Opinions You Just Don't Understand

[Karhukonna]

There are a couple of things I can't wrap my mind around. The two that perhaps should not be taken seriously are as follows:

I don't understand how some people don't like dogs. Not just a specific breed, but the whole species as a whole. This whole dog-people VS cat-people standoff has got to come to an end. As a closing line, yeah, it's pretty silly. I know some people with fears towards dogs, but I still cannot understand how one comes to not like dogs.

The other thing is Manowar. Sure, some people are not into awesome power metal, and that's cool. But I do not understand it. What sort of tragedy must scar a person so deeply that they cannot enjoy Manowar, I truly do not understand.

Okay, with those easy, light-hearted ones out of the way, we turn to the one I struggle with personally. Racism and prejudice. I can't understand what could possibly be going on inside a person's mind when they decide that someone is wrong and lesser, simply for being black, gay or somehow different. I have some unfair prejudices of my own, but I'd never act on them as such. I would never actively seek to push someone down simply for being different.

I know the whole "straight white guy telling everyone he knows someone who is gay/black/foreigner so there's no way he's a racist" routine gets old real fast, but it's the only proof I can give, not to you, but to myself in a vain attempt to deny my own racist habits. I guess somehow it's the way the media portrays certain groups. There was that news clip about the muslims in Sweden, throwing rocks at a firetruck and destroying the mansions they were given to live in. I don't know if it's all that black and white, but it still colors my views on their entire group as a whole. It's wrong, and I know it, but somehow it still happens in my mind. Why, I may never know.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I don't understand the opinion that society would be safer if the only people with firearms were people willing to get them illegally.

 

[funkyjiveturkey]

i don't understand how someone thought making the shadow the hedgehog game would be a good idea......

 

[Professor James]

People hating GOW or Halo or COD because some developers copy them.

 

[xPixelatedx]

Irrelevant. You have negative feelings. That's homophobia.

I mean where do you draw the line between personal preference and Homophobia?

When it's anything south of the "I don't care" line.

I feel grossed out watching two elderly people have sex to, am I anti-old people? I find public bathrooms absolutely disgusting; worse then anything I've seen in our cat's litter box. Am I anti-human? Tolerance and acceptance of something doesn't mean you can't find it disturbing. Just because you don't enjoy what you see doesn't mean you hate it, nor does it mean you dislike it because of a preconception. Saying that is homophobia is basically saying gay sex would be appealing to everyone if they just opened their eyes. Haha, no. Even most gay people would agree it doesn't work that way. Most people are very adverse to things alien to them, particularly when it comes to sexuality. I don't care about a lot of lifestyles, but I also don't feel any need to watch movies about them either. They just aren't my thing.

 

[Coppernerves]

Evolution denial.

There are entire libraries dedicated to the evolution of life on the planet, and the systematic denial of it is an opinion that staggers my sensibility. It is in the same vein as denying the sky is blue, grass is green, et cetera. I don't want to imply I am against on religious grounds, although I do feel creationism is another opinion impossible to reconcile with. The most baseless argument used to defend such an undefendable position is that "evolution is just a theory". Well, gravity is also just a theory, and before the advent of satellites and space exploration the "earth was round" was just a theory.

Evolution is real, and the idea that it isn't is completely absurd. How, when, where, and why are all open to debate, but multi-cellular, complex organisms did not inhabit this planet when it was first forming. It didn't even have an oxygen atmosphere for the first several hundred million years. How life began is, again, open to debate, but it began as single-celled organisms, most likely a proto-form of bacteria that lived in a methane rich environment, and from that the building blocks of life began.

Anyone who denies evolution I look at the same way as someone who would propose the earth is flat or the moon is made of cheese. It is preposterous to anyone with even a thimble full of common sense or appreciation for life, biology, and science.

Isn't it just how people are brought up?

(hang, on I feel like slipping into "slow southern drawl" suddenly)

Now look:

What if you had, more faith, in the, "the good book", than, the scientific method?

And, what if, you had more faith, in it, than anybodies' logic, or reasoning, even your own?

Well then, there'd be no reasoning with you, not against the book.

Ya just cannot expect, to convince someone, of sumtin that contradicts their fundamental axioms, not if they have any intelligence.

