How transparent are people generally?

[J@3]

I've been thinking lately about alot of fairly generic phrases that people like to throw around about themselves, and exactly how much of it is believable.

What I'm interested in, is what you think of when you hear any of the following...

"I'm doing my bit for the environment"

I figured this just meant they put cans and plastics in the recycling bins, and turn off the TV at the powerpoint at night to stop all of those evil carbon emissions that are destroying the Earth!!! People who say it are usually full of shit I reckon, who are they to even judge what "their bit" for the environment is. I hate the environment.

"People always judge me"

This seems to be what people say (btw, I HATE people saying they're being "judged") when no one likes them. They get insulted or someone tells them their hair looks stupid and all of a sudden it's "OMG DON'T JUDGE ME!". Fuckwits. "I raped a cat"... "wtf, you raped a cat?" "SHUT UP STOP JUDGING ME!"

"I support our troops"

I say our because it seems everyone outside of France and Spain have troops overseas. I know most people do feel this way, but do you think maybe it's less of a belief and more something they say because it makes them sound good/caring? I doubt peoples sincerity all the time so this one in particular interests me.

"I feel asthough I'm extremely open minded"

I'm a bisexual artist/drug addict who dates Asians and blacks only. Really though, what is being open minded? So many people say things like that, and "tolerant of others"... tolerant... you want people to "tolerate" other people. Even worse is "accepting of other races"... it's as if if you're not white you have to apply to be part of society.

"Nobody understands me"

Shut up, emo kid. For some reason people have this inherent belief that if they like or enjoy anything remotely different to the norm, they are "misunderstood"... or if they are picked on, or segregated for whatever reason. I've never figured this out. Are they assuming that if we did "understand" them, they would suddenly be as great in our eyes as they are in their own?

Feel free to add your own, I'm interested in what people will come up with.

I know since this is multi-paragraphed I'm probably pushing it a bit as far as replies go but lets see anyway.

[benji]

Ugh! Stop judging me you intolerant bastard! Good Darko, does nobody understand me?

[J@3]

[Axel]

Thank you Jae! I thought I was the only one here who dated minorities only.

[Christopherson]

Well I would have to say the environment one bugs me too. Too many people have opinoins about the environment without knowing a damn thing about it. Take logging for example. It isn't such a bad thing. It's healthy for the forrest and helps protect it from wildfires, which let all of that smoke into the air. So many people just look at the issue on the surface and say " You're cutting down the environment?! WHAAAAT????" ...Pisses me off.

People who so openly support the troops bug me too. They do it only to feel better about themselves. They make it seem like they are so honorable for supporting the troops. How is that honorable? What's the alternative, driving around with a "I hope the troops die" bumper sticker?

The one that pisses me off is the constant labeling of people as racist. Just the other day I was debating with someone about whether or not the reservations are a good thing for the Indian Tribes. I had several points on my side but the only thing they could say was, "Your racism disgusts me." I feel that in the world today people label other's as racist only to imply that they themselves are tolerant. I mean, what better way to show that you aren't racist then to call someone else out for being racist? I would imagine that often times they are afraid of their own thoughts that they feel might be percieved as racist, so they call other out instead. I think that it human nature to have some stereotypes. As a decent person you just have to use your brain and know that just because there are stereotypes doesn't mean that you should treat someone differently because of them.

[benji]

Take logging for example. It isn't such a bad thing. It's healthy for the forrest and helps protect it from wildfires, which let all of that smoke into the air. So many people just look at the issue on the surface and say " You're cutting down the environment?! WHAAAAT????" ...Pisses me off.

Yeah, it's also because of logging we have so many more trees in the United States today than there were pre-Jamestown. When your business involves using trees, you make sure there are trees to use.

The one that pisses me off is the constant labeling of people as racist. Just the other day I was debating with someone about...

Shut up racist.

Calling someone a "racist" is like calling someone a "denier" or "fascist" or whatever. It's just trying to discredit that persons argument without actually addressing the argument. It's to shut someone up as they are saying things the name callers don't want to hear.

[Christopherson]

Yeah, it's also because of logging we have so many more trees in the United States today than there were pre-Jamestown. When your business involves using trees, you make sure there are trees to use.

Just because it was mismanagend for a 150 years doesn't mean that it is wrong to do it today.

[Andrew]

"I'm doing my bit for the environment"

I figured this just meant they put cans and plastics in the recycling bins, and turn off the TV at the powerpoint at night to stop all of those evil carbon emissions that are destroying the Earth!!! People who say it are usually full of shit I reckon, who are they to even judge what "their bit" for the environment is. I hate the environment.

I'd say that's about right. A lot of the people who say that are probably being wasteful with water or paper or could be doing so much more if they were actually as "eco-friendly" as they want people to think they are.

[The Other Kevin]

How transparent are people generally?

Not very, thank god. I'd hate to see everyone's internal organs. Scares the shit out of me.


In this context, very. People are actors by nature, and try to appease everyone. We're an egotistical society, so people try to make excuses or seem better than they are to look better than everyone else.