I vaguely remember Barney Frank. I didn't have a TV at the time.

I don't really recall what specifically I was looking up, or wanted to do when I first looked up philosophy forums, and joined. I had moved on from a creative writing website, which is where I started online, with poetry and short stories. My little brother had suggested that I tried it, and was also a member, a long with a few other people I knew. After I had established my unquestionable dominance, I of course got bored of there, and was really getting into the atheist thing. I was still sick, and hated everyone, and the universe -- so it made lots of sense to me at the time. I could not accept that my vicissitudes were intended... that this could be done to me on purpose. I was a decided atheist by thirteen, having read the bible, looking for everything that was wrong with it. I didn't really get into it or anything until the new atheist movement, which I found attractive. I was posting on RD.net, and following more science documentary blogs, articles and things, and I watched a lot of arguments, as well as participated in a lot of arguments. I was deeply passionate about it too, because I'm not the fucking crazy one, they are.

Anyway, that's about the time that I joined the forum. There were a lot more believers around back then too, and I used to argue and argue and argue some more with them.

I find the recurring anti-American thing to be tiresome... — Mongrel

I found it hilarious earlier coming from Frankie Boyle (and guests). Frankie Boyle's American Autopsy on the BBC. Well worth a watch, in my opinion.

Oh, and I can answer the question you've been asking with a single word: curiosity.

(I work in arts & entertainment fields and the vast majority of my social circle is comprised of people in A&E) — Terrapin Station

Your social circle is comprised of people who have been involved in a major accident or medical emergency, and are now hospitalised?

rimshot

. I didn't really get into it or anything until the new atheist movement, which I found attractive. — Wosret

That's interesting. Do you still identify with new atheists?

I found it hilarious earlier coming from Frankie Boyle (and guests). Frankie Boyle's American Autopsy on the BBC. Well worth a watch, in my opinion.

Oh, and I can answer the question you've been asking with a single word: curiosity. — Sapientia

I don't know who Frankie Boyle is. More power to him though.

Are you from a small town? From a big one? Large family? Orphan? What's the Sapientia tale?

No, I stopped caring about that awhile ago.

I don't know who Frankie Boyle is. — Mongrel

Do you know what Google is, and how to use it? ;)

Are you from a small town? From a big one? Large family? Orphan? — Mongrel

Is 12 sq mi big or small? I wouldn't say I'm from a large family. And I'm not an orphan.

What's the Sapientia tale? — Mongrel

Once upon a time, in the late 1980s, in a town in Essex, in the southeast of England, bordering the capital, London, on planet Earth, a particular pair of identical twins was born, and I was one of them. I grew up and eventually found the old forum which I joined 6 years ago back in 2010, and became a regular participant, until last year when it was sold to people who ruffled my feathers enough to make me leave and resettle here, where I've remained ever since.

Outside of the forum, I have a job and a life and a cat and two degus, and I'm going to be moving into a flat next month.

And I'm an owl.

It seems Wisdom lives a rather ordinary life, ay? O:)

Well.. I'm guessing I know what you'd say about this, but I've never asked you before. It has to do vaguely with new atheists..

There are elements of D. Trump's background and that of some of his associates that relates to a sort of social application of the principle of survival of the fittest: It's the notion that if we help the down-trodden, we're screwing with human genetics in a bad way. Therefore, we should let people float or drown. It's some philosophy that mingles with whatever else underpins libertarianism.

What are your thoughts on that? Or was I too vague?

Do you know what Google is, and how to use it? ;) — Sapientia

I do. But it doesn't take the place of getting recommendations from real people. Best science fiction book you've read lately?

a particular pair of identical twins was born, and I was one of them. — Sapientia

You're an identical twin? Does your twin ever hang around this forum? If not, why not?

It seems Wisdom lives a rather ordinary life, ay? O:) — Heister Eggcart

So it seems. But then you don't know that I'm Batman. And you won't find out, because I don't tell anyone.

Best science fiction book you've read lately? — Mongrel

I haven't. I hardly read any fiction these days. But I read A Brave New World some time ago.

You're an identical twin? Does your twin ever hang around this forum? If not, why not? — Mongrel

Yes, no, and because he's too low-brow. Or at least, he acts that way, although if he gave it a real chance, he might discover that he likes it. But because he associates it with me, he does the opposite, as he tends to do.

