This isnt intellectualism.

[regnier]

This is a collection of pseudo-intellectuals giving vent to half-imagined and ill-researched thoughts, picayune problems and misunderstood aporia. I cannot find hide nor hair of anything redeeming whatsoever.

I'd say I'm expecting too much of an online site, but they are thousands and thousands of users, and the forum is divided into many parts. There should be a few, even if only five or six, real critical thinkers. But I can't find any.

Have any of you ever even read any Kant? Kafka? Vonnegut? Coupland, Hempel, Descartes, Bacon? The most I could expect out of any of you solipsistic black-hole egotists is knowledge of Palahniuk. The messiah of the angry. And probably not even that.

I see here realms of justification and self-denial. Angry denouements and the neologisms of the iGeneration. I see here directionless discontent and placeless rage, common sense and common intelligence. I see here the kind of people who think the world will end in their lifetime, and never realize that's a form of conceit.

Don't any of you realize that trying to be different makes you normal?

More than anything, I want someone to prove me wrong. No doubt, there'll be an angry response, if there is a response at all, to this. I know that already, but it's worth it if even one intellectual responds. Never has a board full of posts felt so empty.

This is the end of my diatribe.

Marco?

[SqNtz_xoombotvx]

Re: This isn't intellectualism.

Marco?

Polo!

[Afrobean]

RE: Re: This isn

Wow.

I thought I liked to take advantage of my knowlege to make others feel less intelligent, but this guy just went all out here. Quick question though: How many words did you look up to use in that post? Surely not even the most intelligent person would throw around words like "aporia" or "diatribe" as they make it look as though you're trying too hard.

By the way, the CT forum is not for flaming pseudo-intellectuals. It is for discussing intellectual matters. Try to keep that in mind in the future.

[Tasselfoot]

RE: Re: This isn

Afro, those of us with college educations don't have trouble with diatribe (I hope), although aporia I'm not so sure of without the context.

With that said, I, for one, am not all about reading philosophical works. They make my head hurt and don't interest me in the least. I don't feel the need to defend myself using terms or obscure theorums originating from them. I'm perfectly content to use my opinion, explained in a manner that is not overly harsh, yet enough so that my passion for my reasoning is seen.

More than waxing in upper crust elitism using dead pundits, CT is more about discussing "intellectual" topics, from whatever genre. And intellectual is a loose definition. Most of the users on the site are 13-18. CT goers are generally a little older, 16-20? perhaps. There are MAYBE 10 users on the entire site that are 21+ (myself included). As such, their caliber for college-level debate is next to none, and trying to hold them to such is impossible and unfair.

The problem is not that we're not intelligent. The problem is that you are looking for an upper eshelon Philosophy forum, while this is a place for Finger DDR. To go even further: those of us who have some/all of a college education STILL wouldn't be able to discuss/debate on most topics at the level you're looking for. I could do it in Finance and Astrophysics (my Major and my Minor). A few others could do it in Mathemathics or General Physics (their majors). Etc, etc. I could also do it regarding major American sports (my passion), movies, or Mystery/Action novels [Should you like to discuss any of these topics, let me know. I'd be happy to do so].

I feel that I'm getting off topic, as I tend to do in any post of more than 1 paragraph. Writing is NOT a subject I'm highly proficent in, and my apologies for that. But, I think that I have made my point.

In regards to this site and the highest level of intellectual thought... I'd recommend TWG. Requires special permission to join the forum, and is our version of The Werewolf Game (aka, Mafia). For the most part, the top TWGers are highly regarded for their trickiness, ability to be unreadable, and above all... their ability to discern subtleties in other people's posts/AIM conversations.

Lastly, I hope that you decide to stick around. You're more than welcome to attempt to raise CT to your level, but I'll be honest... I doubt you'll be able to do it in Philosophy. The kids around here are interested in Naruto and Mai Hime (sp?), not Kafka, Locke, Freud, or Sun-Tzu.

[Grandiagod]

RE: Re: This isn

The problem is, he expects the average person to have a working knowledge of Descartes. While many of us do, we do not train our intellecualism toward impressing others, nor do we even discuss obscure philosophy. This is Critical Thinking not a forum to rant about other posters beliefs, educational levels, or knowledge of Plato. The first time someone posts a topic about the technological achievements of the Mayan culture is the first time I will make fun of them in CT. If you are dissapointed by the lack of intellectualism of a site made of mostly 15 year olds. Then your either expecting too much, or needed a place to make yourself feel superior. Its ffr. This place started over a free flash game. There are thousands of members, but very few post. If you dont care to hear what we think, then you really do not have to come here.

Polo!

[GuidoHunter]

RE: Re: This isn

IP check, please?

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Kilgamayan]

lol kant

Nice guy, but what a steaming pile he produced.

Anyway, like Tass said, you expect way too much out of folks here.

[Tasselfoot]

Guido... first thing I do, always. No other connection to the site that I can tell.

[stretchypanda]

=( Did you get any papercuts thumbing through your thesaurus?

[Grandiagod]

I still don't get why people think this guy used a thesarurus or dictionary. Really, he did not use any obscure vocabulary or anything.

[Rediahs]

Yeah, um, what words exactly would this guy be looking up?

Some help would be appreciated.



Really I think he's just glad we make him look smart. Well then. Carry on there, good chap.

[Afrobean]

I still don't get why people think this guy used a thesarurus or dictionary. Really, he did not use any obscure vocabulary or anything.

Yeah, I use "diatribe" everyday even though I could just as easily say "tirade" and have more people understand me.

And besides, his post has an air about it which makes it seem as though he went out of his way to make himself seem smarter. Even if he didn't look up any words (which is easily possible) he used words that many people wouldn't know of just to make those who don't know of them feel stupid.

Really, I don't blame him. If you're gonna flame a whole forum for not being intelligent enough, you better go out of your way to show that you're smarter than anyone ever.

[Grandiagod]

Yeah, but if people here don't know what diatribe means, maybe he has a point and tirade does has a slightly different meaning.
But going out of your way to make yourself seem smar makes the exact opppsite impression. I'm surprised that people have not got that yet.
In all it kind of reeks of him wanting us to be impressed by his intelligence, which we obviously are not.

[Afrobean]

In all it kind of reeks of him wanting us to be impressed by his intelligence, which we obviously are not.

My point exactly. I have no problem with using a thesaurus or with using one's extensive vocabulary. I just have a problem with people who go out of their way to seem more smart.

Ironically, I do this too. If I met me, I'd surely hate myself.

[Tasselfoot]

How about you guys stop bickering with each other over this guy's vocabulary and word choice and actually adress his points.

You aren't doing a very good job of proving him wrong.