ALTEREGO'S PROFILE

So, at the end of the day I decided to put "Star Trek" and "Doctor Who" on hold yet again and started watching "Babylon 5" instead. It seems to be a lesser known series but still has enough of a "cult classic" status, which is exactly what I was looking for. And it doesn't have that many seasons either. I'm still on season 1 though, so it may be too early too judge, but it looks good so far and I hope it picks up more as the seasons go on. It has a couple movies too, and that's always a good sign.

In other news. If Toriyama misses the opportunity to let Vegeta go SSJ3 before he goes SSJ God, heads are gonna roll...

Well, I guess I meant to say I've watched everything that becomes mainstream enough to be noticeable "world-wide". The reason I've never watched Star Trek or Doctor Who before, for example, is because they never were originally aired in my country. If not for Cable TV and the Internet, which are fairly recent things, I'd still be stuck watching Telenovelas. xD

I've seen most of the shows you recommend. But I guess it can be said I'm 'bit' picky as well. For example, I started watched "The 100", but it struck me as a reality show, kinda like Survivor, but with a post-apocalyptic setting. Likewise, I started watched a show called "Defiance", but it turned out to be a soap opera with aliens. "Warehouse 13" I kinda forced myself to keep watching, because while the premise was right up my alley, I wanted to strangle the main male protagonist and of his dumb sense of humor. xP "Firefly" was Ok. The whole western + space thing was kinda "meh" to me, but it was Ok. Shame it ended, though, it was getting good.

I guess the reason I like shows like the X-files or Stargate more, is because almost every episode is different, each one exploring a cool idea like time travel, alternate realities, and all that good stuff. Shows that are more drama than sci-fi, tend to bore me over time. xP

I hadn't considered Animes. I'm Ok with that. But It would need to be something dubbed. I watch shows mostly while I'm doing something else (I need to multi-task to get things done. The day has only so many hours. =_=) so I can't be glued to the screen reading subtitles.

I don't think any of that refutes what I said. I already acknowledged there are problems. We're in agreement on that. The thing is, what exactly is the problem? How big it really is? And what's an adequate solution to it? ...Usually, discussions about pink toys on the internet come down to: "The 'pink aisle' must be abolished!" Well, congratulations! Not only that's not the right problem, nor the adequate solution. But you're just as authoritative as the people who won't let children wear and play with what they want.

I too want to foster a society where undue outside influences can no longer stump a person's development. But I want to achieve this towards discussion, education, respect. etc. By introducing more options, not by tearing down the ones that already exist. By encouraging people to be assertive, and exercise their autonomy. By pursuing their own happiness in life against all odds. But no, apparently it is foolish to think this way. It is impossible to escape society's "programming" or whatever. I don't know anymore.

You know, most of the time we're happy with just offering a counter-argument and leaving it at that. We're have my own experiences -or own 'facts'- to rely on, and we're confident on that. Even if we're not too smart when examining our own feelings or expressing our ideas. We know this can be done. We'll keep threading along, and helping where we can, regardless.

I agree that Max antagonizing Solitayre like that was uncalled for, but that's to be expected when he has been pre-emptively called out from the start. It's only natural that he'll get (more) defensive that way. His first contributions to this thread were on-topic and satisfactorily addressed the questions from the OP. Just because his opinions were not the ones the OP wanted to hear, it doesn't mean it's Ok to threaten him with administrative action. He has been banned before. He knows where the line is (I hope xD). But unless you mean to push him towards that line, it's probably best to get off his case, until he actually crosses said line all by himself.... Just my two cent.

On this ongoing mess. On one hand I will agree that those who don't understand some of the terms being used here, should "educate" themselves, if they want to be part of this discussion. I think it's Ok to first ask the OP to use more "entry-level" language. But once it has been established that that's not something the OP wants to bother with, then it's on you. It's your responsibility to understand what you're arguing against, at least at some basic level. C'mon people, you're only proving their point if you can't even do that... And while we're at it. You should also understand that using expressions such as "grow some testicles" or whatever, is not going to win you any arguments in a thread like this. It may seem unfair, but you have to realize it's counterproductive to use language like that while in their "home turf" so to speak.

On the other hand... I don't know. I think that side could use being a little more understanding as well. I mean, this whole kerfuffle is nothing but a big display of miscommunication. It's just an ideological divide (But of course, you would disagree to that). Is the fact that we understand words and concepts in different ways, and that's bound to affect how we express our ideas. For example, when we say: "Most people don't care about that" We don't mean to say that your opinions don't matter, or that our experiences invalidate yours. We're just letting you know that your experiences shouldn't invalidate ours either, and that you should be more accommodating towards us.

Why do I think it is YOU who should be more accommodating, and not the other way around? Well, just look at the exchange the OP had with Liberty some pages back: "This and only this is what proper representations is, and anything short of it will have dire consequences!" Not even Liberty's stance (which is more "moderate" than some of ours) was good enough for the OP. This is how inflexible your beliefs are. And it is understandable that you feel this way when you hold the idea that this has the potential of causing harm to people. But you should also understand, that for us this does not come across as just critique, this a very serious accusation. One very hard to shoulder, in fact. Do you think we really don't care if we cause harm to others? That's the last thing we want! So it's only natural people will reject that.

And here's the kicker. This side is just as "diverse" as that side. Our lived experiences are similar to yours, and yet, we draw different conclusions on the same issues. And I know you don't like to be reminded of this, and you'll probably have a few labels flying my way because of it, but it's the truth. And Ftr no one is denying bigotry is still a problem, no one is saying "systems of oppression" are not a thing. Usually the point of contention is: "what role does media play in all of this". This is the one thing that concerns us all here as developers... You claim this role is significant because you seem to think people are just empty vessels that media fills with all kinds of biases that leads them to treat others poorly. We, however, are more fond of the idea that people are more capable of telling right from wrong that you give them credit for, and are 100% free to make their own choices, even if we don't agree 100% with said choices. That's what "freedom" means to us.

But anyway. This is getting too long, and I feel like I've said enough... I think rmn has failed to have this discussion over the past three years because it wants it to be a very one-sided discussion. There should be a discussion, no doubt about that. But there should be a mutual understanding of each others point of view, to at least learn where we have a common ground, and when it's best to keep a safe distance from each other, if that's what things must come down to. But at the end of the day we all deserve a spot at the table.

@nhubi: Holy--! Thanks a lot!!! I would have never been able to figure this out on my own. Sadly, I can't seem to find the song anywhere right now (YouTube why have you failed me so?), but looking at the soundtrack of that movie in Wikipedia was a nice throwback: The mighty mighty Bostones, Dance hall crashers, Hepcat, Save Ferris... Yup! that's the kind of stuff I was into in high-school (Even thought I could understand even less what I was listening to back then. xD). It's just this one group that is not very well known, it seems. Hopefully one day I'll be able to stumble with a clear version of this song somewhere, but for now I can at least sing along. =)