You'll just have to write 'em off, as lost souls, and bring up your own kids better, than they were, with your superior axioms, and systems of belief.

 

[Calibanbutcher]

Let's say there's a heterosexual romance drama show you are completely ambivalent about. Brokeback Mountain is on TV. Those are your only two choices, and you can't turn off the TV. Do you switch the channel from Brokeback to watch the heterosexual romance? If so, then yes, you're a little bit homophobic.

Yes I would.

I guess were discussing a very subjective subject, but I still feel that Homophobic isn't the right word to describe me lack of desire to watch men make out, considering the fact that I don't hate homosexuals nor do I advocate violence against them.

Irrelevant. You have negative feelings. That's homophobia.

I mean where do you draw the line between personal preference and Homophobia?

When it's anything south of the "I don't care" line.

I mean would it be homophobic for me to go on a porn site that offers different kinds of videos and have the option to watch gay porn but refuse to do so and only watch straight[footnote]While I'm aware that some straight guys like Lesbian porn, I'm not referring to that. I'm referring to stuff where a man and a women are having "regular" sex and where no phallic objects are involved.[/footnote] porn?

No. You're confusing the issue. It is not a matter of preference. You are described yourself as having an antipathy toward homosexuality, and that antipathy being anything less than hatred or a desire for violence doesn't magically make it disappear.

But let's put it another way: You're on a porn site. Imagine the following two scenarios:

A) You unknowingly click on a link that unexpectedly takes you to a gay porn video.
B) You unknowingly click on a link that unexpectedly takes you to a heterosexual video you know you will not find arousing. Let's not include extreme fetishes in this. Just a hetero video with say an actress you don't find at all arousing.

If you click the back button for A faster than for B, congratulations, you're a little homophobic.

Lots of us are a little homophobic. In some of our cases, it's because we haven't been around many gay people and it's still a novel experience because it circumvents our expectations. In other people's cases maybe they're a little bit afraid that if they see two dudes enjoying some cock that it will give them the gay. But it's all homophobia.

On the bright side, if you're willing to admit that your repulsion is irrational and unnatural, that means you're on the road to being able to deal with it in a civil way. If you're not, well, then you have to potential to turn it into all kinds of nasty things down the road.

I do believe your example is a bit off here.
Now, let's imagine this gentleman of fine breeding wants to spank it...
Actually, let's not imagine that.


Glad we avoided that, now back on topic: I do not care about homosexuals, and as far as I am concerned, they can do to each other whatever they damn well please, however, I have no desire to watch them whilst they are getting to know one another carnally.
Why?
Because I wouldn't want to watch two grown men have intercourse in any form, since it would not in any way sexually appeal to me, what with me being a straight male.
Does that make me homophobic?
Does the fact that, if I clicked on a link to gay porn instead of the usual midget-unicorn-chainsaw-orgy, I would back out of there extremely fast make me a homophobe?

If so, then fine, I am a giant homophobe because I have no desire to watch other men doing unspeakable things to each others bums, possibly involving the use of various power tools whilst an amputee midget prances around the room spraying hot glitter everywhere.

In short:
I do not care what one consenting adult of legal age does to another consenting adult of legal age, as long as I don't get labeled for not wanting to see them have intercourse.
I have nothing against public displays of affection, holding hands, kissing, gentle fondling, etc, just as I tolerate this behaviour in straight couples.
However, if one of my best friends, a gay physicist, suddenly decided to stick something up his lovers bum over dinner, then I would reserve myself the right to get a tad upset.
For good measure: I would also object to any straight friend of mine sticking stuff up another man's bum over dinner, as I would object to anyone sticking anything up anyone's bum over dinner. This also goes for anyone sticking anything up any other holes in the trouser region.

And if that makes me a homophobe, then I appear to be a homophobe.
And I am willing to be labelled as such if that means I get to quit watching gay porn I accidentally clicked on as soon as humanly possible without having to watch for a certain period of time because "tolerance".

 

[Calibanbutcher]

Does the fact that, if I clicked on a link to gay porn instead of the usual midget-unicorn-chainsaw-orgy, I would back out of there extremely fast make me a homophobe?

Yes, actually. As long as you backed out of it faster than you would any other porn you don't want to watch.

