As to mobiles, not to all and sundry but they are pretty out loud and proud about not having one.
And I already said I knew people who took pride in not owning a TV, which is what you said in the OP.
I do - two people - and these are both guys who constantly update their PCs to be able to play the latest games etc, so it’s not like they’re technophobes. They just consider land lines sufficient, and do not want to be contactable at all when not at work/home.
I have yet to meet anyone IRL who would give a shit if anyone ordered milk in a bar.
Have you ever actually been in a situation where someone ordered milk in a bar, or asked anyone what their attitude would be if, hypothetically, someone ordered milk in a bar?
I’ve never heard anyone in real life wish that scientists would find a “cure” for sleep.
As for the cell phone dislike, I think those threads occurred a few years in the past, before total cell phone saturation.
I’ve never seen a discussion of a rape incident devolve into a discussion about how women are always falsely accusing men of rape and how easily rape can be avoided. I’ve also never talked to anyone who seriously contends that men are more oppressed than women. Until the Straight Dope.
There are two aspects to this that might make what you read here different to what you would come across IRL.
One is that, generally speaking, you mix with people similar to yourself IRL. There’s no filter here: you are very likely to come across people and views you wouldn’t IRL.
The other is that, as has been mentioned, anonymity on a message board gives you the freedom to say things that you would never dream of saying or discussing IRL.
So, the person next to you may be a ball shaving, phone hating, shower peeing fanatic, but you’ll never know.
Unless you ask him, of course. But you wouldn’t do that IRL, would you?
Again, IRL I thought I was the only person who never had a cell phone and never saw the need for one, until I became a Doper.
OK, that’s not true on two fronts:
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we got a cell phone a few months ago when a friend was going through a separation and found herself with two cell phones (hers and his) with time left on his contract. She offered to have us take over his contract as we were her only friends without a cell phone, and she thought it woudl do us good. I will admit it’s come in handy a few times.
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before the above, I heard similar views to the Dope (before I was a Doper) on the Jeopardy! fan site - the people on that site seem to have very similar views to Dopers (I think one or two mentioned that they were on both boards as well).
The closest I’ve ever come would be someone who works at a very physical job, like construction, and doesn’t even own any clothes that could be considered business casual. So for them, buying a suit is a really large jump. I’ve still never seen anywhere near the pride some people have for dressing inappropriately at other people’s important events. It’s more like pleadingly asking me if chinos and a tie are formal enough.
From time to time I see people here profess a belief that rap or hip hop is a passing fad. Of course they’re very eager for it to pass. I’ve never been able to figure out if there’s a lack of awareness that it’s a 25-30 year old ‘fad’ or just wishful thinking.
Or there are people who believe that any white people who listen to rap are suburban wannabee gangsters. It always makes me wonder if some people are just that profoundly out of touch or if there are parts of the country where it’s still true.
I don’t own a suit. I haven’t for decades. It hasn’t caused me a problem. If someone wants me to come, they take me as I am. If that would cause a problem, I don’t go; I don’t remember that ever happening, though. I don’t know anyone who wears a suit apart from at their work, so that is probably why it hasn’t affected me.
Incidentally, one big change I’ve noticed recently is that many suit-wearers have given up wearing ties.
I pray every day that the rap/hip hop fad will pass. Granted, it’s lasted a little longer than I expected, but there’s always hope…
There was an episode of Seinfeld that dwelt on this. It’s also one of the main reasons why it’s recommended to wear flip-flops in public showers. But it clearly is one of those things that don’t come up in RL conversation too much.
And I don’t think I’ve met anyone who has wished there was a pill to take so they didn’t have to eat in restaraunts.
Well the whole point of this thread is that we’re shocked people like you are real due to never experiencing you in our real lives, not that we doubt you exist online.
Do you have any idea how close I just came to asking the librarian in the next cube if she pees in the shower? Do you?
Also ask which way she wipes.
I don’t think more than half the atheists I know were ever religious. Only very few are really outspoken though - most are perfectly happy just ignoring religion, aside from some bitching about our more christian policitians. Of course, I’m in a country where atheism is almost the default assumption.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who flat out refuses to put on a dress, stockings/tights/pantyhose, and dressy shoes maybe with heels for a formal outing such as a wedding. (OK, maybe a fat, elderly disabled lady and a young, wanna-be hipster lady of about 20). Railing hysterically against this type of clothing and shoes is the norm on SD. In real life, I’ve never heard any woman hold forth on such. Sometimes they show up in pants, but as long as they aren’t filthy too-long ripped jeans (the young lady will have on a bizarre variety of clothing pieces plus the ubiquitous leggings), fine, whatever.
I don’t live in the mid West, I live in the liberal North East.
I don’t know ANYONE who would turn down a meal at: Red Lobster, The Olive Garden, Applebees, Smokey Bones, Pizza Hut, any Chinese Buffet or (fill in your favorite middling restaurant here). Or KFC, Burger King, Subway, even McDonald’s. (Maybe Taco Bell, some people just don’t like Taco Bell.)… If I proposed a meal at any of these places, I would NEVER hear them whine about how mundane and inauthentic, blah blah blah. WTF? 
I would hear, loud and clear, “wait up, I’ll get my coat.”
I think there might be something in this. There are about, oh, 750-1,000 people who post regularly on the Dope. How many of us have that many friends, or even know that many people well enough to have had conversations about cell phones, religion, peeing in the shower, etc.?
FTR, I do have a friend who is a militant atheist, several who hope hip hop is “a passing fad,” etc.
99% of the people who smoke “one or two cigarettes a day” or “a pack a month” are posters here.
I’d say the opposite. Almost my entire social circle (Stockholm, Sweden - most involved in IT or academics) are outspoken atheists, with the few religious individuals being quite mild in their views. I only know one person who holds as strict views as some here (no premaritial sex, anti-abortionist, creationist).
That Bush was going to cancel the elections and rule as a dictator.
Regards,
Shodan