. If we presume Curtis is simply seeking an echo chamber and a vehicle to impart conservative wisdom to the plebes, as I do, and as there’s no penalty for ignoring posters with opposing views or aggressive queries, what’s the downside for him?
True again, but it is my contention that that is all white noise to him. He doesn’t take any of it in because it holds no consequence for him or his life. He’s a 100% bought-in Christian conservative; anything in that bubble is good, anything outside of it is either bad or should be ignored. A lot of conservatives are like this, so Curtis isn’t unique in that regard, but I think the Asperger’s, again, if he is truly afflicted, frees him, somewhat, from the natural inclination to respond to posters, and from the guilt associated with not doing so.
A girlfriend in Canada is a relatively recent meme attributed to socially awkward geeky guys, and some in the closet gays whose masculinity and/or sexuality is questioned. A guy will say he has a girlfriend in Canada because supposedly Canada is so far away, and without phones or postal service apparently, that there’s no way for anyone to verify it.
His posts in others’ threads are another reflection of his ignorance – for instance, trying to ask people why they haven’t used birth control, if they mention they’ve had an abortion.
Aspergers can be an explanation – but not an excuse, if that makes sense.
Okay, how’s this: He posts some stuff on the dope, some stuff that he heard from his mentor/dad/ teacher/ older kid that he buys into for the moment, because he hasn’t got the experience to call bullshit on someone whom he respects or thinks is cool, but he still has the sneaking suspicion that it’s not well thought out. Grabbing a [thread=590865]thread off the ‘New Posts’ page[/thread], let’s say it’s the ‘Obama is a Kenyan’ thing
The Dope then proceeds to rip it to shreds(1), and he decides it’s BS and changes his opinion (2) - course, he doesn’t tell us that. Next time it comes up in meatspace, he drops some of the Doper-info, with a prelude like ‘a friend of mine said’. How 'bout: “A friend of mine mentioned that the governor of Hawai’i knew Obama’s parents when they were there, and is taking it as his personal quest to find all the info he can to burn this rumor out.”
His pals say “Wow, I didn’t know that.”
He says “yeah, but good luck to them. As another friend of mine put it ‘you can’t fix stupid or crazy’.”
They say “That’s funny”
He says “yeah, she’s pretty smart.” (3)
(1)‘smart friends he can argue with’,
(2)‘people who challenge his ideas’
(3)a soupçon of ‘girlfriend from Canada’.
The dude is a teenager for petes sake. From a foreign country. I’d wager he’s doing a better job being here on the SDMB than 99 percent of SDMB regulars would being doing in similar circumstances.
Actually, that was the point of my post. I suspect that he’s using the dope in a very appropriate way for where he is in life. If we meet him at a dopefest in 2020, he may have some interesting stories to tell.
Ditto. In 1985’s The Breakfast Club, Anthony Michael Hall’s character Brian claims that he’s already lost his virginity. When asked for the name of his supposed girlfriend, he fumfers, “She lives in Canada… I met her in Niagara Falls. You wouldn’t know her.”
More on topic, I’m always concerned the few times I start GQ threads that I’m not responsive enough to people’s replies. Then I get worried that I’m over-bumping. I guess in the end it’s a balance you have to get used to.
I’ll say or not say whatever I please, and if you don’t like it you can jam it up your ass.
But since you seem to think you fit that description, let’s run with it; just what the hell are you contributing to the SDMB? Not much; most of your posts are either wholly content-free or just stupid - the claim that he has Asperger’s being the latest example of high-grade stupidity. But you follow the rules, so you’re as entitled as anyone to enjoy the board. I don’t contribute anything of importance, either, but I follow the rules so I’ll post and enjoy the place as I see fit.
I don’t see any difference between you and Curtis Lemay/Qui-Gon Jinn (I honestly can’t remember his new name). Really, the only difference is that occasionally he does post a thread that generates some interesting discussion. You don’t.