However, if one of my best friends, a gay physicist, suddenly decided to stick something up his lovers bum over dinner, then I would reserve myself the right to get a tad upset.

Helmholtz specifically framed this conversation in terms of public displays of affectiong ("making out"). For you to try to re-frame it in terms of explicit sex acts doesn't help your "I'm not a homophobe" case.

Oh I am sorry, let me try that again:

Let's say there's a heterosexual romance drama show you are completely ambivalent about. Brokeback Mountain is on TV. Those are your only two choices, and you can't turn off the TV. Do you switch the channel from Brokeback to watch the heterosexual romance? If so, then yes, you're a little bit homophobic.

Yes I would.

I guess were discussing a very subjective subject, but I still feel that Homophobic isn't the right word to describe me lack of desire to watch men make out, considering the fact that I don't hate homosexuals nor do I advocate violence against them.

Irrelevant. You have negative feelings. That's homophobia.

I mean where do you draw the line between personal preference and Homophobia?

When it's anything south of the "I don't care" line.

I mean would it be homophobic for me to go on a porn site that offers different kinds of videos and have the option to watch gay porn but refuse to do so and only watch straight[footnote]While I'm aware that some straight guys like Lesbian porn, I'm not referring to that. I'm referring to stuff where a man and a women are having "regular" sex and where no phallic objects are involved.[/footnote] porn?

No. You're confusing the issue. It is not a matter of preference. You are described yourself as having an antipathy toward homosexuality, and that antipathy being anything less than hatred or a desire for violence doesn't magically make it disappear.

But let's put it another way: You're on a porn site. Imagine the following two scenarios:

A) You unknowingly click on a link that unexpectedly takes you to a gay porn video.
B) You unknowingly click on a link that unexpectedly takes you to a heterosexual video you know you will not find arousing. Let's not include extreme fetishes in this. Just a hetero video with say an actress you don't find at all arousing.

If you click the back button for A faster than for B, congratulations, you're a little homophobic.

Lots of us are a little homophobic. In some of our cases, it's because we haven't been around many gay people and it's still a novel experience because it circumvents our expectations. In other people's cases maybe they're a little bit afraid that if they see two dudes enjoying some cock that it will give them the gay. But it's all homophobia.

On the bright side, if you're willing to admit that your repulsion is irrational and unnatural, that means you're on the road to being able to deal with it in a civil way. If you're not, well, then you have to potential to turn it into all kinds of nasty things down the road.

I do believe your example is a bit off here.
Now, let's imagine this gentleman of fine breeding wants to spank it...
Actually, let's not imagine that.


Glad we avoided that, now back on topic: I do not care about homosexuals, and as far as I am concerned, they can do to each other whatever they damn well please, however, I have no desire to watch them whilst they are getting to know one another carnally.
Why?
Because I wouldn't want to watch two grown men have intercourse in any form, since it would not in any way sexually appeal to me, what with me being a straight male.
Does that make me homophobic?
Does the fact that, if I clicked on a link to gay porn instead of the usual midget-unicorn-chainsaw-orgy, I would back out of there extremely fast make me a homophobe?

If so, then fine, I am a giant homophobe because I have no desire to watch other men doing unspeakable things to each others bums, possibly involving the use of various power tools whilst an amputee midget prances around the room spraying hot glitter everywhere.

In short:
I do not care what one consenting adult of legal age does to another consenting adult of legal age, as long as I don't get labeled for not wanting to see them have intercourse.
I have nothing against public displays of affection, holding hands, kissing, gentle fondling, etc, just as I tolerate this behaviour in straight couples.

However, if one of my best friends, a gay physicist, suddenly decided to stick something up his lovers bum over dinner, then I would reserve myself the right to get a tad upset.
For good measure: I would also object to any straight friend of mine sticking stuff up another man's bum over dinner, as I would object to anyone sticking anything up anyone's bum over dinner. This also goes for anyone sticking anything up any other holes in the trouser region.

And if that makes me a homophobe, then I appear to be a homophobe.
And I am willing to be labelled as such if that means I get to quit watching gay porn I accidentally clicked on as soon as humanly possible without having to watch for a certain period of time because "tolerance".

Buuuuut to be fair, I should have addressed that porn thing a bit more:
I wouldn't back out of gay porn faster than out of other porn I don't watch, simply because I back out of porn that is not appealing to me really damn fast.

