Boy is my face red!

War Arrow · Post by **War Arrow** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:32 am

Just out of curiosity, anticipation of amusing responses, and a sneaky instinct to work out the cut of everyone's respective jib - I'm wondering are there any of you here who at some point in the past have found yourselves having to scrap a much-loved theory or deeply held conviction in the face of overwhelming evidence against? Richard Dawkins stated in his lecture 'Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder' (published by Penguin as Unweaving the Rainbow) something along the lines of the true scientist is the one who has no fear of being wrong. So let's be big. Let's 'fess up!

I'll start the ball rolling. In my teenage years I had the complete library of crap, UFOs, Bermuda triangle, all the rest. Maybe it doesn't count because these weren't exactly deeply held beliefs, just a generation X 'I like stuff that's cool' thing. I finally grew up when exposure to Carl Sagan brought home the painful truth that up until that point I hadn't actually been using my brain. I've never looked back since.

More recently I've been forced to accept the possibility of instances of ritualised cannibalism in pre-Hispanic Mexico, although I'd still say W. Arens puts up a pretty good argument against in The Man-Eating Myth: Anthropology & Anthropophagy.

So come on, let's hear some dark secrets! Anyone who used to be a Jehovah's Witness? Anyone who still is?

Post by **Minimalist** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:26 am

I used to think that there were extraterrestrial UFO's. I gradually came to the realization that when researchers said "90% of UFOs are natural or man-made phenomena" it merely meant that they hadn't figured out what the other 10% are.

No great burst of enlightenment.....just a gradual realization that there was no answer to the question "why would they bother (visiting earth)?"

marduk · Post by **marduk** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:13 pm

I think we all did didn't we
Archaeology is the new rock and roll
i started off believing Daniken which is why i find it so funny that people still do
I got over that when I was about 12
then of course I did the rounds
Hancock was a good author until i grew knowledgable enough to see the distorted truth and misrepresented fiction he presented as factual
now I do my own research into anything that interestes me only ever using the original source
it makes life less interesting but much more stable
and of course
means i'm not as wrong about everything like I used to be

I hope to settle the mysetries of the past and then like Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein before me settle down to answer the only real mystery of life that will be left
Women
I think in this area I have a natural advantage over Hawking but can't be sure as the hands on approach often leads to temporary insanity and an inability to think straight anyway.
Einsteins final solution was a little drastic for my taste as I feel it is possible to understand this maddening concept while I'm still breathing
maybe
probably
hopefully anyway

War Arrow · Post by **War Arrow** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:36 pm

marduk wrote:I hope to settle the mysetries of the past and then like Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein before me settle down to answer the only real mystery of life that will be left
Women

Good luck with that one. It's one mystery that, much like string theory, I've grown to accept as being beyond my mental capacity.
I guess the starting off on pseudoscience thing might be more common than I thought, and I suppose it's just that desire to understand a bigger, more exciting universe than the one immediately outside your front door. Luckily it turns out the universe is already pretty exciting without needing to invent extra bits. My only regret is that it's somewhat marred my enjoyment of certain Doctor Who stories, such as the one in which Jon Pertwee says the Exxilons helped the Incas out with Peru, the lying b*st*rd.

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:59 pm

I think it is a common trait among adolescent readers to have the attitude that "It must be true, it's written right here in a book".

Most of us go through that early on.

Bigfoot agrees with me.

Post by **MichelleH** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:17 pm

I hope to settle the mysetries of the past and then like Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein before me settle down to answer the only real mystery of life that will be left
Women

Give it up Marduk, we intend to remain the final enigma. We are very good at it.

Cognito · Post by **Cognito** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:18 pm

I think it is a common trait among adolescent readers to have the attitude that "It must be true, it's written right here in a book". Most of us go through that early on.

At a young age we are all bludgeoned into believing that life is normal, those paranormal events are all garbage, and then most of our bubbles are popped.

Some become skeptics, but a few of us re-learn later that life was a miracle all along. To me, unraveling ancient history is far more interesting than any fiction once the truth is discovered. Call me a romantic.

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:27 pm

Call me a romantic.

OK - you're a romantic.

That's good though, I am one as well, in my own way. I think people begin to really blossom when they realize that something written by a person with letters behind their name or a long CV is not necessarily the truth.

We all keep on learning. I just got rocks in my head.

War Arrow · Post by **War Arrow** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:33 am

[quote="MichelleH]Give it up Marduk, we intend to remain the final enigma. We are very good at it.

[/quote]
I hope you won't mind me asking this, but as an enigma, would you be able to supply any data upon why my girlfriend only seems to think I look good in clothes that, were it possible, I'd happily grow an extra pair of limbs in order to avoid having to wear. Obviously, I've asked her myself, but I still don't understand the answers.

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:38 am

Hah! You joust with windmills.

How to Make a Woman Happy

It's not difficult to make a woman happy. A man only needs to be:
1. a friend
2. a companion
3. a lover
4. a brother
5. a father
6. a master
7. a chef
8. an electrician
9. a carpenter
10. a plumber
11. a mechanic
12. a decorator
13. a stylist
14. a sexologist
15. a gynecologist
16. a psychologist
17. a pest exterminator
18. a psychiatrist
19. a healer
20. a good listener
21. an org! anizer
22. a good father
23. very clean
24. sympathetic
25. athletic
26. warm
27. attentive
28. gallant
29. intelligent
30. funny
31. creative
32. tender
33. strong
34. understanding
35. tolerant
36. prudent
37. ambitious
38. capable
39. courageous
40. determined
41. true
42. dependable
43. passionate
44. compassionate

WITHOUT FORGETTING TO:

45 give her compliments regularly
46. love shopping
47. be honest
48. be very rich
49. not stress her out
50. not look at other girls

AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU MUST ALSO:

51. give her lots of attention, but expect little yourself
52. give her lots of time, especially time for herself
53. give her lots of space, never worrying about where she goes

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT:

54. Never to forget :
* birthdays
* anniversaries
* arrangements she makes

HOW TO MAKE A MAN HAPPY

1. Show up naked

marduk · Post by **marduk** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:17 pm

Give it up Marduk, we intend to remain the final enigma. We are very good at it

I feel I am close to an answer but need more test subjects
got any single friends who don't mind being probed

War Arrow · Post by **War Arrow** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:24 pm

Well, I managed about 15 out of the Minimalist list. Is that good?

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:29 pm

Not even close.

War Arrow · Post by **War Arrow** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:02 pm

Minimalist wrote:Not even close.

Shame, particularly as about half of that 15 I only scored through a very liberal interpretation of the statistics.

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:23 pm

So....with a female judge you would have gotten about "2?"