If he came here, it would probably be to troll or to be a sort of Katie Hopkins figure.

Best science fiction book you've read lately? — Mongrel

Earth Abides is a 1949 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by American writer George R. Stewart.

99.9% of the earth's population die very quickly from a new disease, almost all at once, except for a randomly resistant remnant. The story follows one group living Oakland, CA. They are an unremarkable group. They survive because there are is a thick cushion of goods on hand. The people died but buildings and contents weren't affected. Little is said about the disease. There are no descriptions of ghastly death -- people just got ill with an influenza-like disease and died quickly.

The group survives (40 or 50 years at plot's end) but the charm of the story is in the way the lazy non-forward thinking of the group turns out to be better than the rational long-range planning of the leader. The people in the group are, as I said, unremarkable, but to use a term that hadn't been invented in 1949, crowd sourcing turned out to be more reliable than expert sourcing.

The leader recognizes his irrelevance and comes up with a gift to the future in the form of a toy.

The book is available in print (maybe) but is definitely in e-book format. Might even be a free copy out there somewhere.

It was one of the best books I've read in any category.

Another charm of the book is the absence of nuts and bolts we are familiar with. For instance, he describes a post-apocalypse drive across what had been America to verify what he thought had happened. He describes driving along Highway 66, and for a brief moment I wondered "why would anyone drive on secondary roads?" Then it occurred to me, "Of course! Route 66 was THE best east-west road in 1949--the interstate highway system was still a decade away. His family had a wind-up Victrola record player for 78 rpm records. We still had one in use in the mid 1950s (till I took it apart to study the mechanics of the gears, governor, and springs). There was no TV in the story. Cars were easier to understand -- all mechanical. Antibiotics would have made only the briefest appearance in 1949. Airline passenger trips wouldn't have been missed by 99% of the population.

How'd you like A Brave New World? :)

Well, I suppose it's in order to understand myself and the world.

"Men go and come, but earth abides." Got the Kindle version. Thanks!

What in particular (about either yourself or the world) draws your attention as you go to understand?

Heister Eggcart — Heister Eggcart

Hester Eggcart sounds like a "a Cockney rhyme" or something -- probably something, and not a Cockney rhyme. Like one can write a monolog studded with words like your name, and it is quite funny. One I heard about Bill Clinton back in his Monica days is "Well, he was just one gorny huy." Horny guy. Get it?

So Meister Eckhart (1260—1328) comes out Heister Eggcart or Heister Eggfart or Heisted Eggparts or Hoisted Eggwarts.

So what's your name, does all this explain your handle?

Let me know how you like it.

I remember thinking, after I had just finished it, that its significance hadn't truly dawned upon me until near to the end of the book, and the actual ending itself, at which point my opinion changed. There were some good bits along the way, too. I like all of the satirical elements. I like how consumerism, amongst other things, is taken to extremes, so that the name "Ford" takes the place of "Lord", and they worship a "T" symbol (for the model T) rather than the Christian Cross. "Ending is better than mending" and "The more stitches, the less riches". There are some very interesting themes throughout: control, brainwashing, caste system, taboo, eugenics, sex, drugs, censorship...

That "unquestionable dominance" remark was a joke. It doesn't matter how strong and fit you are, God, or Nature might be nodding their divine heads, but people care about how decent and sufferable you are. Having people come around you merely for resources, food or shelter is the kind of relationship you have with pets and children, not peers.

All of the strength in the world won't bring you any closer to someone's heart. They may want what you have, or to be like you, but that isn't the same thing as knowing and loving you. That takes humility, vulnerability, and softness.

It's not about how hard you can hit, but rather, how hard of one you can take. People that espouse such a view clearly fear that they can't take much.

Okey doke. So far I love it.

That "unquestionable dominance" remark was a joke. — Wosret

I know. My question came out of left field.. it's vaguely related to atheism,

All of the strength in the world won't bring you any closer to someone's heart. — Wosret

You're saying that what matters finally is love.

Love is all you need...

Yes, who needs money or a roof over your head when you've got love?

Okay, those things are pretty sweet too, but are means to ends...

Yes, means to ends. Ends which are not love.

The best one's are. Is the love talk triggering you? Owl's need love too.