 

[klaynexas3]

The 360 is a good platform. How? It has one exclusive series, which will probably come the PC anyway(as the first two of it have) and even that is run of the mill. If you like it because it's fun to relax with a controller, you could easily hook your computer up to a tv and use a gamepad(or even a 360 controller with the right drivers) and get to play all the same games(except the halos). If you like it being cheap, there is the fact that you have to pay for any online services, which after a few years will add up to a point that if you saved that money, it would be enough to build a PC with just as good specs and be able to play the same games. So again, what's so great about it as a platform?

 

[klaynexas3]

Here's an opinion I hate that you might relate to.

Views on Media Studies. I was a media student not so long ago and even now when I say that's what my highest qualification is in people react with confusion and mocking. "Oh so you can watch films? HAHAHAHAHA! I do that! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Now, I have a question. As one that studies media, do you disect it piece by piece to understand every aspect of it, like a biologist might disect an animal or a psychologist might disect a mind? Just curious, I want to know what all it entails.

 

[ninjaRiv]

Here's an opinion I hate that you might relate to.

Views on Media Studies. I was a media student not so long ago and even now when I say that's what my highest qualification is in people react with confusion and mocking. "Oh so you can watch films? HAHAHAHAHA! I do that! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Now, I have a question. As one that studies media, do you disect it piece by piece to understand every aspect of it, like a biologist might disect an animal or a psychologist might disect a mind? Just curious, I want to know what all it entails.

Yeah, that's pretty much what it is, except bioligists have a lot more skill.

One thing they said as the course started was "You'll never be able to watch a movie the same way again." We also found out people don't enjoy watching movies with us anymore lol. But it's a lot of fun and if you're passionate about the subject, you should give it a go.

I also learnt how to make films and stuff, though so it wasn't all about watching stuff. I don't know if that's true of all media based courses, though. There's a lot of theory involved, too.


As a side note, is that Enders Game as your profile picture? What do you think of this Card/Superman controversy?

 

[klaynexas3]

Here's an opinion I hate that you might relate to.

Views on Media Studies. I was a media student not so long ago and even now when I say that's what my highest qualification is in people react with confusion and mocking. "Oh so you can watch films? HAHAHAHAHA! I do that! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Now, I have a question. As one that studies media, do you disect it piece by piece to understand every aspect of it, like a biologist might disect an animal or a psychologist might disect a mind? Just curious, I want to know what all it entails.

Yeah, that's pretty much what it is, except bioligists have a lot more skill.

One thing they said as the course started was "You'll never be able to watch a movie the same way again." We also found out people don't enjoy watching movies with us anymore lol. But it's a lot of fun and if you're passionate about the subject, you should give it a go.

I also learnt how to make films and stuff, though so it wasn't all about watching stuff. I don't know if that's true of all media based courses, though. There's a lot of theory involved, too.


As a side note, is that Enders Game as your profile picture? What do you think of this Card/Superman controversy?

There is an IB film class at my school that I have been interested in checking out, but haven't had the schedule space.

And I only just heard about it yesterday. It saddens me to know that he's anti gay and all, so I won't be buying the comic, but that doesn't really affect me, as I hardly ever buy comics, and I find Superman dreadfully boring anyway. And I probably won't be buying any more of his books either, as I already have all the regular books and ones in the shadow series as well, so I don't have any strong desire to read any more of his work.

 

[ninjaRiv]

There is an IB film class at my school that I have been interested in checking out, but haven't had the schedule space.

And I only just heard about it yesterday. It saddens me to know that he's anti gay and all, so I won't be buying the comic, but that doesn't really affect me, as I hardly ever buy comics, and I find Superman dreadfully boring anyway. And I probably won't be buying any more of his books either, as I already have all the regular books and ones in the shadow series as well, so I don't have any strong desire to read any more of his work.

I think you should take it, if you ever get the time. It'll be a good way to see if it's something you want to study properly, full time.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I found out about it as the news broke about the Superman thing, though. I always find it odd when a Sci-Fi author turns out to have an outdated opinion.

But Loved the Ender series, will probably enjoy the film but I find that writers spend a lot more effort trying to shoehorn in their political views as they get older so anything new from him, I'd be dubious about.